Control

# Control with Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers a strong Control experience across all tested resolutions, with the combo ranking in the 89th percentile of all tested configurations. The data reveals a system that excels at high-refresh 1440p gaming, remains comfortably playable at 4K, and shows clear GPU-bound behavior as resolution increases. The measured frame rates indicate this pairing is well-balanced for Control, though the CPU's influence becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER can stretch its legs.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the bottleneck shifts in this system. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 125 FPS average, which drops to 94 FPS at 1440p and further to 64 FPS at 4K. This represents a 48.8% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 31.9% further reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern suggests the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as pixel count rises, which is typical for a graphically demanding title like Control.

The High settings row shows similar scaling behavior: 144 FPS at 1080p, 109 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops between consecutive resolutions are 24.3% and 33.0% respectively. Interestingly, the Medium preset shows slightly different scaling characteristics, with 162 FPS at 1080p, 122 FPS at 1440p, and 83 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p here is 24.7%, while the 1440p to 4K drop is 32.0%.

Low settings reveal the most dramatic resolution scaling, moving from 228 FPS at 1080p to 172 FPS at 1440p and finally 116 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p reduction is 24.6%, but the 1440p to 4K drop is 32.6%. This pattern across all settings presets indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's rendering load scales predictably with pixel count, and the system does not exhibit any unusual performance cliffs or unexpected bottlenecks at any resolution.

The fact that even at 4K Low settings the system maintains 116 FPS average suggests the GPU has substantial headroom in this title. At 1080p Low, the 228 FPS result approaches the practical ceiling for many displays, and the data indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at this level. The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent performance cost for higher visual fidelity, with the Ultra preset costing roughly 45% of the Low preset's frame rate at every resolution tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER achieves a combo rank of 303 out of 2,888 tested configurations in Control. This places the pairing in the top 10.5% of all combos, which is a strong result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The ranking reflects that this system outperforms the vast majority of tested hardware combinations in this specific game, though it does not reach the very top tier occupied by flagship CPUs paired with the fastest GPUs.

The CPU's individual benchmark performance provides context for this ranking. The Core Ultra 5 245 scores 32,924 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% higher), AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.5% higher), Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.6% lower), and Intel Core i5-14600K (0.8% higher). These tight deltas indicate the Ultra 5 245 sits in a competitive performance band, and its contribution to the Control combo ranking is consistent with its overall CPU standing.

The GPU's benchmark position is slightly lower relative to its peers. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER scores 31,811 in Passmark G3D, placing it in the 76th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 (0.4% higher), NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q (0.4% higher), NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell (1.4% higher), and NVIDIA TITAN RTX (1.9% higher). The fact that this GPU ranks in the 76th percentile while the combo ranks in the 89th percentile suggests that the CPU-GPU pairing is well-suited for Control specifically, extracting more performance than the individual component percentiles might suggest.

The gap between the combo's strong ranking and the GPU's more modest percentile indicates that Control benefits from the CPU's capabilities, particularly in maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. The 303rd position out of 2,888 combos means this system outperforms roughly 89.5% of all tested configurations, which is an excellent result for a system built around a $270 launch MSRP CPU and a GPU that has since been marked end-of-life.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER brings substantial rendering muscle to Control, with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus providing 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for Control's requirements at any tested resolution, and the data shows no evidence of memory capacity or bandwidth constraints limiting performance. The GPU's 44.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power, delivered through 8,448 shading units, provides the raw throughput needed for the game's physics and particle effects.

Clock speeds play a significant role in the observed performance. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2340 MHz and boosts to 2610 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These clocks are consistently high, and the measured frame rates suggest the GPU maintains near-boost frequencies during Control gameplay. The 96 ROPs and 264 TMUs handle pixel and texture throughput at rates of 250.6 GPixel/s and 689.0 GTexel/s respectively, which align well with the observed 4K performance.

The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's 66 RT cores are relevant for Control's ray tracing features, though the measured data does not include ray tracing-specific benchmarks. The card's Ada Lovelace architecture supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which Control can utilize for enhanced visual effects. The GPU's 5 nm process node from TSMC, with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, contributes to its efficiency and sustained clock behavior during extended gaming sessions.

The Passmark DirectX 11 score of 278 and DirectX 12 score of 119 provide context for the GPU's API-level performance. Control runs on DirectX 11 or 12, and the measured FPS results indicate strong performance under both APIs. The GPU's Vulkan 1.4 support and OpenGL 4.6 compatibility ensure broad API coverage, though Control's implementation appears well-optimized for the NVIDIA architecture based on the consistent frame rates across settings presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 4K resolution, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers playable frame rates across all settings. The Low preset achieves 116 FPS average, which is remarkably high for 4K and indicates the GPU has significant headroom even at this demanding resolution. Medium settings produce 83 FPS average with a minimum of 70 FPS and maximum of 95 FPS, showing a stable frame time distribution. High settings yield 73 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 64 FPS average. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 44.8% performance cost, which is a reasonable trade-off for the visual improvements.

