Control

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile delivers a solid, if not spectacular, experience in Control, with performance that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a combo that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while still capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p with adjusted settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and ranking to provide a clear picture of what this hardware configuration offers for this specific title.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 87 FPS, with a minimum recorded frame rate of 83 FPS and a maximum of 112 FPS.

*Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Control?*

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 2056th out of 3720 total tested combos in the game, placing it in the 55th percentile of all configurations.

Q: Is the RTX 5070 Mobile faster than the RTX 3070 Ti?

A: According to the average benchmark scores, the RTX 5070 Mobile scores 29,928, while the RTX 3070 Ti scores 29,945. This represents a negligible 0.1% difference, meaning the two are effectively performance equals in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the CPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while its base clock is 3.80 GHz.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GPU?

A: The RTX 5070 Mobile has a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s, which is delivered via an 8 GB GDDR7 memory pool on a 128-bit bus.

Q: What is the best average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded in the measured data is 137 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile is the clear performance driver in this configuration for Control. This is evident from the FPS scaling across different resolutions. The GPU is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 4,608 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 48 raster operation units. Its 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s, which is a significant factor in high-resolution texture streaming and rendering.

The GPU's clock speeds are relatively modest for a modern part, with a base clock of 907 MHz and a boost clock of 1425 MHz. However, the architecture's efficiency allows it to deliver strong performance in Control. The benchmark results show that the GPU's average score is 29,928, placing it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 3070 Ti (0.1% slower), RTX 2080 Ti (0.5% faster), and RX 6800 (0.6% slower), indicating that it sits in a well-established performance tier.

In Control, the GPU's role is paramount. The game's physics and particle effects are demanding, and the data shows that performance scales significantly with resolution changes, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. At 4K with Ultra settings, the combo manages only 39 FPS, which is a heavy load for the GPU. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a consideration here, though the measured data does not indicate any specific VRAM-related stutters or crashes. The GPU's compute performance, as measured by a Passmark G3D score of 20,355, supports its ability to handle the game's directx 12 workload, which is reflected in the generally smooth frame pacing at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H serves as a capable partner to the RTX 5070 Mobile, ensuring the GPU is not starved of data. This processor is a 16-core, 22-thread part based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance for game logic and physics calculations. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s ensure that the GPU has a steady supply of data.

The CPU's synthetic benchmark scores indicate a well-rounded performer. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,551 and a single-core score of 1,759. Its Passmark multi-thread score is 25,933, with a single-thread score of 3,509. These figures place the CPU in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (0.3% faster), AMD EPYC 4244P (0.4% faster), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (0.4% faster), showing it is competitive with other modern mobile and desktop parts.

In Control, the CPU's role is less impactful than the GPU's, but still necessary. The game is not heavily multi-threaded, but the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks are handled efficiently. The data suggests that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 137 FPS, which is likely close to the CPU's limit for frame generation. As resolution increases, the gap between CPU and GPU performance widens, with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck. The CPU's 22 threads are more than sufficient for Control, ensuring that there are no CPU-bound stutters or frame drops, even in the game's more chaotic combat scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Control provides a clear picture of its performance envelope. We'll break it down by resolution and settings.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: The average FPS is 137, which is the highest recorded for this combo. This setting is ideal for high refresh rate displays.
• Medium: The average FPS drops to 98, with a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 112. This is a significant step down from Low, indicating the GPU is beginning to work harder.
• High: The average FPS is 87, with a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 112. This remains a very playable frame rate for most users.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 75, which is still smooth, but the gap between High and Ultra is smaller than the gap between Medium and High.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: The average FPS is 104, which is a substantial drop from the 137 FPS seen at 1080p. This highlights the GPU's resolution scaling.
• Medium: The average FPS is 74, with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 85. This is a playable frame rate for most titles.
• High: The average FPS is 66, which is close to the 60 FPS target for most displays. The minimum frame rate is not listed, but the average suggests a stable experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 57, which is just under the 60 FPS target. This setting may require some compromise for a smoother experience.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: The average FPS is 70, which is surprisingly high for 4K, showing the GPU's capability at lower settings.
• Medium: The average FPS is 50, with a minimum of 42 and a maximum of 57. This is a playable, but not ideal, frame rate for a fast-paced action game.
• High: The average FPS is 44, which is below the 60 FPS target. This setting is likely too demanding for a consistent experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 39, which is the lowest recorded. This setting is not recommended for this resolution.

