Control

The pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 with the AMD Radeon RX 580 in Control produces a combination that is heavily constrained by the graphics card, particularly as resolution climbs. Benchmark data shows this system lands at rank 2633 out of 2888 tested combos, placing it in the bottom tier of configurations for this title. The results indicate a setup capable of playable frame rates at 1080p with adjusted settings, but one that struggles significantly at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 63 FPS, which drops to 48 FPS at 1440p and further to 32 FPS at 4K. This represents a 49% reduction in average frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck rather than the CPU.

At High settings, the frame rate falls from 40 FPS at 1080p to 30 FPS at 1440p, then to 20 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 25%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 33%. This accelerating degradation as resolution increases is a classic sign of a GPU that has run out of pixel throughput. The RX 580’s 32 ROPs and 42.88 GPixel/s pixel rate simply cannot feed enough pixels to the display at 4K, regardless of the CPU’s capability.

Ultra settings tell the same story with even lower absolute numbers: 35 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is 17 FPS, a 49% reduction. Notably, the difference between Medium and High settings at each resolution is relatively small—only 5 FPS at 1080p, 4 FPS at 1440p, and 3 FPS at 4K—suggesting that the game’s higher presets add visual features that tax the GPU unevenly, but the overall performance ceiling remains low.

The 1080p Low result of 63 FPS is the only configuration that approaches what most players would consider smooth gameplay. At 1440p, even Low settings only reach 48 FPS, which is borderline. The data strongly suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 4K being impractical for anything beyond static screenshots.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the defining component in this pairing. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is adequate for 1080p but becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU’s 2304 shading units and 144 TMUs deliver a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s, yet the 32 ROPs cap pixel output at 42.88 GPixel/s—this is the primary constraint in Control, a game that emphasizes particle effects and destructible environments.

Clock speeds are modest by modern standards: a base of 1257 MHz and boost of 1340 MHz. Memory runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). These clocks translate to 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which places the RX 580 in the mid-range of the GPU hierarchy. The benchmark scores confirm this positioning: the GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 8813 puts it at the 53rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 12928.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the RX 580 trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER by 0.4% in average score, sits 0.1% behind the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, and is 0.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon 740M. These are tight margins, indicating that the RX 580 remains competitive with entry-level GPUs from the same era, but it is clearly outclassed by anything modern. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1005 is particularly telling—this is a synthetic test that stresses modern rendering paths, and the low score suggests the GPU lacks the architectural features to handle Control’s advanced effects efficiently.

The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p in this game, as frame rates are limited by compute rather than memory capacity. However, at 4K, the combination of bandwidth and pixel throughput becomes the wall. The GPU’s production status is end-of-life, which explains its absence from current driver optimization lists—this likely contributes to the subpar 4K results.

How This Combo Ranks

This configuration ranks 2633rd out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 8th percentile of all tested systems. This is a poor ranking that reflects the GPU’s age and the game’s demanding nature. The CPU, by contrast, is a strong performer—the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062.

The CPU’s nearest rivals highlight its positioning: it is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX, and 0.2% ahead of both the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303. This places the Ultra 5 235 in the upper echelon of processors, making the low combo rank entirely attributable to the GPU.

The disparity between the CPU’s high percentile and the combo’s low rank indicates a severe bottleneck. In Control, the RX 580 is holding back what is otherwise a capable processor. Upgrading the GPU would likely produce dramatic improvements, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed a faster graphics card. The rank of 2633 out of 2888 suggests that most other tested systems either pair a similar GPU with a weaker CPU or pair a stronger GPU with a similar CPU—the former would maintain the same FPS, while the latter would unlock higher frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 63 FPS, which is the only measured configuration above 60. Medium settings average 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 and maximum of 51, providing a playable experience with moderate visual quality. High settings drop to 40 FPS average, while Ultra averages 35 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS, a 44% reduction, which is significant but consistent with the game’s scaling.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates fall below comfortable thresholds. Low settings average 48 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium averages 34 FPS (min 29, max 39), which is borderline for action gameplay. High settings drop to 30 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 22 FPS, a 46% reduction—similar to 1080p but at lower absolute values. Notably, the minimum FPS of 29 at Medium settings is close to the average, indicating relatively consistent frame pacing but at a low level.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings average 32 FPS, which is the only 4K preset above 30. Medium averages 23 FPS (min 19, max 26), High averages 20 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 14 FPS, a 44% reduction. The minimum of 19 FPS at Medium settings suggests that even the lowest points are near the average, meaning the GPU is consistently delivering poor performance rather than experiencing occasional stutters.

The data shows a clear pattern: the combo is viable for 1080p Low-to-Medium settings, marginal for 1440p Low, and unsuitable for 4K. Players should target 1080p with Medium settings (45 FPS) as the sweet spot for a balance of visuals and performance.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates 1080p with Medium settings provides the best balance, averaging 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS. Low settings at 1080p reach 63 FPS, but Medium offers better visuals while staying above the 30 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K in Control?

A: No. The highest 4K result is 32 FPS at Low settings, with Ultra averaging only 18 FPS. These frame rates are below playable thresholds for an action game, making 4K impractical.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of overall score?

A: The RX 580’s average benchmark score is 12928. It trails the GTX 1660 SUPER by 0.4%, sits 0.1% behind the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, and is 0.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon 740M.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this combo?

A: The GPU is overwhelmingly the bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors, while the GPU is in the 53rd percentile. The FPS scaling with resolution confirms that the RX 580 cannot keep up with the CPU’s capabilities.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured minimum FPS is 29, with an average of 34 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. This minimum is close to the average, indicating consistent but low performance.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Control?

A: It ranks 2633rd out of 2888 combos, placing it in the bottom 9% of all tested configurations. This low rank is due to the GPU’s age and performance limitations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 via a dual-channel bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ultra 5 235 shows strong single-thread performance: a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4516. Multi-threaded results are equally robust, with Cinebench R23 multi-core at 14769 and PassMark multithread at 37816. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 46062 places it at the 89th percentile, with nearest rivals including the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% ahead), Core i9-13900HX (0.1% behind), and EPYC 4364P (0.2% ahead).

For Control, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The game’s action-adventure genre relies on consistent frame pacing rather than extreme multi-threading, and the Ultra 5 235’s 14 cores provide ample headroom. The PassMark physics score of 2570 and data compression score of 390711 indicate strong general-purpose performance that prevents CPU-bound stutters.

However, in this specific combo, the CPU’s capabilities are largely wasted. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (63 FPS) is likely near the GPU’s maximum output, not the CPU’s. The fact that FPS scales linearly with resolution and settings—rather than showing a plateau—confirms that the RX 580 is the limiting component. The CPU could easily support a much faster GPU, as evidenced by its high percentile ranking and benchmark scores that rival server-class processors.

The 14 threads (with 14 cores, no hyperthreading) are sufficient for modern games, and the 5.00 GHz boost clock ensures responsive single-thread performance. In Control, the CPU’s L3 cache of 24 MB helps with the game’s streaming assets, but the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 256-bit memory bus are what ultimately determine frame rates. Players with this combo should prioritize a GPU upgrade before considering any CPU change, as the Ultra 5 235 is not the source of the performance bottleneck.