Control

Control is an action-adventure title that stresses both the GPU and CPU depending on settings and resolution. This analysis examines the measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, using only the provided benchmark results. The data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), with average FPS figures for all combinations and minimum/maximum FPS for Medium settings only.

The core finding is straightforward: this combo delivers playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p across all presets, but struggles at 4K unless settings are dropped to Low. The RTX 5060 Mobile, with its 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth, becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the 20-core CPU provides ample headroom. Below, we break down the resolution scaling, component roles, ranking position, and exact measured numbers for each configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 76 at 1920x1080 to 58 at 2560x1440, then to 39 at 3840x2160. That is a 23.7% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 32.8% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total scaling from 1080p to 4K is a 48.7% decrease, indicating that the RTX 5060 Mobile's rendering throughput is the limiting factor as pixel count quadruples.

At Low settings, the scaling pattern changes. The average FPS goes from 121 at 1080p to 91 at 1440p (a 24.8% drop) and then to 62 at 4K (a 31.9% drop from 1440p). The absolute numbers are higher, but the percentage losses are similar, suggesting that even at Low settings, resolution scaling remains roughly proportional. However, the fact that Low settings at 4K (62 FPS) still exceeds High settings at 4K (39 FPS) by 58.9% shows that settings adjustments have a larger impact than resolution changes at this tier.

The Medium preset, which is the only one with min/max FPS data, shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the average is 86 with a range of 73-99 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 65 with a range of 55-75 FPS. At 4K, the average falls to 44 with a range of 37-50 FPS. The min-to-max spread narrows slightly as resolution increases (from 26 FPS at 1080p to 13 FPS at 4K), indicating that frame time variance becomes less pronounced when the GPU is more heavily loaded.

Ultra settings show the steepest scaling curve. The average FPS is 66 at 1080p, 50 at 1440p, and 34 at 4K. This represents a 48.5% total drop from 1080p to 4K, nearly identical to the High preset's scaling. The 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS is below the 40 FPS threshold typically considered smooth, making this combination unsuitable for maximum quality at that resolution.

The data suggests that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the CPU's 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock can feed the GPU adequately, as evidenced by the 121 FPS at Low settings. At 4K, the GPU's 9.684 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 8 GB memory capacity become the bottleneck, with even Low settings only achieving 62 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile's specifications directly explain its performance in Control. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but the 4K Ultra preset likely exceeds its capacity, contributing to the 34 FPS result. The 48 ROPs and 104 TMUs provide the pixel and texture throughput needed for the game's particle-heavy effects, but they are limited by the 1455 MHz boost clock.

The clock speeds are notable: a 952 MHz base and 1455 MHz boost. This relatively modest boost clock, combined with the 45 W TDP, indicates a power-constrained mobile part. The FP32 performance of 9.684 TFLOPS places it in the mid-range tier, which aligns with its 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs. In Control, this translates to playable but not exceptional frame rates at high resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context. The PassMark G3D score of 18852 and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3013.5 suggest a GPU that can handle modern titles at 1080p and 1440p with some compromises. The nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, has an average benchmark score of 22549, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 5060 Mobile's 22435. This close margin indicates that the GPU's real-world gaming performance is competitive with desktop parts from the previous generation.

In Control specifically, the GPU's role is dominant at 4K. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is 28 FPS (62 vs. 34), which is a 45.2% improvement from lowering settings. At 1080p, the same settings change yields a 55 FPS difference (121 vs. 66), showing that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions. This pattern confirms that the RTX 5060 Mobile is the primary bottleneck when pixel count increases, not the CPU.

The 8 GB memory size is sufficient for Control's requirements, as the game does not typically exceed 6 GB at 1080p Ultra. However, at 4K Ultra, memory pressure may contribute to the low 34 FPS, as the game's textures and effects can exceed 8 GB in some scenes. The 384.0 GB/s bandwidth helps mitigate this, but it cannot overcome the raw compute limitations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. With a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, it provides substantial single-threaded performance for game logic and physics. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is critical for Control's demanding physics engine and destructible environments.

The CPU's benchmark results show strong multi-core performance. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40642 places it in the top tier for mobile processors, while the single-core score of 5737 is equally impressive. The PassMark multi-thread score of 47985 and single-thread score of 4500 further confirm its capability. In Control, which is not heavily multi-threaded, the CPU's single-core performance is more relevant than its 20-core count.

The nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks are the Intel Core i7-13790F (avg score 63080, 0.1% higher), AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G (avg score 63331, 0.2% lower), and AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185 (avg score 62839, 0.5% higher). The Core Ultra 7 265HX's average benchmark score of 63173 places it at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it is not the limiting component in this gaming scenario.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU's role becomes apparent when comparing Low settings across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 121 FPS suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic without bottlenecking the GPU. At 4K Low, the 62 FPS is still well above the 30 FPS minimum, showing that the CPU maintains adequate frame delivery even when the GPU is stressed. The fact that the CPU's boost clock of 5.30 GHz is rarely the limiting factor is supported by the steady FPS at 1080p across all settings.

