Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title, is a demanding showcase for any hardware pairing. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 processor combined with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics card, using only the provided benchmark data. The combination ranks 339th out of 2888 tested combos, placing it in the top 11.7% of all systems evaluated for this game. This is a strong result, but the data reveals a nuanced story about how settings and resolution interact with the specific strengths of this CPU-GPU pairing. The following sections break down the measured frames per second across three resolutions and four quality presets, interpret the ranking, and explore the respective roles of the processor and graphics card in shaping the experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 339 out of 2888 tested combinations is a clear indicator of high-end capability. This position places the system comfortably in the upper echelon of configurations tested for Control, suggesting it will handle the game’s most demanding moments with considerable authority. To understand this rank, it is useful to look at the individual components. The RTX 4070 Ti sits at the 84th percentile among all GPUs tested, which is a strong showing. The Core Ultra 5 235, meanwhile, achieves an 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, indicating it is a top-tier processor in its own right. When combined, these two components produce a system that is more than the sum of its parts for this particular title.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 46062 places it in very close competition with several notable rivals. It is a mere 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030, and a similarly thin 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46098. The data also shows it is 0.2% ahead of both the AMD EPYC 4364P (45970) and the AMD EPYC 7303 (45960). These minuscule deltas indicate that in raw processing power, the Core Ultra 5 235 is effectively in a dead heat with these other high-end chips. The performance in Control, therefore, is not being artificially held back or boosted by an outlier CPU result; it is performing exactly as its aggregate scores would suggest.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 Ti’s average benchmark score of 44795 is 0.8% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile’s 45152 and 1.3% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT’s 45384. It is also 1.6% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A6000’s 44075 and 1.7% higher than the Intel Arc A730M’s 45592. These comparisons show that the graphics card is a well-balanced performer, sitting in a competitive band with other high-end solutions. The 339th overall rank is a direct consequence of this balanced pairing; neither component is a bottleneck that drags the other down, allowing the system to achieve a high combined score. The measured FPS data will now show how this theoretical capability translates into actual gameplay performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear matrix of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets, allowing for specific recommendations based on the target display. The goal is to identify the preset that offers the best experience, balancing visual quality with a smooth frame rate. The data shows that the High preset is the most versatile option, delivering excellent performance at all tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, High produces an average of 143 FPS, which is well above the threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors. Moving to 2560x1440, the average remains strong at 108 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience on 1440p panels. Even at 3840x2160, the High preset manages a respectable 73 FPS average, which is playable for a game like Control that relies on atmosphere and action.

For users with 1080p displays, the Ultra preset is a viable choice, yielding 124 FPS on average. This allows for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing the smoothness of the experience. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 94 FPS, which is still playable, but the jump to High provides an additional 14 FPS for a modest visual trade-off, making High the more prudent recommendation for this resolution. At 4K, the Ultra preset averages 63 FPS, which is on the edge of what many would consider smooth; the High preset’s 73 FPS average provides a more comfortable margin.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, but the data suggests it is rarely the best choice. At 1080p, Medium averages 161 FPS, which is higher than High’s 143 FPS but not as high as Low’s 226 FPS. The visual difference between Medium and High is often substantial, and the 18 FPS gain from dropping from High to Medium is not as significant as the 83 FPS gain from dropping to Low. The Low preset is clearly designed for maximum frame rates, hitting 226 FPS at 1080p, 171 FPS at 1440p, and 115 FPS at 4K. This setting is only recommended for competitive play where frame rate is paramount over visuals, as it significantly reduces the game’s graphical fidelity. For the vast majority of players, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions, making it the default recommendation.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Control?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 339th out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This places it in the top 11.7% of all tested systems, indicating a high level of overall performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. This is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030), 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098), and 0.2% higher than both the AMD EPYC 4364P (45970) and AMD EPYC 7303 (45960). These deltas show it is statistically tied with these processors.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 226, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This demonstrates the system’s ability to produce extremely high frame rates when visual quality is reduced.

Q: At 4K resolution, which settings preset provides an average FPS above 70?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution, the High settings preset provides an average FPS of 73. The Medium preset averages 82 FPS, while the Low preset averages 115 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 63 FPS.

Q: Is there a settings preset where the minimum FPS is recorded in the data?

A: Yes, the data includes minimum FPS values only for the Medium settings preset. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 136 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 103 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 70 FPS. No minimum FPS values are provided for the Low, High, or Ultra presets.