The 1440p results show a substantial performance increase across all settings. Low settings reach 172 FPS average, providing an excellent high-refresh experience. Medium settings deliver 122 FPS average with a minimum of 104 FPS and maximum of 141 FPS, indicating smooth gameplay even during intense scenes. High settings produce 109 FPS average, while Ultra maintains 94 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 45.3%, nearly identical to the 4K scaling, suggesting consistent GPU workload scaling.

At 1080p, the system's performance becomes exceptional. Low settings achieve 228 FPS average, which approaches the limits of most high-refresh monitors. Medium settings deliver 162 FPS average with a minimum of 137 FPS and maximum of 186 FPS, showing excellent frame pacing. High settings produce 144 FPS average, while Ultra maintains 125 FPS average. The 1080p results demonstrate that this combo can drive even 240Hz displays in Control at lower settings, with the Ultra preset still providing smooth 125 FPS gameplay.

The minimum FPS data available only for Medium settings shows the system maintains 86.4% of its average frame rate at 1080p, 85.2% at 1440p, and 84.3% at 4K. These values indicate consistent performance without significant frame drops, which is important for a game like Control that features intense combat sequences and physics-heavy environments.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 provides 14 cores and 14 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and boosting to 5.10 GHz. This configuration, based on the Arrow Lake architecture built on TSMC's 3 nm process, delivers strong single-threaded performance that is crucial for Control's game logic and physics calculations. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache, combined with 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core, ensures fast access to frequently used data.

The CPU's benchmark results demonstrate its capabilities. Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,924 and single-core score of 4,648 indicate strong performance in both threaded and single-threaded workloads. The Passmark single-thread score of 4,394 and multithread score of 38,706 further confirm this processor's balanced capabilities. These scores place the Ultra 5 245 in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, making it a solid foundation for gaming.

In Control, the CPU's influence is most apparent at lower resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 228 FPS average demonstrates that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough frames to reach very high frame rates. The fact that 1440p Low produces 172 FPS and 4K Low produces 116 FPS shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. The CPU's 14 threads are sufficient for Control's threading model, and the data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking even at the highest frame rates.

The Core Ultra 5 245's nearest CPU rivals in average benchmark score all sit within 0.8% of its performance, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and Intel Core i5-14600K. This tight grouping suggests that the CPU's performance in Control is representative of its overall standing, and users upgrading from similar-performing CPUs would see minimal difference in this game. The CPU's DDR5 memory support with dual-channel configuration and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provides adequate memory throughput for Control's streaming requirements.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 83 FPS average represents the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 70 FPS minimum ensures the experience remains smooth during demanding scenes, and the 95 FPS maximum shows the system has headroom for less intensive moments. The High preset at 73 FPS is also viable for players who prioritize visual fidelity, though the 10 FPS difference between Medium and High may not justify the visual upgrade for all users. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is playable but approaches the threshold where frame pacing becomes noticeable.

At 1440p, the High preset at 109 FPS average offers the best gaming experience, providing excellent visual quality while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds 100 FPS. This allows for smooth gameplay on 144Hz monitors without compromising visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 94 FPS is also a strong choice for players with 144Hz displays, as it stays above the 90 FPS threshold while delivering maximum visual quality. Players with 165Hz or higher refresh rate displays should consider the Medium preset at 122 FPS average to take full advantage of their monitor's capabilities.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset at 125 FPS average is the clear recommendation for players with 120Hz or 144Hz displays. This provides the best visual experience while maintaining frame rates that exceed common refresh rates. The High preset at 144 FPS is ideal for 144Hz displays, ensuring the frame rate never drops below the display's refresh rate. Players with 240Hz monitors should use the Medium preset at 162 FPS average, which provides a substantial visual upgrade over Low while still delivering frame rates that take advantage of high-refresh displays.

The Low preset is only recommended for competitive play at 1080p where maximum frame rates are prioritized, as the 228 FPS average provides the smoothest possible experience. The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent frame pacing across all resolutions, with the only available minimum FPS data showing drops of only 14-15% from average. This consistency makes Medium the safest choice for players who experience sensitivity to frame rate fluctuations, while High and Ultra provide better visual quality for those with G-Sync or FreeSync displays that can handle the wider frame rate variations.