Control

Control pairs Intel’s Core Ultra 5 135H with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070, and the measured frame rates across three resolutions and four settings presets paint a clear picture of a system that is capable but heavily dependent on how you configure it. At 1080p, this combo delivers smooth, high-refresh gameplay on most presets, but the RTX 4070’s performance curve shows that 4K Ultra is a stretch, not a given. The data suggests a balanced pairing where neither component consistently bottlenecks the other, though the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor as resolution climbs. Below, we break down the scaling behavior, the CPU’s contribution, and where this combo stands relative to other tested configurations, followed by practical settings advice.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable but steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, which is typical for a GPU-bound title like Control. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 88 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p, a 24% reduction, and then falls further to 45 FPS at 4K, which is a 33% drop from the 1440p figure. This pattern indicates that the RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance here, as the CPU’s workload does not scale with pixel count the way the GPU’s does.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more pronounced: 140 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 71 FPS at 4K. The jump from 1080p to 1440p costs 34 FPS (24%), while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs 35 FPS (33%). This suggests that at Low settings, the GPU is still the bottleneck, but the CPU has more headroom to feed frames, as evidenced by the higher absolute numbers. The 4K Low result of 71 FPS is notable because it is higher than the 4K High result, showing that lowering settings can recover significant performance when resolution is fixed.

The Medium preset, which is the only one with min and max FPS data, reinforces this trend. At 1080p, the average is 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, while at 1440p, the average drops to 75 FPS (min 64, max 86), and at 4K, the average falls to 51 FPS (min 43, max 58). The spread between min and max FPS remains relatively consistent across resolutions, indicating that frame pacing is stable and that the GPU is not hitting severe stutters even at 4K Medium. The 4K Medium minimum of 43 FPS is still playable, but it is close to the edge of smoothness.

Ultra settings show the steepest decline: 77 FPS at 1080p, 58 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 19 FPS (25%), and the gap between 1440p and 4K is also 19 FPS (33%). The 4K Ultra result of 39 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth, making this preset impractical at that resolution. Overall, the scaling behavior indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring settings compromises to maintain playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 11875.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1700 in single-core, placing it at the 81st percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, has an average score of 29123, which is only 0.1% higher, indicating that the 135H is a solid mid-range performer despite its mobile pedigree.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data, and the benchmark results suggest it does so adequately. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 140 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would stress a weaker CPU, but the 135H keeps up. The fact that 1080p High drops to 88 FPS, a 37% reduction from Low, shows that the GPU is taking on more work as settings increase, which means the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions. This is corroborated by the Passmark single-thread score of 3521, which is competitive for gaming workloads.

The 135H’s multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 22422, also helps in scenes with many AI characters or physics interactions, which Control is known for. However, the data does not show a scenario where the CPU becomes the bottleneck—even at 1080p Low, the frame rate is high enough that the GPU is still the primary constraint. The boost clock of 4.60 GHz is sufficient for single-threaded tasks, and the 18 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency, which is beneficial for game logic. Overall, the CPU provides a stable foundation, but it is not the star of the show; the GPU dictates the final frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 1515 out of 2888 tested combos for Control, placing it in the 52nd percentile of all configurations. This is a middle-of-the-pack result, which is surprising given the RTX 4070’s strong standalone performance, but it reflects the mobile CPU’s limitations in a desktop-centric benchmark database. The combo’s rank is likely dragged down by the 135H’s performance relative to higher-end desktop CPUs, as the GPU is more than capable of driving higher frame rates.

Comparing the GPU to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4070 scores 37648 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. It is 1.3% slower than the RTX 4080 Mobile, which is a faster mobile GPU, and 1.3% faster than the AMD Radeon PRO W6400. These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4070 is a well-balanced card that sits in a competitive tier, but it is not a standout performer in raw benchmark terms.

For the CPU, the 135H’s average score of 29093 is nearly identical to the Ryzen 7 5800X (29123, delta -0.1%) and the Ryzen 5 5600XT (28940, delta 0.5%). It is slightly slower than the Intel Core i5-13500HX (29270, delta -0.6%). This means that in terms of raw compute, the 135H is on par with several popular desktop CPUs, but its mobile design means it may not sustain those scores in long gaming sessions due to thermal constraints. The combo rank of 1515 out of 2888 suggests that there are many faster configurations, but also many slower ones, making this a viable mid-range option for Control.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with 140 FPS on Low and 88 FPS on High. At 2560x1440, High still delivers a playable 67 FPS, while 3840x2160 drops to 45 FPS on High, so 1440p is the sweet spot for a balance of visuals and performance.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K Low, it averages 71 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it averages 51 FPS. However, 4K High and Ultra drop to 45 FPS and 39 FPS respectively, which are below the 60 FPS target, so you would need to stick to Low or Medium settings for smooth 4K play.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, which is 0.1% higher than the Tesla P4 and 0.4% higher than the RX Vega 56. It is 1.3% slower than the RTX 4080 Mobile and 1.3% faster than the Radeon PRO W6400, showing it is a competitive mid-range GPU.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 140 FPS, which suggests the CPU can keep up, but as resolution increases to 4K, frame rates drop significantly, confirming the GPU’s workload is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H + RTX 4070 ranks 1515 out of 2888 combos for Control, placing it in the middle of the pack. This is lower than expected for the GPU alone, likely due to the mobile CPU’s performance ceiling.

Q: Are the frame rates consistent, or are there stutters?

A: The Medium preset includes min and max FPS data, showing stable performance. At 1080p Medium, the range is 84 to 114 FPS, at 1440p it is 64 to 86 FPS, and at 4K it is 43 to 58 FPS, indicating consistent frame pacing without severe drops.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a 12 GB GDDR6X card with a 192-bit memory bus and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, built on the 5 nm Ada Lovelace architecture. It has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The card also features 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores, which are relevant for Control’s ray-traced reflections and DLSS support, though the measured FPS data does not isolate these features.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4070 scores 26927 in Passmark G3D and 14720 in GPU compute, placing it at the 81st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Tesla P4, scores 37628 on average, which is 0.1% lower, and the RX Vega 56 scores 37507, which is 0.4% lower. The RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% faster, and the Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% slower, confirming that the 4070 sits in a tight performance band.

The GPU’s role in Control is evident from the scaling data: at 1080p Low, it produces 140 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 39 FPS. This 72% reduction is due to the increased pixel count and the higher settings demanding more from the memory bandwidth and compute units. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for Control at 4K, as the game’s textures are not excessively demanding, but the card’s raw compute power is the limiting factor at that resolution. The boost clock of 2475 MHz helps maintain performance at lower resolutions, but at 4K, the card’s 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is not enough to sustain high frame rates on Ultra settings.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests prioritizing 1440p with High settings, which yields 67 FPS on average. This is above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a good balance of visual quality and smoothness. If you prefer higher frame rates, 1080p High delivers 88 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced action, while 1080p Medium hits 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS, ensuring no drops below playable levels.

At 4K, the recommended preset is Medium, which averages 51 FPS with a minimum of 43 FPS. This is playable, but not ideal for competitive play, and you might consider Low settings for a smoother 71 FPS. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended, as they drop to 45 FPS and 39 FPS respectively, which are below the smoothness threshold. For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1440p Ultra at 58 FPS is a viable option, as it stays close to 60 FPS while offering the best image quality.

In summary, the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H + RTX 4070 combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 1440p High being the optimal setting for most players. At 4K, stick to Medium or Low to maintain playable frame rates, and avoid Ultra unless you accept sub-40 FPS performance. The measured data provides clear guidance: this is a capable pairing, but it requires settings management to get the most out of it at higher resolutions.