Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, with performance scaling predictably as resolution increases. The data indicates a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the 10-core processor provides ample headroom at lower settings. Benchmark results show that this pairing ranks in the top 7% of tested configurations for this title, making it a strong performer for an action-adventure game from 2019.

FAQ

*Q: How well does this CPU and GPU combo perform in Control at 4K resolution?*

A: At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates range from 69 FPS at Ultra settings to 125 FPS at Low settings. Specifically, the High preset achieves an average of 79 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for maximizing frame rate with this hardware?

A: According to the measured data, 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with an average of 245 FPS at Low settings, 174 FPS at Medium, 155 FPS at High, and 134 FPS at Ultra. This is significantly higher than the results at 2560x1440 and 3840x2160.

*Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in Control?*

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. For example, moving from 1080p High (155 FPS) to 1440p High (117 FPS) and 4K High (79 FPS) shows a clear performance drop that is characteristic of GPU limitation. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and up to 4.90 GHz boost clock, appears sufficient to feed the RTX 4080 SUPER.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum frame rates. At 1920x1080, the range is 148 to 200 FPS. At 2560x1440, the range is 112 to 152 FPS, and at 3840x2160, the range is 76 to 102 FPS.

Q: How does this combo's performance compare to other tested systems?

A: In the database of tested combinations for Control, this specific CPU and GPU pairing is ranked 203rd out of 2888 total combos. This places it in the 93rd percentile, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of other configurations tested in this game.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for this CPU and GPU?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a launch MSRP of $246. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has a launch MSRP of 999 USD.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 203 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places the pairing firmly in the upper echelon of systems, outperforming approximately 93% of all other configurations in the database for this specific game. This high ranking confirms the balanced nature of the components; the CPU and GPU work well together to deliver high frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions.

The ranking is particularly notable given the CPU's position in the broader market. The Core Ultra 5 225 sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which has a nearly identical average score of 36945 (0% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which scores 37018 (-0.2% delta). This indicates the CPU is a solid mid-range performer. However, when paired with the RTX 4080 SUPER, which is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 54209, the combined result is strong enough to achieve a top-10% ranking in Control.

The GPU's own nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (score of 54247, -0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (score of 54828, -1.1% delta). The performance of the RTX 4080 SUPER is almost identical to its predecessor, but the combination with the newer Core Ultra 5 225 CPU yields a result that is competitive with the highest-performing systems in the game's benchmark database.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for Control, especially as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. The GPU is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This substantial memory allocation is more than sufficient for Control's assets, ensuring that texture streaming and high-resolution rendering do not cause stuttering or performance dips.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor in its performance. It operates at a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz. These high clocks, combined with 10240 shading units, allow the card to process the game's complex visual effects, including ray tracing and particle simulations, with considerable efficiency. The data shows that the GPU scales performance predictably: at 4K Ultra, it averages 69 FPS, while at 4K Low, it jumps to 125 FPS, a clear indication that the graphics card is the primary processor of frames at this resolution.

The RTX 4080 SUPER's position in the market is also relevant. It sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs and has a Passmark G3D score of 34245. Its performance is nearly identical to the standard RTX 4080, with a negligible delta of -0.1%. This suggests that in Control, the SUPER variant offers a marginal improvement over its predecessor, but the core architecture and memory configuration are the main drivers of its high frame rates. The GPU's 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor cores also indicate it is well-equipped for the game's use of DirectX 12 Ultimate features, though the measured FPS data does not isolate these effects.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset delivers an average of 245 FPS, which is more than enough for any high-refresh-rate monitor. The Medium preset averages 174 FPS, with a minimum of 148 FPS and a maximum of 200 FPS. High settings yield 155 FPS, and even Ultra settings, which often include more demanding post-processing, maintain an average of 134 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high but show a clear step down. The Low preset averages 185 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High settings produce a 117 FPS average, while the Ultra preset drops to a 102 FPS average. This resolution is still very playable for competitive or fast-paced action, with all presets remaining well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits with the most demanding presets. The Low preset still performs admirably at an average of 125 FPS. The Medium preset averages 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience. High settings drop to an average of 79 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold for a consistent experience, averaging 69 FPS. This data confirms that the RTX 4080 SUPER is capable of 4K gaming in Control, but users seeking maximum visual quality will need to accept frame rates in the high-60s range.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the workload in Control. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 155 FPS at 1920x1080 to 117 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 38 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even more pronounced, falling from 117 FPS to 79 FPS, a reduction of 38 FPS again. This pattern indicates a significant increase in GPU load as pixel count rises.

The scaling is even steeper at Low settings. The average frame rate goes from 245 FPS at 1080p to 185 FPS at 1440p, and then to 125 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is roughly 49%, highlighting that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's role is diminished at higher resolutions, as the frame rate is dictated by the GPU's ability to render pixels.

This scaling behavior strongly suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is not a bottleneck in this configuration. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see a smaller difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU would cap the frame rate regardless of resolution. Instead, the consistent performance drop at each higher resolution point to a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 4080 SUPER's compute and memory bandwidth are the determining factors for the final frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 provides the processing foundation for this combo. With 10 cores and 10 threads, it offers a modern multi-threaded layout that is adequate for Control's game logic and physics calculations. The CPU's architecture is Arrow Lake-S, built on a 3 nm process node. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensure that single-threaded tasks, which are often critical for game simulation, are handled promptly.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4412, and its multi-thread score is 30459. These scores place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a capable performer. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has a nearly identical average benchmark score, indicating that the Core Ultra 5 225 is competitive with other mid-range desktop processors.

However, the game data shows that the CPU's impact on the final frame rate is secondary to the GPU. At 1080p Low, the system pushes 245 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the CPU's thread scheduling and IPC (instructions per cycle) are being tested. Yet, even at this resolution, the system does not show signs of a CPU bottleneck, as the frame rates scale consistently with GPU load. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support, with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, provide sufficient data throughput to keep the GPU fed with draw calls and game state information.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p and 1440p displays, the Ultra preset provides the best visual experience without sacrificing playability. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 134 FPS, which is excellent for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 102 FPS, which is still very fluid and provides a significant visual upgrade over High settings.

For 4K displays, the recommendation is more nuanced. The High preset, averaging 79 FPS, offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, providing a smoother experience than Ultra. The Ultra preset averages 69 FPS, which is playable but may result in occasional frame drops during intense action sequences. The Medium preset is the safest choice for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, as it averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. The Low preset is not recommended for 4K as it would negate the benefits of the high-resolution display by reducing texture and effect quality.

Ultimately, the data suggests that the system is best utilized by prioritizing GPU-bound settings. Users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors can enable Ultra settings to take full advantage of the RTX 4080 SUPER's power. Users on 4K displays should choose between High and Medium presets to maintain a high and stable frame rate, as the jump to Ultra offers diminishing returns in visual quality for a measurable cost in performance.