Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile delivers a robust gaming experience in Control, a title that balances action-adventure gameplay with demanding real-time effects. The data shows this combination achieves strong frame rates across a range of resolutions and settings, making it a capable choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p play and solid 4K performance. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to understand the role each component plays and how the combo scales under varying loads.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile holds a rank of 1234 out of 3720 combos. This places it in the upper third of all tested systems, indicating a well-above-average performance tier. The percentile ranking for the CPU alone is 91, meaning it outperforms 91% of all processors in the database’s general benchmark suite, while the GPU sits at the 81st percentile among all graphics cards. This suggests both components are high-end parts, but the CPU has a slight edge in relative standing compared to the GPU, which is an interesting dynamic for a game like Control that can be demanding on both fronts.

The rank of 1234 out of 3720 is not a top-tier position, but it reflects a system that will handle the game’s default presets without breaking a sweat. The combination’s overall average benchmark score, derived from the CPU’s average of 52073 and the GPU’s average of 38135, shows a balanced pairing where neither component is a clear bottleneck in synthetic tests. In real-world gaming, this translates to a system that is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay at high settings, with the headroom to push for higher resolutions. The data implies that while this is not the absolute fastest combo ever tested, it is comfortably in the "enthusiast" tier, capable of delivering a premium experience in Control.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this CPU and GPU combo?*

A: Based on the measured FPS, 2560x1440 offers the best balance of performance and visual quality. At this resolution with High settings, the combo achieves 84 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. While 1920x1080 delivers higher frame rates, the jump to 4K (3840x2160) at 57 FPS on High settings is also playable, but 1440p provides the most consistent high-refresh-rate experience without compromising detail.

*Q: How does the CPU’s core count affect performance in Control?*

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has 14 cores and 14 threads, which is a significant amount of processing power. For Control, the data shows that this CPU is not a limiting factor at most settings. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes, suggesting the GPU is the primary driver of performance. The CPU’s high single-core performance, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4903, helps ensure the game’s physics and logic run smoothly, but the multi-core count provides headroom for background tasks.

*Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the RTX 4080 Mobile in Control?*

A: Yes, 4K gaming is viable but requires some settings adjustments. On Ultra settings at 3840x2160, the average FPS is 50, which is playable but may not feel as fluid as 60 FPS. Dropping to High settings at 4K brings the average to 57 FPS, and on Medium settings it rises to 64 FPS. For a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS, choosing Low settings at 4K yields 90 FPS, but this sacrifices visual fidelity. The data suggests that High settings at 4K is the sweet spot for a balance between visuals and performance.

Q: How does this combo compare to other GPUs in the database?

A: The RTX 4080 Mobile’s average benchmark score is 38135, which places it near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile, which has an average score of 38349, a difference of -0.6%. It is also close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, which scores 37648, a 1.3% difference. This indicates the 4080 Mobile is competitively positioned within the high-end mobile GPU market, offering performance comparable to newer and older generation parts.

Q: What is the impact of the CPU’s benchmark score on gaming performance?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score is 52073, with a percentile rank of 91. This high score means the CPU is very capable, but in gaming, the GPU typically becomes the bottleneck. The data from Control supports this, as FPS numbers increase when moving from 4K to 1080p, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s strength ensures it won't hold back the GPU, allowing the RTX 4080 Mobile to fully express its capabilities.

Q: Are there any settings where the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates?

A: The only instance where the combo dips below 60 FPS is at 4K with Ultra settings, where the average is 50 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested. All other settings and resolutions produce averages above 57 FPS, with most being well above 60 FPS. This shows that the combo is generally powerful enough to handle the game’s highest presets, but 4K Ultra is the only scenario where a compromise on settings might be needed for a smoother experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, allowing it to handle both multi-threaded workloads and single-threaded tasks effectively. In the context of Control, the CPU’s role is to manage the game’s physics, AI, and overall logic. The benchmark results show that the CPU is more than capable in this regard, as frame rates are consistently high across all tested configurations, except for the most demanding 4K Ultra preset.

