Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a demanding mix of physics-based combat and destructible environments that stress both the CPU and GPU. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data set provides a complete picture of how this combination handles the game, from high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming to the limits of 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 107 FPS, but this drops to 81 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 55 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 24% performance loss from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49% loss from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is consistent across all settings, indicating that the GeForce RTX 2060 is the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The scaling behavior becomes more pronounced at higher quality presets. With Ultra settings, the frame rate falls from 59 FPS at 1080p to 45 FPS at 1440p, then to 30 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling: the 30 FPS average sits at the edge of playability, and the lack of a recorded minimum FPS suggests the frame pacing may be inconsistent. The transition from 1440p to 4K is the steepest drop across all presets, with the High preset losing 16 FPS (51 to 35) and Medium losing 19 FPS (58 to 39).

Interestingly, the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (107 FPS) and Ultra (59 FPS) is 48 FPS. At 4K, this gap shrinks to 25 FPS (55 vs 30). This behavior is characteristic of a GPU that becomes pixel-bound at higher resolutions, where the cost of additional shading and texture work from higher presets is partially masked by the sheer fill-rate demands. The RTX 2060’s 192-bit memory bus and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for 1080p but become a bottleneck at 4K, where the 6 GB VRAM capacity also likely comes into play.

The data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo in Control if aiming for 60 FPS, as only the Low preset (81 FPS) clears that threshold. At 1080p, the Medium preset’s 76 FPS average provides a comfortable margin, while the High preset’s 68 FPS is still respectable. The resolution scaling indicates that users targeting 4K should expect to use Low settings (55 FPS) and accept the visual compromises, as higher presets fall to 35 FPS or below.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, built on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip, is the decisive component in this configuration. Its 12 nm process node and 10,800 million transistors deliver a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which the benchmark results show is adequate for 1080p but strained at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s compute resources—1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs—produce a FP32 throughput of 6.451 TFLOPS. This raw power translates to the measured frame rates, but the 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores are underutilized in Control, as the game’s implementation of ray tracing is limited and the data set does not include results with RT enabled. The pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s are the key metrics for understanding the 4K performance ceiling, where the 30-35 FPS averages indicate the GPU is hitting its fill-rate limits.

The GPU’s benchmark profile places it at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15290. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0% delta), AMD Radeon 680M (15270, 0.1% delta), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, 0.6% delta), and AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, 0.8% delta). This clustering shows the RTX 2060 is positioned in a competitive mid-range tier, but its age (launched in 2019) means it lacks the architectural efficiencies of newer cards. The 160 W TDP and PCIe 3.0 x16 interface are consistent with its 2019-era design, and the 1x 8-pin power connector aligns with its power requirements.

In Control specifically, the GPU’s 6 GB VRAM is a potential concern. The game’s high-resolution textures and physics-based effects can exceed 6 GB at 4K Ultra, which likely contributes to the 30 FPS average at that setting. The lack of a minimum FPS recording for the 4K Ultra row suggests possible stuttering from memory pressure, whereas the 1440p Medium row does have a recorded minimum (49 FPS) and maximum (66 FPS), indicating more stable frame delivery.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Control?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. The Low preset achieves 107 FPS, Medium reaches 76 FPS, and High maintains 68 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (81 FPS) exceeds 60 FPS, while High drops to 51 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. The Low preset averages 55 FPS at 3840x2160, while Medium drops to 39 FPS, High to 35 FPS, and Ultra to 30 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is borderline playable but lacks a recorded minimum FPS, suggesting potential frame pacing issues.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, placing it in the 58th percentile. It is virtually tied with the GTX 580 (15283, 0% delta) and AMD Radeon 680M (15270, 0.1% delta), and sits slightly ahead of the RTX 3050 OEM (15199, 0.6% delta) and RX 7600 (15171, 0.8% delta).

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of visuals and performance?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset offers 76 FPS with a recorded minimum of 65 FPS and maximum of 88 FPS, providing a stable experience. The High preset at 68 FPS is also viable, but the jump to Ultra costs 9 FPS (59 FPS) without a proportional visual gain.

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

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. Resolution scaling shows frame rates drop by 49% from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s high benchmark scores (90th percentile) suggest it has ample headroom for this game.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 245 perform relative to other CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. It is within 0.8% of the Intel Core i5-14600K (48618, 0.8% delta) and 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228, -0.5% delta).

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS table for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination in Control is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 107 FPS average
• Medium: 76 FPS average, 65 FPS minimum, 88 FPS maximum
• High: 68 FPS average
• Ultra: 59 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 81 FPS average
• Medium: 58 FPS average, 49 FPS minimum, 66 FPS maximum
• High: 51 FPS average
• Ultra: 45 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 55 FPS average
• Medium: 39 FPS average, 33 FPS minimum, 45 FPS maximum
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 30 FPS average

The data shows a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions: Low performs best, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra. The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at all three resolutions, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the 65-88 FPS range indicates a 23 FPS spread, which tightens to 17 FPS at 1440p (49-66) and 12 FPS at 4K (33-45). This narrowing suggests that as the GPU becomes more pixel-bound, frame times become more consistent, albeit at lower overall performance.

