Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 presents a specific performance profile in Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. The measured data shows a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions but encounters predictable limitations at 4K, primarily due to the graphics card. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results across resolutions, settings, and component roles.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the bottleneck lies in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 78 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average falls to 59 FPS, a reduction of roughly 24%. The jump to 3840x2160 at High settings brings the average down to 40 FPS, another significant drop of about 32% from the 1440p result.

This scaling pattern is typical of a system that is GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The RTX 5050, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus, is the limiting factor as pixel count increases. The CPU, with 10 cores and 10 threads, has ample headroom at 4K, as the workload shifts almost entirely to the graphics processor. The data confirms this: at 1080p High, the system is likely still partly CPU-limited, but by 4K, the GPU is the clear constraint.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution further emphasizes the GPU's role. At 1080p, the spread from Low (124 FPS) to Ultra (68 FPS) is 56 FPS. At 1440p, the spread is 42 FPS (94 FPS Low vs. 52 FPS Ultra). At 4K, the spread narrows to 28 FPS (63 FPS Low vs. 35 FPS Ultra). The narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that even on Low settings, the GPU cannot push frame rates much higher because the sheer number of pixels limits it.

For players targeting 60 FPS, this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, the system only approaches playable frame rates on Low settings, averaging 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra settings at 4K result in averages of 40 FPS and 35 FPS respectively, which are below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced action title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience balances visual quality with frame rate stability. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset provides an excellent middle ground, achieving an average of 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay with no significant dips. The High preset at 78 FPS is also viable, but Medium offers a more substantial safety margin above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset stands out as the best choice, delivering an average of 67 FPS. The minimum of 57 FPS is close to the 60 FPS mark, but the average keeps the experience fluid. High settings at 59 FPS is playable but leaves little room for demanding scenes. Ultra at 52 FPS is not recommended for a consistent 60 FPS experience, though it remains playable for those who prioritize visuals over frame rate.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that Low settings are the only viable option for a consistently smooth experience, averaging 63 FPS. Medium settings drop to 45 FPS, which is a notable step down in fluidity. High (40 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) are best reserved for less action-heavy moments or for players who accept a cinematic frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K, with a minimum of 38 FPS, shows noticeable stutter potential.

The most balanced experience across all resolutions is the Medium preset. It provides a frame rate that is either at or near 60 FPS at 1440p, and it offers a significant visual improvement over Low at 1080p while still maintaining a high average of 88 FPS. The data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot for this hardware combination.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide strong single-thread and multi-thread performance for gaming. In synthetic benchmarks like Cinebench R23, it scores 25891 in multi-core and 3655 in single-core, placing it in the 85th percentile against all CPUs.

In Control, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic. The data shows that this processor is more than adequate for this task, even at 1080p where CPU load is typically higher. The performance difference between 1080p Low (124 FPS) and 1440p Low (94 FPS) is significant, indicating that the GPU is already becoming the limiting factor at 1440p, even on the lowest settings. This suggests the CPU is not holding the system back.

The processor's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, with delta percentages of 0% and -0.2% respectively. This confirms that the Ultra 5 225 is a competitive mid-range processor. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support further contribute to its gaming capability.

The PassMark multithread score of 30459 and single-thread score of 4412 indicate robust general performance. In a game like Control, which is not known for being exceptionally CPU-intensive, this processor provides more than enough headroom. The bottleneck in this configuration is clearly the GPU, especially at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo for a smooth 60 FPS experience?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 are the most suitable resolutions. At 1080p, High settings yield 78 FPS, and at 1440p, Medium settings yield 67 FPS. Both comfortably exceed the 60 FPS target.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 63 FPS, which is just above 60 FPS. Higher presets result in lower frame rates, with Medium averaging 45 FPS and Ultra averaging 35 FPS.

Q: Which graphics settings preset provides the most stable frame rate?

A: The Medium preset offers the most stable frame rates across all resolutions. It has the only recorded minimum FPS values, showing 75 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 38 FPS at 4K. This indicates a more predictable performance envelope.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 a bottleneck for the RTX 5050 in this game?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rate drops significantly when increasing resolution, which is a sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's performance is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rivals in raw performance?

A: According to average benchmark scores, the RTX 5050 is within 1.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT. It trails the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL by 0.6% and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M by 1.0%.

Q: What is the impact of the game's age on this performance data?

A: Control was released in 2019. The data indicates that the game is not exceptionally demanding by modern standards, as the RTX 5050 can achieve high frame rates at 1080p. However, the 4K results show that the GPU's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are limiting factors for high-resolution play.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary driver of performance in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2572 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units. In the PassMark G3D benchmark, it scores 17326, placing it in the 66th percentile against all GPUs.

The RTX 5050's performance in Control is directly tied to its memory bandwidth and capacity. At 4K, the 8 GB VRAM is likely a limiting factor, as higher resolutions and texture qualities require more memory. The frame rate drops from 63 FPS on Low to 35 FPS on Ultra at 4K, which shows the GPU's struggle with the increased data load.

The GPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which is 1.6% faster. This places the RTX 5050 in a competitive position for its class. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 confirms its DirectX 12 capability, which is relevant for a game like Control that supports modern APIs.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows the GPU is the dominant factor. At 1080p, the GPU can produce 124 FPS on Low settings, but at 4K, it can only manage 63 FPS on the same preset. This is a 49% reduction in performance, which is a typical result for a mid-range GPU when pixel count quadruples. The 130 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU indicate a power-efficient card that does not require an overly robust power supply.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates is as follows:

At 1920x1080:

• Low: 124 FPS average
• Medium: 88 FPS average, with a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS
• High: 78 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 94 FPS average
• Medium: 67 FPS average, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 45 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS
• High: 40 FPS average
• Ultra: 35 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: each increase in resolution or preset level results in a measurable drop in average FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, providing insight into frame time variance. At 1080p, the minimum of 75 FPS ensures no drops below 60 FPS. At 1440p, the minimum of 57 FPS is close to the target but may be noticeable in intense scenes. At 4K, the minimum of 38 FPS indicates significant stutter potential.

The scaling between resolutions on the same preset is linear. For example, on High settings, the FPS drops from 78 at 1080p, to 59 at 1440p, to 40 at 4K. This consistent scaling confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint, as a CPU bottleneck would cause less predictable changes.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1756 out of 2888 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, which is consistent with the measured performance data.

The ranking reflects that while this combo can handle the game well at 1080p and 1440p, it falls behind at 4K compared to other tested systems. The 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus of the RTX 5050 are limiting factors for a game that was released in 2019 and can be demanding at high resolutions.

The CPU's high percentile ranking (85th) does not translate to a high combo ranking, which reinforces that the GPU is the deciding factor for this game's performance. The combo's position at 60.8% (1756/2888) of the way down the list suggests that many other combinations, likely those with higher-end GPUs, achieve better results in Control. This ranking is a useful indicator for potential buyers that this setup is adequate for mainstream gaming but not for high-refresh-rate 4K play.