Q: How does the GPU’s benchmark percentile compare to the CPU’s?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is at the 84th percentile among all GPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is at the 89th percentile among all CPUs. The CPU holds a slightly higher relative standing in its own category.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data offers a comprehensive view of performance, with twelve distinct data points covering three resolutions and four settings. Starting at 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its capability to deliver very high frame rates. The Low preset produces an average of 226 FPS, which is an exceptional result. The Medium preset averages 161 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 185 FPS, indicating a stable performance window. The High preset averages 143 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 124 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decrease, but even at the highest settings, the frame rate remains well above 120 FPS, making 1080p an excellent match for high-refresh-rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the increased load on the GPU. The Low preset averages 171 FPS, a 55 FPS drop from 1080p. The Medium preset averages 121 FPS, with a minimum of 103 FPS and a maximum of 140 FPS. The High preset averages 108 FPS, which is still very smooth for most users. The Ultra preset averages 94 FPS, which is a solid result for 1440p gaming with maximum settings. The data shows that the system is well-suited for 1440p, as even the most demanding preset stays above 90 FPS on average.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops further, reflecting the significantly higher pixel count. The Low preset averages 115 FPS, which reflects the GPU’s power, as this is still a very playable frame rate at 4K. The Medium preset averages 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 94 FPS. The High preset averages 73 FPS, providing a good balance of visual quality and smoothness for 4K. The Ultra preset averages 63 FPS, which is on the lower end of what is considered smooth for an action game, but it is still technically playable. The data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is the most demanding configuration, pushing the system to its limits, while 4K High offers a more comfortable experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the primary driver of frame rates in Control, especially at higher resolutions. The GPU’s architecture is Ada Lovelace, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game’s textures and assets at all tested settings. The GPU’s core clocks are 2310 MHz base and 2610 MHz boost, with memory running at 1313 MHz, translating to 21 Gbps effective. These clocks, combined with 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, deliver the raw compute power needed for the game’s physics and visual effects.

The GPU’s performance is directly observable in the FPS scaling. At 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU quickly, resulting in very high frame rates. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 102 FPS (226 to 124), showing that the GPU is still the limiting factor even at this resolution. At 4K, the GPU’s workload increases dramatically. The average FPS at 4K Ultra is 63, which is less than half of the 1080p Ultra result of 124 FPS. This 49% drop in performance when quadrupling the pixel count is expected and confirms that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at 4K. The RTX 4070 Ti’s 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in these results; it is a high-end card that can handle 4K gaming, but not at maximum settings with a high refresh rate. The data shows that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the better choice, as it provides a 10 FPS buffer over the Ultra preset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is responsible for preparing the frames for the GPU to render. This processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. This configuration is more than capable of handling the game logic, AI, and physics of Control. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking among all processors indicates it is a top-tier part, and its average benchmark score of 46062 places it in direct competition with other high-end chips.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU is able to render frames very quickly, and the CPU must keep up with the demand. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 226 FPS shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU’s high boost clock of 5.00 GHz is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in scenarios where the game engine is lightly threaded. However, as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU’s workload decreases relative to the rendering time. This is why the 4K results show a smaller difference between settings presets in absolute terms, but a larger percentage drop from 1080p.

The CPU’s performance is also reflected in its PassMark scores, which are part of its average. The single-thread score of 4516 and the multithread score of 37816 show a balanced design that excels in both lightly and heavily threaded tasks. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 5 235 provides a solid foundation for the RTX 4070 Ti, ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data. In Control, this means that the CPU is never the primary cause of frame rate drops; the system’s performance is consistently tied to the GPU’s rendering capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K reveals a clear pattern of how the system scales with resolution, which in turn identifies the limiting component. At 1080p, the system is heavily GPU-bound, but the CPU is also working hard to feed it. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 102 FPS (226 to 124). At 1440p, this difference narrows to 77 FPS (171 to 94). At 4K, the difference is 52 FPS (115 to 63). This narrowing gap as resolution increases is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the dominant bottleneck. The GPU’s workload grows quadratically with resolution, while the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant.

Looking at specific settings, the scaling from 1080p to 1440p for the High preset shows a drop from 143 FPS to 108 FPS, a 24.5% decrease. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is from 108 FPS to 73 FPS, a 32.4% decrease. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 49% (from 143 to 73 FPS). For the Medium preset, the same progression is 161 to 121 FPS (a 24.8% drop) and then 121 to 82 FPS (a 32.2% drop), with a total drop of 49.1%. The Low preset shows a drop from 226 to 171 FPS (24.3%) and then to 115 FPS (32.7%), totaling 49.1%. The Ultra preset drops from 124 to 94 FPS (24.2%) and then to 63 FPS (33.0%), totaling 49.2%.

These consistent percentage drops across all settings presets indicate that the performance scaling is entirely governed by the GPU’s rendering capacity. The CPU is not a factor in this scaling, as its performance does not change with resolution. The data shows that the RTX 4070 Ti loses roughly half of its 1080p performance when rendering at 4K, which is a normal and expected result given the fourfold increase in pixel count. The 4K results, with averages ranging from 63 to 115 FPS depending on the preset, confirm that this GPU is capable of 4K gaming in Control, but the user must make a choice between frame rate and visual fidelity. The 1440p results, with averages from 94 to 171 FPS, show that this resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, offering high frame rates and high visual quality without the steep performance cost of 4K.