The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 31 FPS (107 to 76), which is the largest single-preset drop in the entire data set. This indicates that Medium enables significant visual effects that heavily tax the GPU. In contrast, the jump from High to Ultra at 4K costs only 5 FPS (35 to 30), showing diminishing returns at the highest settings.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data points to 1080p with Medium settings as the optimal choice. The 76 FPS average with a 65 FPS minimum ensures that frame drops stay above the 60 FPS threshold, and the 88 FPS maximum provides headroom for less demanding scenes. This preset strikes the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, as the jump to High reduces the average to 68 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less margin for dips.

At 1440p, the Low preset’s 81 FPS is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, but it sacrifices most visual quality. The Medium preset at 58 FPS is a reasonable compromise if the user can tolerate occasional dips to 49 FPS, which may be noticeable during intense combat sequences. The High preset’s 51 FPS and Ultra’s 45 FPS are not recommended for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution.

For 4K, the Low preset’s 55 FPS is the only viable option for near-60 FPS gameplay. The Medium preset’s 39 FPS and High’s 35 FPS are playable but will feel less responsive, while Ultra’s 30 FPS is at the edge of what most users would consider acceptable. Given the lack of a recorded minimum for the 4K Ultra row, there is a risk of stuttering that would further degrade the experience.

The overall recommendation is to play at 1080p with Medium settings for the best combination of visual quality and performance. Users with 1440p monitors should consider the Low preset if they demand 60+ FPS, or Medium if they prioritize visuals over smoothness. The 4K resolution is only recommended for users who value resolution over frame rate and are willing to use Low settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245, part of the Core Ultra Series 2 based on the Arrow Lake architecture, provides substantial processing power that is underutilized in this configuration. Its 14 cores and 14 threads operate at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost to 5.10 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth (DDR5, dual-channel) ensure that the CPU is not a bottleneck in Control’s physics-heavy gameplay.

The CPU’s benchmark results confirm its high-end positioning. It scores 32924 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4648 in single-core, with an average benchmark score of 48995 placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49196, -0.4% delta), AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228, -0.5% delta), Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48698, 0.6% delta), and Intel Core i5-14600K (48618, 0.8% delta). This performance level means the Core Ultra 5 245 can easily feed the RTX 2060 with draw calls and physics calculations, even at 1080p where the GPU is less stressed.

The 3 nm process node and 17,800 million transistors indicate a modern, efficient design, but Control’s requirements are modest enough that the CPU’s capabilities far exceed what the game demands. The PassMark multi-thread score of 38706 and single-thread score of 4394 further illustrate the CPU’s strength. Since the measured FPS data shows consistent GPU-bound scaling (frame rates drop uniformly with resolution), the CPU is not introducing any performance variability.

The CPU’s integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is irrelevant for this analysis, as the discrete RTX 2060 handles all rendering. The lack of an unlocked multiplier and the fixed 5.10 GHz boost clock mean users cannot overclock to extract additional performance, but this is unnecessary given the GPU bottleneck. For Control specifically, the Core Ultra 5 245 provides more than enough processing headroom, and the data suggests that even a significantly weaker CPU would not reduce the measured frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination ranks 2274 out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the bottom 21% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU’s age and mid-range positioning rather than any CPU deficiency, as the RTX 2060’s 58th percentile GPU ranking drags down the overall combo performance.

The combo’s rank is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows playable but not exceptional performance. At 1080p, the combo achieves 59-107 FPS depending on settings, which is competitive with other mid-range GPUs from 2019. However, the RTX 2060’s nearest rivals—the GTX 580, Radeon 680M, RTX 3050 OEM, and RX 7600—all have similar average benchmark scores (within 0.8%), suggesting that this combo’s performance is representative of a specific performance tier.

The 2274th rank out of 2888 combos indicates that a significant majority of tested configurations outperform this one in Control. This is expected given the RTX 2060’s end-of-life production status and the release of multiple newer GPU generations since its 2019 launch. The CPU’s 90th percentile ranking does little to boost the combo’s position, as Control’s performance is overwhelmingly GPU-limited, as shown by the resolution scaling analysis.

For context, the combo’s 4K Ultra result of 30 FPS is a typical outcome for a GPU of this class, while the 1080p Low result of 107 FPS demonstrates that the combo can still deliver high frame rates when settings are reduced. Users should interpret the 2274 rank as a reflection of the GPU’s tier rather than a judgment on the CPU, which performs admirably in synthetic benchmarks. The rank also highlights that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming or 1440p with reduced settings, as it lacks the headroom for high-refresh-rate 1440p or smooth 4K play.