Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 to form a mid-range desktop combination that delivers a highly playable Control experience at 1080p and 1440p, though 4K pushes the GPU to its limits. The processor, a 14-core, 14-thread Arrow Lake-S part with a 3.50 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost clock, sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested, while the graphics card, a Blackwell 2.0 design with 8 GB of GDDR7 memory, ranks in the 72nd percentile. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom even at the lowest settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is built on the Arrow Lake architecture and manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC, housing 14 cores and 14 threads. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz can boost up to 5.10 GHz, and it carries 24 MB of shared L3 cache along with a dual-channel DDR5 memory interface. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 32924 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4648 in single-core, with a PassMark multithread score of 38706 and a single-thread score of 4394. These figures place it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, which is 0.4% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 at 0.5% slower, while the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and Intel Core i5-14600K are 0.6% and 0.8% faster, respectively.

For a game like Control, which is a 2019 Action Adventure title, the CPU's job is to handle physics, AI, and game logic. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 149 FPS average, which is the highest measured frame rate across all tested configurations. This high ceiling suggests that even at the lowest settings, the Core Ultra 5 245 is not the limiting factor; the GPU is still doing the heavy lifting. The processor's 14 threads are more than sufficient for the game's threading model, and its strong single-core performance, evidenced by the 4648 Cinebench R23 single-core score, helps maintain consistent frame pacing. The chip's 65 W TDP and 90th percentile ranking indicate a capable desktop part that does not bottleneck the RTX 5060 in this title, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings changes rather than hitting a CPU-imposed wall.

The processor's memory support for DDR5 with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s further ensures that data feeding the GPU is not a constraint. While the game is from 2019, the modern architecture of the Core Ultra 5 245 handles its legacy code without issue, and the measured results confirm that the CPU side of this combo is robust. The 0.4% to 0.8% deltas against its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are negligible, meaning that in gaming workloads, any of these CPUs would perform nearly identically. Therefore, the CPU role here is to provide a stable, high-throughput platform that allows the RTX 5060 to express its full potential, particularly at 1080p where the 149 FPS Low result demonstrates there is no early bottleneck.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is a GeForce 50-series card based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, featuring 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. It runs with a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2497 MHz, paired with 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The card's FP32 performance is rated at 19.18 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. In benchmark tests, it scores 20891 in Passmark G3D and 3628 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 26331. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550, both 0.3% faster, the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary at 0.8% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT which is 1.2% slower.

In Control, the GPU's role is dominant across all resolution and settings combinations. The measured FPS shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the card produces 149 FPS on Low, 106 FPS on Medium, 94 FPS on High, and 82 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that the RTX 5060 has ample compute power for this older title at mainstream resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures at 1080p and 1440p, as evidenced by the playable frame rates even at Ultra settings. However, at 4K, the card begins to struggle, with the Ultra preset dropping to 42 FPS and High to 48 FPS, suggesting that the GPU's rasterization throughput, rather than VRAM capacity, is the limiting factor at that resolution.

The boost clock of 2497 MHz is respectable for a mid-range card, and the 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute translate well into raw fill rate for a game like Control, which relies on traditional rendering techniques. The 72nd percentile ranking is modest, but the deltaPct values against rivals are all within 1.2%, meaning the RTX 5060 is tightly clustered with its performance peers. For this game, the GPU delivers a smooth experience up to 1440p High, but the 4K results show that users should expect to compromise on settings to maintain 60 FPS. The 448 GB/s memory bandwidth helps at lower resolutions where data transfer is less of a bottleneck, but the 128-bit bus does limit the card at 4K, where the 42 FPS Ultra result highlights the memory subsystem's constraints.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates across resolutions provide a clear picture of the system's scaling behavior. Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 24-25% regardless of settings: Low goes from 149 to 113 FPS, Medium from 106 to 80 FPS, High from 94 to 71 FPS, and Ultra from 82 to 62 FPS. This consistent proportional drop indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the CPU still has headroom at 1440p. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steeper, with Low falling from 113 to 76 FPS (a 33% drop), Medium from 80 to 54 FPS (a 33% drop), High from 71 to 48 FPS (a 32% drop), and Ultra from 62 to 42 FPS (a 32% drop). This larger drop at 4K is typical of a GPU that is hitting its memory bandwidth or shading unit limits.

The data strongly suggests a GPU-bound scenario across all tested configurations. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect frame rates to be similar at 1080p and 1440p, but the 149 to 113 FPS drop on Low settings shows that the RTX 5060 is already working harder at 1440p. The fact that even at 1080p Low the system does not reach 200 FPS or higher indicates that the GPU's maximum throughput is around 150 FPS for this title. The 4K results confirm this, as the card cannot maintain 60 FPS even on Medium settings, which achieves only 54 FPS. The Core Ultra 5 245's strong 90th percentile CPU performance is not the constraint here; rather, the 48 ROPs and 128-bit memory bus of the RTX 5060 limit pixel throughput at higher resolutions.

