Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti combination produces a playable but not exceptional experience in Control, landing near the lower end of the database’s tested configurations. The data shows that this pairing is capable of handling the game at 1080p with high settings, but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at higher resolutions or with maximum graphical presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2471 out of 2888 total combos. This places it in the 15th percentile of tested systems, indicating that the vast majority of configurations deliver better performance in this title. The ranking reflects the fundamental imbalance between the modern, high-end CPU and the older, mid-range GPU; the graphics card becomes the primary bottleneck in almost every scenario.

The CPU itself is a strong performer in synthetic benchmarks, sitting in the 90th percentile of all processors tested. Its average benchmark score of 48995 places it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (scoring 49196, a delta of -0.4%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (scoring 49228, a delta of -0.5%). It also edges out the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (scoring 48698, a delta of 0.6%) and the Intel Core i5-14600K (scoring 48618, a delta of 0.8%). This suggests the processor has ample headroom for gaming, but that headroom is left largely unused in Control due to the GPU’s limitations.

Conversely, the GTX 1660 Ti is a modest performer in the current database, sitting in the 41st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 7723 is barely ahead of the AMD Radeon 540 (scoring 7673, a delta of 0.7%) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (scoring 7580, a delta of 1.9%). It also leads the AMD Radeon R7 250 (scoring 7557, a delta of 2.2%) and the Intel Arc A310 (scoring 7550, a delta of 2.3%). These are not competitors known for high-end gaming performance, which contextualizes the Control results. The combination’s low rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s position in the performance hierarchy.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the defining component in this pairing for Control. It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The card’s base clock is 1500 MHz, boosting up to 1770 MHz. These specifications are characteristic of a mid-range card from the GeForce 16 series, built on the 12 nm Turing architecture with the TU116 chip. The card’s 1536 shading units and 48 ROPs are relatively modest by modern standards, which is reflected in its 5.437 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power.

In the context of Control, a game known for its physics-heavy environments and particle effects, the GTX 1660 Ti’s compute and memory bandwidth are the primary limiting factors. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the card’s overall throughput struggles as resolution and settings increase. The data shows a clear pattern: performance degrades significantly at 4K, and even at 1440p, the card cannot maintain 60 FPS on any preset. The GPU’s 41st percentile ranking among all GPUs, alongside its benchmark scores (Passmark G3D score of 12871), confirms its position as a solid 1080p-class card that is being asked to do more than it can manage at higher loads in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 provides a strong foundation for this system, though its role in Control is largely secondary to the GPU. This processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. It is built on the Arrow Lake architecture using a 3 nm process from TSMC, and it supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel configuration. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB L2 cache per core provide ample capacity for gaming workloads.

Benchmark results for the CPU indicate substantial processing power. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and single-core score of 4648 place it in the upper echelon of desktop processors. The Passmark single-thread score of 4394 further underscores its strength in tasks that rely on a few fast cores, which is typical for game logic and physics calculations. However, in Control, the CPU’s capabilities are rarely the bottleneck. The measured FPS values show that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to limit performance, the system achieves 91 FPS, which is a playable rate but not exceptionally high. This suggests the GPU is still the limiting factor even at the lowest settings, as the CPU has the headroom to push higher frame rates if the graphics card could keep up.

The CPU’s high percentile ranking (90th) and its close scores to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G indicate that it would not be the source of frame rate drops in this game. Instead, the data implies that the GTX 1660 Ti is the component that prevents the system from reaching higher performance tiers.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination reveals a consistent performance pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 91, which is smooth and responsive. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 74, still a comfortable experience. High settings yield an average of 57 FPS, which is playable but not consistently smooth. Ultra settings produce an average of 50 FPS, which is borderline for a fast-paced action game.

Stepping up to 1440p, performance declines noticeably. The Low preset achieves 69 FPS on average, which is still good. Medium settings drop to 49 FPS (with a min of 41 and max of 56), making the experience less fluid. High settings average 43 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 38 FPS, both of which are below the ideal threshold for a game like Control.

At 4K resolution, the system struggles significantly. The Low preset manages an average of 46 FPS, which is barely playable. Medium settings average 33 FPS (with a min of 28 and max of 38), which is a poor experience. High settings drop to 29 FPS, and Ultra settings yield only 25 FPS on average, making them effectively unplayable. The data shows a clear trend: the GTX 1660 Ti cannot handle 4K in this title, and even 1440p requires compromises on settings to achieve acceptable performance.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this hardware?*

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where this combination consistently delivers playable frame rates across all settings. The average FPS ranges from 50 on Ultra to 91 on Low, ensuring a playable experience throughout.

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

A: The data indicates that 4K is not viable for this game with this hardware. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 46 on Low settings, which is below the commonly accepted 60 FPS target. Ultra settings yield only 25 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49196) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228). It is also slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48698) and the Intel Core i5-14600K (48618).

*Q: Is the GTX 1660 Ti a capable GPU for Control at 1440p?*

A: The measured FPS shows that 1440p is playable but not optimal. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, but Medium drops to 49 FPS and High to 43 FPS. Users would need to use lower settings to maintain a smooth frame rate.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS on Low settings is 91, while on Ultra settings it is 50. This represents a 41 FPS drop, or a 45% reduction in performance, when moving from the lowest to the highest graphical preset.

*Q: Does the GPU’s VRAM capacity limit performance in Control?*

A: While the 6 GB VRAM is not exhausted at 1080p, the card’s overall performance metrics, such as its 5.437 TFLOPS of compute power, are the primary constraint. The data shows performance declines rapidly as resolution increases, which is more indicative of raw compute limitations than memory capacity issues.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset at 1920x1080 is the optimal choice for this combination. It delivers an average FPS of 57, which is generally smooth enough for the game’s action sequences, while providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. The Medium preset at 1080p is a safer option if players prioritize consistent frame rates, as it averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 55, ensuring fewer drops.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience, averaging 69 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution dips to 49 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold. For users who prefer higher visual fidelity at 1440p, the High preset at 43 FPS may be acceptable, but it is not recommended for competitive or fast-paced play.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset provides a good experience. The Low preset’s 46 FPS is the only playable option, but it offers poor visual quality. Users with this hardware should avoid 4K in Control and instead use 1080p or 1440p with adjusted settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K highlights the GPU-bound nature of this combination. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 91 at 1080p to 69 at 1440p, a 24% reduction, and then to 46 at 4K, a further 33% reduction. This shows a steep decline as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU that is already near its limit at lower resolutions.

On the High preset, the average FPS drops from 57 at 1080p to 43 at 1440p (a 25% reduction) and then to 29 at 4K (a 33% reduction from 1440p). The Ultra preset follows a similar pattern, going from 50 at 1080p to 38 at 1440p, and down to 25 at 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GTX 1660 Ti is the sole limiting factor, as the CPU’s performance is not varying with resolution.

The data shows that the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has more than enough processing power for Control, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores and close competition with top-tier CPUs. However, the GTX 1660 Ti’s lower compute capabilities and memory bandwidth prevent the system from achieving higher frame rates at any resolution. The scaling pattern confirms that to improve performance, a GPU upgrade would be necessary, as the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration.