Control

# Control — Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 — Benchmark Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Control, with the data showing a clear progression from strong 1080p performance to marginal 4K capability. Measured results place this combination at rank 2295 out of 2888 tested combos in this game, indicating it sits in the lower-middle portion of the database. The combo’s position reflects a mobile-oriented CPU paired with an entry-level discrete GPU, and the frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals where each component becomes the limiting factor.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep performance drop as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 65 FPS average; at 1440p that figure falls to 49 FPS (a 24.6% reduction), and at 4K it drops further to 33 FPS (a 32.7% reduction from 1440p). This pattern indicates that the RTX 5050’s rendering throughput is the primary constraint as pixel count rises, rather than any CPU limitation at these settings.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling is even more revealing. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 103 FPS, which drops to 78 FPS at 1440p (a 24.3% reduction) and then to 52 FPS at 4K (a 33.3% reduction from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across both High and Low presets suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the dominant factors; if the CPU were the bottleneck, the gap between 1080p and 4K would be much smaller at Low settings where the GPU has less work per pixel.

The 4K results confirm that this resolution is only viable for lower presets. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 29, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in an action-adventure title. The 4K Medium preset yields 37 FPS average with a minimum of 32 FPS, while 4K Low achieves 52 FPS. The data indicates that even with the lowest settings, 4K pushes the RTX 5050 to its limits, and the 33–52 FPS range across presets at this resolution suggests that users seeking consistent 60 FPS gameplay should target 1440p or lower.

At 1080p, the scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 47 FPS spread (103 FPS to 56 FPS), which is a 45.6% performance penalty for maxing out settings. This wide spread indicates that the GPU has headroom at 1080p to accommodate higher quality settings, but the CPU becomes more relevant at this resolution — the 16-core, 22-thread Ultra 7 155H with its 4.80 GHz boost clock provides sufficient processing power to keep up with the GPU’s output at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Control, a game that stresses both texture bandwidth and shader throughput, this memory configuration is a key determinant of performance at higher resolutions. The 4K results, which show average FPS in the 29–52 range depending on preset, suggest that the 8 GB frame buffer and the 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s demands at this resolution, but only marginally — the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS indicates the GPU is running out of compute headroom rather than memory capacity, given that reducing settings to Low improves performance by 79.3% (from 29 to 52 FPS).

The GPU’s clock speeds — a base of 2317 MHz and boost of 2572 MHz — are relatively high for a mobile part, which helps explain why the 1080p results are respectable. At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 56 FPS, and at 1080p High it reaches 65 FPS. The RTX 5050’s 2560 shading units and 80 TMUs provide enough raw throughput for 1080p gaming at high quality, but the 32 ROPs become a limiting factor at 4K, where pixel fill rate (82.30 GPixel/s) is insufficient to maintain high frame rates.

The GPU’s benchmark scores contextualize its position. The PassMark G3D score of 17326 places the RTX 5050 at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (deltaPct -0.6%), AMD Radeon HD 8970M (deltaPct -1%), and AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (deltaPct 1.6%). These rivals are older or lower-tier parts, indicating that the RTX 5050 competes with previous-generation mid-range hardware rather than current high-end offerings. In Control specifically, the measured FPS at 1440p High (49 FPS) and 4K Medium (37 FPS) suggests the GPU is performing in line with its benchmark position — capable but not exceptional.

The 130 W TDP and PCIe 5.0 x8 interface indicate a power-efficient design, but the data shows that this efficiency comes at the cost of peak performance in demanding scenarios. The 4K results, where even Low settings only reach 52 FPS, underscore that the RTX 5050 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for less demanding titles or lowered quality expectations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 7 nm process node. Its base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 4.80 GHz, combined with 24 MB of shared L3 cache, provide substantial processing headroom for gaming workloads. In Control, the CPU’s role is most apparent at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 103 FPS — a figure that suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what the RTX 5050 can render at higher settings.

The CPU’s benchmark scores reinforce this interpretation. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15028 and single-core score of 1743 indicate strong multi-threaded capability and respectable single-thread performance. The PassMark multithread score of 24873 and single-thread score of 3468 place this CPU at the 83rd percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 32697. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T (deltaPct 0%), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (deltaPct 0.1%), and AMD Ryzen 5 7400F (deltaPct -0.2%), showing that the Ultra 7 155H sits in a competitive position among mobile and desktop parts.

In Control, the CPU’s 22 threads are more than sufficient for the game’s physics and AI workloads, which are not particularly demanding by modern standards given the game’s 2019 release. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution — the FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p Ultra, where the GPU is more heavily loaded, the CPU still delivers 56 FPS, which is only slightly below the 60 FPS target, indicating that the processor has headroom to spare.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s (dual-channel DDR5) is adequate for feeding the GPU at 1080p and 1440p, but the data does not suggest that memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at 4K — the GPU’s own 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is the more likely constraint. The CPU’s 28 W TDP reflects its mobile positioning, but the benchmark results show that this power envelope does not prevent it from keeping pace with the RTX 5050 in a gaming scenario like Control.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p is the optimal resolution, with all presets achieving at least 56 FPS average. At 1440p, the average ranges from 43 FPS (Ultra) to 78 FPS (Low), which is playable but requires setting adjustments for smooth performance. 4K is only viable at Low settings, where the average is 52 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rivals in GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, placing it at the 66th percentile. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21153 (deltaPct -0.6%), while the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713 (deltaPct 1.6%). This indicates the RTX 5050 performs within a narrow band of these comparable GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Control at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p, the FPS spread from Low (103 FPS) to Ultra (56 FPS) is 45.6%, showing that reducing graphical settings yields significant gains. The CPU’s 83rd percentile ranking and high multi-threaded scores suggest it is not the bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What is the measured frame rate at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows 55 FPS average at 1440p Medium, with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 63 FPS. This is the only preset at 1440p with recorded min/max values, indicating some frame time variance but generally stable performance.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Control?