This scaling behavior means that for Control, the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can comfortably exceed 60 FPS on High settings. The 4K experience is playable only on Low settings (76 FPS) or Medium (54 FPS), but the frame rate drops are a direct consequence of the GPU's architectural limits rather than any CPU deficiency. Users targeting 4K would need to reduce settings or consider a higher-tier GPU, but the data shows that this specific pairing is well-balanced for mainstream resolutions, with the CPU providing consistent frame delivery and the GPU being the sole determinant of performance scaling.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the benchmark database for Control, this specific Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination is ranked 1237 out of 2888 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, which is consistent with the individual component percentiles: the CPU at 90th percentile and the GPU at 72nd percentile. The rank of 1237 out of 2888 means that approximately 57% of tested combos perform better, while 43% perform worse. This is a respectable position for a mid-range pairing, as it outperforms many older or lower-tier combinations while falling short of high-end configurations.

The combo rank reflects the balance between the strong CPU and the moderate GPU. Since Control is largely GPU-bound, the rank is driven primarily by the RTX 5060's performance, which is in the 72nd percentile. This means that combos with faster GPUs, even if paired with weaker CPUs, will likely rank higher in this game. Conversely, combos with the same GPU but weaker CPUs would rank similarly, as the CPU has minimal impact on the measured frame rates. The 1237 rank indicates that this system is capable of running Control well at 1080p and 1440p, but it is not competitive with higher-end GPU configurations at 4K.

The data also shows that this combo sits in a crowded field, as the GPU's nearest rivals are all within 1.2% performance delta. This means that swapping the RTX 5060 for an AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT would result in a negligible 1.2% performance difference, potentially shifting the combo rank by only a few positions. The 1237 rank out of 2888 is therefore a stable position, unlikely to change dramatically with minor GPU variations. For users of this combo, the ranking confirms that it is a solid mid-range option for Control, providing a good experience at mainstream resolutions without the need for extreme settings compromises.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 94 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the Ultra preset still achieves 82 FPS. However, the Medium preset at 106 FPS offers a better balance of visual quality and performance, as it is only 12% slower than Low (149 FPS) but provides significantly better graphics. For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering 71 FPS average, which is playable, while the Medium preset at 80 FPS offers a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 62 FPS, which is borderline, so High is the safer recommendation.

At 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset (76 FPS) provides a playable experience above 60 FPS, while Medium (54 FPS) and High (48 FPS) fall short. The Ultra preset at 42 FPS is not recommended for 4K gaming. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is to use Ultra settings at 1080p (82 FPS) for maximum visual quality, or High settings at 1440p (71 FPS) for a balance of quality and performance. The Medium preset at 1440p (80 FPS) is also a strong choice if users prefer a higher frame rate over slightly reduced visual fidelity. For 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, but the 76 FPS average makes it acceptable for casual play.

The data also indicates that the difference between Medium and High at 1080p is only 12 FPS (106 vs 94), while the difference between High and Ultra is also 12 FPS (94 vs 82). This suggests that the GPU has diminishing returns at the highest settings, so users should not expect a major visual boost from Ultra over High. The recommended presets are therefore: 1080p Ultra for the best visuals, 1440p High for the best overall experience, and 4K Low for playability. The Medium preset at 1440p is a good alternative for those who prioritize frame rate, as it provides an 80 FPS average with a minimum of 68 FPS, ensuring consistent performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080 (Full HD): The RTX 5060 delivers its strongest performance at this resolution. Low settings produce an average of 149 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 106 FPS average, with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 122 FPS, indicating smooth frame delivery. High settings drop to 94 FPS average, while Ultra settings maintain 82 FPS average. All four presets exceed 60 FPS, making 1080p the most flexible resolution for this combo.

2560x1440 (Quad HD): At 1440p, the performance scales down proportionally. Low settings average 113 FPS, which is still well above 60 FPS. Medium settings produce 80 FPS average, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS, showing that even the minimum frame rate is playable. High settings achieve 71 FPS average, which is acceptable for most gamers, while Ultra settings fall to 62 FPS average. The 62 FPS Ultra result is right at the edge of the 60 FPS target, but it remains playable.

3840x2160 (4K UHD): The 4K results highlight the GPU's limitations. Low settings average 76 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium settings drop to 54 FPS average, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, indicating that frame rates can dip below comfortable levels. High settings average 48 FPS, and Ultra settings average 42 FPS. These 4K numbers show that the RTX 5060 is not designed for high-settings 4K gaming in Control, and users should stick to Low settings or lower the resolution for a better experience.

The exact numbers from the measured FPS data are as follows: 1080p Low 149, Medium 106 (min 90, max 122), High 94, Ultra 82; 1440p Low 113, Medium 80 (min 68, max 92), High 71, Ultra 62; 4K Low 76, Medium 54 (min 46, max 62), High 48, Ultra 42. These figures provide a comprehensive view of the combo's performance envelope, showing that the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for Low settings only. The minimum FPS values for Medium presets at all resolutions indicate that frame pacing is consistent, with the 4K Medium minimum of 46 FPS being the only sub-60 result outside of the High and Ultra 4K presets.