The data shows a consistent pattern: for every setting tier, the FPS drops by roughly 20-25% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 20-30% when moving from 1440p to 4K. The only exception is Low settings, where the drop from 1080p to 4K is less severe, suggesting that the CPU is providing a more significant bottleneck at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware configurations for Control, this combo holds a specific position. The data places this pairing at rank 2056 out of 3720 total tested combos. This means that approximately 55% of all tested configurations perform better, and 45% perform worse. This ranking is a reflection of the mid-to-high-end nature of the components.

The CPU and GPU individually rank highly in their respective categories. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, while the RTX 5070 Mobile is in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. However, the combo's rank in Control is lower than either component's individual percentile might suggest. This is likely due to the game's specific engine and optimization, which may favor certain architectures or memory configurations.

The ranking indicates that this combo is not a top-tier performer for Control, but it is far from a low-end option. For context, the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 2080 Ti, are older parts that were once top-tier. The fact that this new mobile GPU is performing at that level places it in a solid, upper-mid-range category. The combo's rank is a realistic reflection of its ability to run Control at high settings, with some compromises needed at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For a 1080p display, the High preset is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The average FPS of 87 is well above the 60 FPS target, and the minimum of 83 FPS ensures a smooth experience without major drops. The Ultra preset is also viable, with an average of 75 FPS, but the visual improvement over High is often marginal in Control. For players with 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at 98 FPS provides a significantly smoother experience, though it comes with a slight reduction in visual quality.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. The average FPS of 74 is above the 60 FPS target, providing a comfortable margin for most gameplay. The High preset at 66 FPS is also playable, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, as it may dip below 60 FPS during intense combat. The Low preset at 104 FPS is an option for competitive play, but it sacrifices too much visual quality for most users.

For 4K, the data suggests that a compromise is necessary. The Low preset at 70 FPS is the only one that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 50 FPS is playable, but the minimum of 42 FPS indicates that there will be noticeable stutters. The High and Ultra presets, at 44 and 39 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a game like Control, which features fast-paced action and physics-based combat. In summary, the best experience is achieved by pairing a 1080p or 1440p display with the High or Medium preset, respectively.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior of this combo reveals a clear GPU-bound trend in Control. The data shows how average FPS changes as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, holding settings constant.

At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 137 at 1080p to 104 at 1440p, a reduction of 33 FPS (24%). From 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops from 104 to 70, a further reduction of 34 FPS (33%). This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter, as the CPU is likely able to keep up with the frame generation demands at lower resolutions.

At Medium settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 98 to 74 FPS, a reduction of 24 FPS (24%). From 1440p to 4K, the drop is from 74 to 50 FPS, a reduction of 24 FPS (32%). This pattern is consistent, showing that the GPU's workload is scaling linearly with the pixel count.

At High settings, the average FPS drops from 87 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p (24% reduction), and then from 66 to 44 at 4K (33% reduction). The percentage drops are remarkably consistent across settings, which points to a purely GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is not becoming a bottleneck at any resolution, as the FPS drop is entirely attributable to the increased pixel count.

The data also shows that the difference between settings at a given resolution is consistent. For example, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 62 FPS (137 to 75). At 1440p, the difference is 47 FPS (104 to 57). At 4K, the difference is 31 FPS (70 to 39). This shrinking delta at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's demands, but the raw compute power is what limits performance at 4K. For players seeking higher frame rates at 4K, lower settings are the only option, while 1440p offers a more balanced experience.