The CPU’s strong single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4903, is crucial for a game like Control, which relies on a single main thread for many of its core mechanics. The high boost clock of 5.10 GHz ensures that this thread can be processed quickly, reducing the chance of a CPU bottleneck. The multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34731, provides ample headroom for the game to use additional cores for effects like particle simulations and destructible environments, though the data suggests the GPU is the primary limiting factor.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, it sits within a tight performance band. Its average benchmark score of 52073 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121, -0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (51947, 0.2%). It also closely matches the Intel Core i7-14700 (52301, -0.4%) and Intel Core i9-13900F (51730, 0.7%). This indicates that in synthetic benchmarks, the 235HX is essentially on par with these desktop-class CPUs, which is impressive for a mobile part. In gaming, this means the CPU will not be the weak link, allowing the RTX 4080 Mobile to perform at its best.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Control provides a comprehensive look at how the combo performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers high frame rates across the board. On Low settings, the average FPS is 177, which is exceptionally high and indicates a GPU-bound scenario where the CPU has plenty of headroom. Medium settings yield an average of 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 and a maximum of 144. High settings bring the average down to 112 FPS, while Ultra settings produce an average of 97 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the combo is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors, even at the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decrease due to the higher pixel count. Low settings at 1440p produce an average of 134 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings average 95 FPS, with a minimum of 81 and a maximum of 109. High settings average 84 FPS, and Ultra settings average 73 FPS. These results indicate that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, as even the Ultra preset maintains an average above 70 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience on most monitors.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding resolution, the combo’s limits become apparent. Low settings average 90 FPS, which is excellent for 4K. Medium settings average 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 74, showing some variance but staying mostly above 60 FPS. High settings average 57 FPS, which is slightly below the 60 FPS mark but still playable. Ultra settings average 50 FPS, which is the lowest result in the dataset. This breakdown shows that 4K gaming is viable, but users may need to choose between High and Medium settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS experience.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of FPS from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights into the system’s bottleneck. At 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 112. Moving to 1440p, this drops to 84 FPS, a 25% decrease. At 4K, the FPS further drops to 57, a 49% decrease from 1080p. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as the FPS scales almost linearly with the number of pixels rendered. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less of a drop when moving to higher resolutions, as the CPU’s workload would remain relatively constant.

The data shows a similar trend at other settings. For example, at Medium settings, the FPS goes from 126 at 1080p to 95 at 1440p (a 25% drop) and then to 64 at 4K (a 49% drop from 1080p). This consistent scaling across resolutions is a strong indicator that the RTX 4080 Mobile is fully utilized at all tested resolutions, with the CPU providing sufficient support. The fact that the FPS drops by roughly half when moving from 1080p to 4K suggests that the GPU’s pixel throughput is the main constraint, which is expected for a demanding game like Control with its complex rendering effects.

This scaling behavior also explains why the combo ranks higher in the CPU percentile (91) than the GPU percentile (81). The CPU is less stressed because the GPU is doing the heavy lifting in terms of frame rendering. This is not a negative reflection on the GPU; rather, it highlights that the CPU is powerful enough to keep up with even the most demanding graphics settings, ensuring that the GPU is never starved for data. For users, this means that upgrading the GPU in the future would yield more significant performance gains than upgrading the CPU, based on this game’s requirements.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s priority: maximum frame rate or maximum visual fidelity. For those with a high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitor, the High preset is highly recommended. At 1080p, this yields an average of 112 FPS, and at 1440p, it produces 84 FPS. Both are well above the 60 FPS standard, and High settings offer a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with an average of 73 FPS, is also a viable option for those who prioritize visuals, as it remains above 60 FPS.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that the High preset is the best choice for a playable experience. With an average of 57 FPS, it is close to the 60 FPS target, and the visual quality is significantly better than Medium or Low. Users who are sensitive to frame rate drops might prefer Medium settings, which average 64 FPS, but this comes at a slight cost to visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 4K, averaging 50 FPS, is less recommended unless the user is willing to accept sub-60 FPS performance for the highest quality.

In summary, the combo is best utilized with High settings across all resolutions, as this preset provides the most consistent and high-quality experience. The Low preset, while offering very high frame rates (177 FPS at 1080p), sacrifices too much visual quality for most players. Medium settings are a good fallback for 4K if High is too demanding, but High is the recommended default for this hardware. The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and solid 4K performance, with High settings being the sweet spot.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is a high-end mobile GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1290 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and it has 7424 shading units, 232 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. These specifications make it a formidable part for gaming, and the data from Control confirms its capabilities.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 38135, placing it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile (38349, -0.6%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (37648, 1.3%). This shows that the 4080 Mobile is slightly behind the newer 5080 Mobile but ahead of the desktop 4070 in synthetic tests. In gaming, this translates to strong performance at high resolutions, as evidenced by the measured FPS in Control.

The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for Control at all tested settings, as the game’s requirements are not excessively high. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is ample for 4K textures and effects, and the data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combo, with FPS scaling directly with resolution. The RTX 4080 Mobile’s high pixel rate of 133.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 386.3 GTexel/s ensure that it can handle the game’s rendering demands efficiently. Overall, the GPU is the dominant component in this pairing, and its performance is what ultimately drives the frame rates in Control, making it a crucial part for this benchmark.