Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy, is a game that rewards hardware with strong rasterization throughput, and the pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a consistently playable experience across most settings. The data shows this combo ranks in the 70th percentile of all tested configurations, which is a strong result for a game nearing its sixth year of release. The GPU is clearly the dominant force here, but the CPU does enough to keep frame pacing stable at lower resolutions, where the graphics card is less strained.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combination holds the 852nd position out of 2,888 tested combos in Control. This places it comfortably in the top 30% of all systems, which is a solid outcome for a mid-range processor paired with a high-end, previous-generation graphics card. The ranking reflects that this pairing is well-balanced for this specific title, avoiding the severe bottlenecks that can plague mismatched hardware.

When examining the individual components, the GPU is the star. The RX 6800 XT sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,477. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, which scores 47,743 (1.5% lower), and the Intel Arc A550M, which scores 49,737 (2.5% higher). The RX 6800 XT also trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti by 3% (49,957) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 by 3% (50,001). These narrow deltas suggest that the RX 6800 XT is performing right at its expected level, and in Control, that level is clearly sufficient to drive high frame rates.

The CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235, is also a capable partner. It sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46,062. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46,030 (0.1% lower), and the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46,098 (0.1% higher). The AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303 also sit within 0.2% of this score. This indicates that the Ultra 5 235 is a very strong performer in general compute tasks, and while Control is not a CPU-heavy game, this headroom ensures that it won't hold back the GPU in most scenarios.

The overall combo rank of 852 is a direct result of these two components working together. A less capable CPU might drag the frame rates down in specific scenes, but the data shows that the Ultra 5 235 provides enough processing power to keep the RX 6800 XT fed. This is a combination that will not disappoint for this game, and the measured frames per second back up that conclusion.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the primary driver of performance in Control. This is a GPU built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process, with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The memory bandwidth is rated at 512.0 GB/s, which is substantial for a card of its generation. The boost clock runs up to 2250 MHz, with a base clock of 1825 MHz and a game clock of 2015 MHz. These clocks, combined with 4,608 shading units, give the card a peak FP32 throughput of 20.74 TFLOPS.

In Control, these specifications translate into a GPU that can handle the game's demanding physics and particle effects with ease. The game's benchmark results show that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra settings, the combo averages 50 FPS, while at 4K High settings, it averages 58 FPS. This is a clear sign that the GPU is working hard to fill those pixels. The 16 GB of VRAM is also a crucial asset, as Control's texture detail can be demanding, and having that headroom prevents texture streaming issues that could cause stutter.

The GPU's standing among its rivals reinforces its capability. With an average benchmark score of 48,477, it is only 1.5% behind the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile and 2.5% behind the Intel Arc A550M. The RX 6800 XT is also within 3% of the RTX 5070 Ti and the RX Vega 64. This data shows that the 6800 XT is not a weak link; rather, it is a powerful card that is capable of delivering high frame rates in a game like Control, provided the resolution and settings are chosen wisely.

The measured FPS data confirms the GPU's dominance. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 179 FPS, which is a massive number that shows the CPU is not a bottleneck. As the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the frame rates drop, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. The GPU's 300 W TDP and dual-slot design are the cost of this performance, but for a game like Control, the results justify the power draw.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo averages 113 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 86 FPS, a decrease of 27 FPS. At 4K High, the average further drops to 58 FPS, another 28 FPS reduction. This linear drop indicates that the RX 6800 XT is the primary limiting factor as the pixel count increases.

The pattern is similar across all settings. At 1080p Medium, the average is 127 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 96 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it is 65 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 31 FPS drop, and from 1440p to 4K, it is another 31 FPS drop. This consistent scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has enough headroom to handle the game logic at any resolution, but the GPU's pixel-filling capabilities are stretched thinner with each step up.

The data also reveals that the CPU is not a bottleneck even at the lowest resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 179 FPS. If the CPU were limiting, this number would be much lower and would not scale as dramatically when the resolution is increased. The fact that 1080p Low is nearly double the frame rate of 4K Low (92 FPS) shows that the Ultra 5 235 is more than capable of feeding the GPU with draw calls.

This scaling behavior has a practical implication for gamers. If you want to push for the highest possible frame rates, 1080p is the resolution to use. If you prefer a higher resolution like 1440p, the combo still provides excellent performance, with most settings exceeding 74 FPS. At 4K, the combo is best suited for Medium or High settings, as Ultra pushes the average down to 50 FPS, which may be below the target for some players with high refresh rate displays.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo in Control depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p, the Ultra preset is perfectly playable, with an average FPS of 98. This is a great choice for players who want the best visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 1080p offers a significant bump to 113 FPS, which is better for high refresh rate monitors.

At 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot. The average FPS of 86 is smooth and responsive, and the visual quality is still excellent. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 74 FPS, which is also playable, but the 12 FPS gain from moving to High is a worthwhile trade for a smoother experience. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 96 FPS, which is the best choice if you have a 144Hz monitor and want to get closer to that refresh rate.

At 4K, the situation becomes more nuanced. The High preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset averages 65 FPS, which is a better option for a smoother experience. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 50 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for many. The Low preset at 4K averages 92 FPS, but the visual downgrade is significant.

The data clearly shows that Medium or High settings are the best balance for this combo at 4K. For 1440p, High is the recommended preset, as it offers a great visual experience with a solid frame rate. For 1080p, Ultra is the best choice for visual quality, while High offers a performance boost for those with high refresh rate displays. The 4K Medium settings, with a minimum FPS of 55, provide the most consistent experience at that resolution, ensuring no major dips below 60 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the exact measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combination in Control.

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. On Low settings, the average FPS is 179. On Medium settings, the average is 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 146 FPS. On High settings, the average is 113 FPS. On Ultra settings, the average is 98 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a clear step down from 1080p. On Low settings, the average FPS is 136. On Medium settings, the average is 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS. On High settings, the average is 86 FPS. On Ultra settings, the average is 74 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the resolution demands a significant toll on the GPU. On Low settings, the average FPS is 92. On Medium settings, the average is 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 75 FPS. On High settings, the average is 58 FPS. On Ultra settings, the average is 50 FPS.

The Medium settings are notable for having min/max FPS data, which provides insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 108 to 146 FPS, a 38 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 82 to 111 FPS, a 29 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 55 to 75 FPS, a 20 FPS spread. This data shows that as resolution increases, the frame rate variance decreases, which is another indicator of GPU-bound performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a supporting role in this combo, but it is an important one. This processor is part of the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture and fabricated on a 3 nm process. It has 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The L3 cache is 24 MB shared, and it supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to handle the game’s physics and AI, which are not particularly demanding compared to modern titles. The measured FPS data shows that the Ultra 5 235 is more than capable of this task. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 179 FPS, which is a very high number that suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at that resolution. The fact that the frame rate drops to 92 FPS at 4K Low is almost entirely due to the GPU’s workload, not the CPU.

The CPU’s general benchmark results also support this conclusion. With an average benchmark score of 46,062, it is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46,030, a difference of just 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46,098, also 0.1% away. These scores show that the Ultra 5 235 is a top-tier performer in synthetic tests, and this translates into real-world performance in games that are not heavily multithreaded.

The CPU’s 14 threads are sufficient for Control, which is a title that was released in 2019 and does not scale well beyond a handful of cores. The high boost clock of 5.00 GHz is more important than the core count for this game, as it ensures fast single-threaded performance. The data shows that this CPU provides a solid foundation for the RX 6800 XT, allowing it to reach its full potential without being held back by processor limitations. The 65 W TDP also means it is an efficient part, which is a bonus for system builders.