Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 produces a specific performance profile that varies significantly with resolution and settings. The data shows a system that is capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p but becomes increasingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, where the frame rates drop substantially. This analysis breaks down the measured results to explain what this combo can deliver, where its limits are, and which settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core, 20-thread processor built on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This is a high-end mobile part, evidenced by its 93rd percentile ranking against all CPUs and a strong Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40642, which places it in the top tier for multi-threaded workloads. In the context of Control, this level of processing power is more than sufficient to feed the GPU, as the game's engine is not typically known for being exceptionally CPU-heavy at high resolutions. The processor's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory further ensure that data can be fed to the cores quickly, preventing bottlenecks in physics and AI calculations that occur during combat sequences.

The benchmark results indicate that this CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo at any of the tested settings. The measured FPS at 1080p with Low settings reaches 140 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the GPU is still the primary constraint even at this lower resolution. The CPU's performance headroom is substantial, as its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 578 and multi-core score of 4096 are class-leading, meaning it can handle the game's logic and draw calls without breaking a sweat. The 20 threads are particularly useful for modern games that can leverage multiple cores for streaming and physics, but the data shows that even at Ultra settings, the frame rate drops are more attributable to the GPU's workload than to any CPU limitation.

The processor's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i7-13790F, which has an average score 0.1% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G, which is 0.2% lower. These deltas are negligible, confirming that the 265HX is a top-tier performer in its class. For Control, this means that users should expect the GPU to be the deciding factor for performance, and any frame rate differences between this CPU and others in its bracket will be minimal. The data supports the conclusion that the 265HX provides a stable and powerful foundation, allowing the RTX 4070 to operate at its full potential without being held back by processor limitations.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance in Control, and its specifications dictate the frame rates observed across all resolutions. This GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which is ample for the game's textures and effects at 1080p and 1440p. The core clock runs at 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and its 5888 shading units are responsible for the raw pixel-pushing power. The GPU's 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores are not heavily utilized in Control unless ray tracing is enabled, but the standard rasterization performance is what the measured FPS reflects.

The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the overwhelming bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 140, which is a very high result that indicates the GPU is not fully stressed. However, at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 39, showing that the GPU is working at its absolute limit. The 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Control's highest texture quality presets at 4K, as the game does not typically exceed this amount, but the raw compute power of the AD104 chip is what limits performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 26927 and its 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs place it as a solid mid-to-high-range performer, but it is not a top-tier card for 4K gaming.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4070 is 0.1% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% faster than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, while being 1.3% slower than the RTX 4080 Mobile. These deltas are small, indicating that in this performance class, the RTX 4070 is well-positioned. For Control specifically, the GPU's role is clear: it provides excellent performance at 1080p and good performance at 1440p, but at 4K, users will need to lower settings to achieve playable frame rates. The GPU's 200 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class, and the data confirms that it is a capable card for this game at mainstream resolutions.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for most users will be found at 1440p with High settings, which yields an average of 67 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and smoothness, as the frame rate is above the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider playable. The 1440p Medium preset offers a slightly higher average of 75 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable in Control's detailed environments, making High the recommended choice for those with a 1440p monitor. For users with a 1080p display, High settings at 88 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a high frame rate with excellent visuals that take full advantage of the GPU's capabilities.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The High preset at this resolution averages only 45 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced action game. The Medium preset at 4K averages 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS, which is a viable option for those who want to play at 4K but are willing to accept some compromises. The Low preset at 4K averages 71 FPS, which is surprisingly high and suggests that the game scales well with reduced settings. However, the visual quality loss is significant, so this is only recommended for competitive play or for users with a 4K display who prioritize frame rate over graphics.