A: The combo ranks 2295 out of 2888 total tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects the RTX 5050’s 66th percentile GPU position and the Ultra 7 155H’s 83rd percentile CPU position, with the game’s demands skewing toward GPU performance.

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

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. The data shows 4K Low achieves 52 FPS average, which is playable, but 4K Medium drops to 37 FPS and 4K Ultra falls to 29 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, 4K is not recommended based on these measured results.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset provides the best balance — 73 FPS average with a minimum of 62 FPS and maximum of 84 FPS. This preset delivers a smooth experience comfortably above 60 FPS while maintaining reasonable visual quality. The High preset at 65 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate (62 FPS vs. no recorded minimum for High) suggests more consistent performance.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, with 55 FPS average and a minimum of 47 FPS. While this is below 60 FPS, the frame time data (min 47, max 63) indicates acceptable stability for a single-player action game. The High preset at 49 FPS is marginally playable, but the drop below 50 FPS may cause noticeable stutter in fast-paced combat sequences. The Low preset at 78 FPS offers the smoothest experience but sacrifices visual fidelity.

For 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset is viable for consistent gameplay, with 52 FPS average. The Medium preset at 37 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 29 FPS is too slow for an action-adventure game where precise timing matters. Given that Control is a visually atmospheric game, users at 4K may prefer to drop to 1440p and use Medium or High settings for a better visual-to-performance ratio, though the measured data shows 4K Low is the only preset that approaches playable frame rates.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best balance of performance and quality, with the 1080p Medium result (73 FPS) being the highest average among Medium presets and the 1440p Medium result (55 FPS) providing a playable experience. The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where 56 FPS is achievable, but the 29 FPS at 4K Ultra indicates this preset is not suitable for higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Control is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 103 FPS average
• Medium: 73 FPS average, 62 FPS minimum, 84 FPS maximum
• High: 65 FPS average
• Ultra: 56 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 78 FPS average
• Medium: 55 FPS average, 47 FPS minimum, 63 FPS maximum
• High: 49 FPS average
• Ultra: 43 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 52 FPS average
• Medium: 37 FPS average, 32 FPS minimum, 43 FPS maximum
• High: 33 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

The data reveals several patterns. First, the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases: at 1080p the spread is 47 FPS (from 103 to 56), at 1440p it narrows to 35 FPS (from 78 to 43), and at 4K it narrows further to 23 FPS (from 52 to 29). This narrowing indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU’s computational limits compress the performance difference between settings, as the GPU is saturated even at Low settings.

Second, the Medium preset consistently provides the only recorded min/max values across all resolutions, suggesting that this preset is the most stable in terms of frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 62 FPS indicates that the system rarely drops below smooth gameplay thresholds, while at 4K Medium, the 32 FPS minimum shows that frame drops are more pronounced at higher resolutions.

Third, the transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 24–25% FPS reduction across all presets, while the transition from 1440p to 4K results in a 32–33% reduction. This non-linear scaling is typical of GPU-bound scenarios where pixel count increases quadratically, and the larger drop at 4K suggests the RTX 5050’s memory bandwidth (320.0 GB/s) becomes an additional constraint at this resolution.

The Ultra preset results are notable for their consistency: 56 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. This 27 FPS spread across resolutions indicates that Ultra settings impose a heavy load on the GPU, and the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 2295 out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it at approximately the 79th percentile from the bottom (or 21st percentile from the top). This ranking is lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest — the CPU ranks at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU ranks at the 66th percentile among all GPUs. The discrepancy indicates that Control’s performance profile is more sensitive to GPU capability than CPU strength, and the RTX 5050’s mid-range positioning drags the combo down despite the capable processor.

The combo’s rank of 2295 implies that 593 other tested combinations (2888 - 2295) perform worse in this game, while 2294 perform better. Given that the RGB database includes a wide range of hardware, this position suggests the combo is competitive with other mid-range mobile and desktop configurations, but falls short of high-end setups that can maintain 60+ FPS at 4K or achieve higher frame rates at 1440p.

The GPU’s nearest rivals provide context for this ranking. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which scores 1.6% higher in average benchmark score, represents a comparable desktop GPU. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (deltaPct -0.6%) and NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (deltaPct -1.6%) are slightly lower-performing parts. In Control, the measured FPS results — particularly the 49 FPS at 1440p High and 33 FPS at 4K High — align with what would be expected from a GPU in this performance band.

The CPU’s nearest rivals — the Intel Core i5-14600T (deltaPct 0%), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (deltaPct 0.1%), and AMD Ryzen 5 7400F (deltaPct -0.2%) — all have nearly identical average benchmark scores, indicating that the Ultra 7 155H is well-matched with these processors. In a game like Control, which does not heavily stress multi-threaded workloads beyond a handful of cores, the CPU’s 22 threads provide ample headroom, and the combo’s rank is more heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance ceiling.

Overall, the data shows a combo that is well-balanced for 1080p gaming, acceptable for 1440p with settings adjustments, and marginal for 4K. The rank of 2295 out of 2888 reflects this positioning — not a top-tier combination, but one that delivers playable performance in Control for users who prioritize the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities alongside a moderate GPU.