The 20 threads do not provide a direct benefit in Control, which typically uses 4-8 threads. However, the high single-core performance ensures that the game's main thread remains unburdened. The 3 nm process node and 17,800 million transistors contribute to the CPU's efficiency, allowing it to maintain high clocks without excessive power draw, which is important in a mobile combo.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with a 102.4 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for feeding the GPU's 384.0 GB/s memory interface. This asymmetry means the CPU is not the bottleneck in data transfer, as the game's asset streaming is handled by the GPU's memory. Overall, the CPU's 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock provide more than enough headroom for Control, with all measured FPS limitations attributable to the GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this configuration in Control is 2472 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the 66.5th percentile (calculated as 1 - 2472/3720). This rank reflects the mid-tier performance of the RTX 5060 Mobile, which is consistent with its 67th percentile GPU ranking. The CPU's high percentile (93rd) does not boost the combo rank significantly, as Control is more GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

The rank of 2472 suggests that there are 1248 combinations that perform better and 2472 that perform worse. This places the combo in the upper third of all tested configurations, which is reasonable for a mobile GPU with 8 GB of memory. The rank would likely be higher if the GPU had more VRAM or higher clock speeds, but the data shows it is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

Compared to the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 5060 Mobile's avg benchmark score of 22435 is only 1.3% lower than the RTX 4060 Mobile's 22729. This small difference suggests that the combo rank would be similar with either GPU. The AMD Radeon RX 6700S, with an avg score of 22154 (1.3% lower), would likely produce a slightly worse rank, while the RX 7700 XT (22549, 0.5% higher) would be marginally better.

The combo's rank in Control is influenced by the game's specific requirements. Control's use of ray tracing and particle effects can stress GPU memory and compute, which the RTX 5060 Mobile handles moderately well. The 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS likely drags the ranking down, as many combos achieve higher frame rates at this quality level. At 1080p, the combo would rank higher, but the overall rank is an aggregate across all tested configurations.

It is important to note that the combo rank is not a measure of "good" or "bad" but rather a position in a distribution. A rank of 2472 out of 3720 means that the combo is in the lower half of the top third, which is a solid but not outstanding result. For a laptop combo, this is expected, as desktop GPUs with higher power limits and larger memory pools will outperform it.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings presets achieve above 60 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, only Low settings exceed 60 FPS (91 FPS). At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS, with the highest being 62 FPS at Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 Mobile's 8 GB VRAM affect performance?

A: The 8 GB memory size is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at all settings, as the FPS does not drop dramatically between Medium and Ultra at these resolutions. At 4K, the memory capacity may be a limiting factor, as the Ultra preset drops to 34 FPS compared to 62 FPS at Low settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as FPS scales more with settings changes than resolution changes. At 1080p, the CPU's 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock are sufficient, as evidenced by the 121 FPS at Low settings.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Medium and Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium averages 86 FPS while Ultra averages 66 FPS, a 20 FPS difference. At 2560x1440, the difference is 15 FPS (65 vs. 50). At 3840x2160, the difference is 10 FPS (44 vs. 34).

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 4060 Mobile?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile's average benchmark score is 22435, which is 1.3% lower than the RTX 4060 Mobile's 22729. This suggests the two GPUs would perform nearly identically in Control, with less than a 2% difference in frame rates.

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which achieves 62 FPS on average. At Medium settings, the average drops to 44 FPS, and at High and Ultra, it falls below 40 FPS. For a smooth 4K experience, Low settings are recommended.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but Medium offers the best balance of visual quality and performance with 86 FPS average and a range of 73-99 FPS. High settings at 76 FPS are also acceptable, while Ultra at 66 FPS is playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts to Medium settings, which achieve 65 FPS average with a range of 55-75 FPS. High settings at 58 FPS are borderline, as dips below 60 FPS may be noticeable. Low settings at 91 FPS are the safest choice for competitive play, but Medium provides a better visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings are recommended, as they achieve 62 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 44 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for most players. High and Ultra settings (39 and 34 FPS respectively) are not recommended for 4K, as they fall below the 40 FPS threshold for acceptable smoothness.

The Medium preset is the only one with min/max FPS data, which shows the frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 73-99 FPS, indicating a 26 FPS variance. At 1440p Medium, the range is 55-75 FPS (20 FPS variance). At 4K Medium, the range is 37-50 FPS (13 FPS variance). This narrowing variance suggests that the GPU becomes more consistently loaded at higher resolutions, reducing frame time spikes.

For the best experience, the data suggests using Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p, and Low settings at 4K. This provides the highest average FPS while maintaining a reasonable visual quality. Ultra settings are only viable at 1080p, where 66 FPS is achievable, but the visual improvement over High may not justify the 10 FPS loss.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The exact measured FPS values are as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 121 FPS average
• Medium: 86 FPS average, 73 FPS minimum, 99 FPS maximum
• High: 76 FPS average
• Ultra: 66 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 91 FPS average
• Medium: 65 FPS average, 55 FPS minimum, 75 FPS maximum
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 50 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 62 FPS average
• Medium: 44 FPS average, 37 FPS minimum, 50 FPS maximum
• High: 39 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average

These numbers show a consistent pattern: each resolution step down from 1080p to 4K reduces FPS by roughly 20-30%, while each settings step from Low to Ultra reduces FPS by 15-25%. The minimum and maximum FPS for Medium settings provide additional insight into frame pacing. At 1080p, the 26 FPS spread (73-99) indicates moderate variance. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 20 FPS (55-75). At 4K, the spread narrows further to 13 FPS (37-50).

The Low settings at each resolution provide the best-case scenario for the GPU. At 1080p, the 121 FPS average suggests the GPU is not fully utilized, as the CPU's 20 cores may be limiting to some degree. At 1440p, the 91 FPS average shows the GPU is more engaged. At 4K, the 62 FPS average indicates the GPU is near its limit, as the pixel count quadruples.

The High and Ultra settings at 4K are the only configurations that fall below 40 FPS. The 39 FPS at High and 34 FPS at Ultra are likely due to the GPU's 9.684 TFLOPS compute being insufficient for the game's effects at 8.3 million pixels. The 8 GB memory may also be a factor, as Control's 4K textures can consume significant VRAM.

In summary, the measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance in Control. The RTX 5060 Mobile is capable of 60+ FPS at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings, but 4K requires Low settings to maintain playable frame rates. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX provides sufficient CPU performance, as evidenced by the consistent FPS across resolutions at the same settings level.