The data does not show any settings that produce an unplayable experience, as even the lowest average FPS of 39 at 4K Ultra is technically playable, though it will feel sluggish. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it only provides a marginal visual improvement over High while costing a significant amount of performance. The measured rows show that High settings are the most efficient preset, providing the best performance-per-visual-quality ratio across all resolutions. Users should prioritize High settings at 1080p or 1440p for the best experience, and only consider Medium or Low at 4K if absolutely necessary.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 1515th out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 52nd percentile of all configurations. This ranking indicates that while this is a capable setup, there are many other combinations that perform better in this specific game. The rank is influenced by the fact that Control is a GPU-intensive title, and the RTX 4070, while strong, is not a top-tier card for this game. The CPU's high performance does not significantly boost the ranking, as the GPU is the limiting factor at most resolutions.

The ranking of 1515 out of 2888 suggests that users with this combo should not expect to be at the top of any performance charts, but they will be in the upper half of all tested configurations. This is a solid result for a mobile CPU and a desktop-class GPU, but it is important to note that many desktop combos with higher-end GPUs will outperform it. The data shows that the combo is well-balanced, with the CPU providing ample power and the GPU handling the graphical load, but the overall rank is ultimately dictated by the GPU's performance class.

For context, the GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 Mobile, is 1.3% faster in synthetic benchmarks, which would likely translate to a slightly higher rank in Control. However, the delta is small, and the actual in-game difference would be minimal. The combo's rank is a clear indicator that it is a mid-range performer in this game, capable of delivering good frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but not competitive with high-end desktop setups at 4K. Users should set their expectations accordingly and use the settings recommendations to get the best possible experience from this hardware combination.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates that the GPU is the primary limiting component in this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 88 at 1080p to 67 at 1440p, a 23.9% decrease, and then further to 45 at 4K, a 48.9% decrease from the 1440p result. This steep drop-off is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the increased pixel count places a linear demand on the GPU's rendering capabilities. The CPU's performance is not affected by resolution in the same way, as its workload remains relatively constant regardless of the output resolution.

The data at Low settings shows a similar trend, with FPS dropping from 140 at 1080p to 106 at 1440p (a 24.3% decrease) and then to 71 at 4K (a 33.0% decrease from 1440p). This pattern confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the frame rate scales inversely with the number of pixels being rendered. The fact that the FPS does not scale perfectly with resolution (e.g., 4K has 4 times the pixels of 1080p but does not result in a 4x FPS drop) indicates that other factors, such as memory bandwidth and cache, also play a role, but the GPU is still the dominant constraint.

The medium settings row provides additional insight, as it includes minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114. At 1440p Medium, the average is 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 and maximum of 86. At 4K Medium, the average is 51 FPS with a minimum of 43 and maximum of 58. The decreasing minimum FPS values at higher resolutions further emphasize the GPU's struggle, as it cannot maintain consistent frame times when pushing more pixels. This resolution scaling analysis proves that users with this combo should stick to 1080p or 1440p to get the best performance, as 4K will require significant settings reductions to achieve playable frame rates.

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

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Control is presented below, organized by resolution and settings preset.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 140 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium settings yield an average of 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS. High settings achieve an average of 88 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to an average of 77 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the combo is capable of delivering excellent performance across all settings, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a frame rate above 75 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings average 106 FPS, which is still very high and indicates that the GPU is not fully stressed at this resolution. Medium settings average 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS. High settings average 67 FPS, and Ultra settings average 58 FPS. These results show that 1440p is a good sweet spot for this combo, as the High preset provides a playable frame rate that is close to the 60 FPS target, while the Low preset offers a high refresh rate experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to struggle significantly. Low settings average 71 FPS, which is still playable and demonstrates the game's scalability. Medium settings average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS. High settings average 45 FPS, and Ultra settings average 39 FPS. The 4K results indicate that the combo is not well-suited for this resolution, as even the Low preset, while playable, does not provide a consistent high frame rate. The Ultra preset's 39 FPS average is the lowest recorded, confirming that 4K gaming with this hardware requires substantial settings compromises. The data shows a clear hierarchy, with 1080p being the best resolution for high frame rates, 1440p being the best for a balance of quality and performance, and 4K being only viable at Low settings.