Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU through its physics-heavy environments and real-time ray tracing options. This analysis examines the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, using measured FPS data to determine how this combination performs across resolutions and settings. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh 1080p gaming, capable at 1440p, but ultimately limited by the GPU at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1294th out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 55th percentile of all tested combinations, a solidly mid-pack result. This ranking is a product of the GPU's position in the broader market; the RX 7700 holds a 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the CPU is significantly more potent, sitting in the 94th percentile against all CPUs. The data suggests the system's overall in-game performance is dragged down by the GPU, which is the expected bottleneck in a 1080p and 1440p-focused build.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 70879 puts it in close competition with some notable server and desktop parts. It is effectively tied with the Intel Xeon 6511P, which scores 71051 for a delta of -0.2%, and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270, which scores 71370 for a delta of -0.7%. This shows the Ultra 7 265K's raw compute power is comparable to dual-socket server platforms from previous generations. Among consumer desktop chips, it edges out the Intel Core i7-14700KF, which scores 70163 (a 1% advantage for the Ultra 7), and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, which scores 69996 (a 1.3% advantage). This CPU is a top-tier performer, but its potential is not fully realized in Control due to the GPU's limitations.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the primary determinant of frame rates in this combination. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 624.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This large frame buffer is more than sufficient for Control at all tested settings and resolutions, meaning VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor. The GPU’s clock speeds are moderately high, with a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz.

The GPU's role becomes clearer when examining its benchmark scores. Its PassMark G3D score of 20974 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are a mixed bag, highlighting its performance tier. It is nearly identical to the older AMD Radeon R9 370X, which scores 15862 (a -0.1% delta), but this is misleading as the R9 370X is a much older, lower-tier card. More relevant comparisons are with the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which scores 16014 (a -1% delta, meaning the RX 7700 is slightly slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129 (a -1.7% delta). This data indicates the RX 7700 is positioned in the upper mid-range tier, capable of handling modern titles but not at the highest performance levels.

In Control, the GPU's compute power dictates the performance ceiling. At 4K with Ultra settings, the system drops to 41 avg FPS, showing the GPU is heavily taxed. The scaling from Low to Ultra settings demonstrates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed it frames.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 93 avg FPS. This provides a high level of visual fidelity while maintaining frame rates that are smooth on a 60Hz display and playable on a 144Hz display. The Medium preset offers 105 avg FPS, a 12 FPS improvement that may be preferable for competitive play, but the visual jump from Medium to High is generally more impactful. The Ultra preset drops to 81 avg FPS, which is still playable, but the performance cost for the extra visual effects is significant compared to High.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, yielding 80 avg FPS. This is a good balance, providing a solid frame rate for the higher resolution. The High preset drops to 71 avg FPS, which is still acceptable for slower-paced games, but the Medium setting offers a more comfortable margin. The Ultra preset falls to 61 avg FPS, which is on the edge of smoothness and should be avoided if you prefer a consistent 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, this combo is not ideal for high refresh rates. The Low preset is the only setting that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, achieving 76 avg FPS. The Medium preset provides a playable 54 avg FPS, but the High and Ultra presets drop to 48 and 41 avg FPS respectively. For a 4K experience, using the Low preset is the only way to get a consistently smooth frame rate, or you would need to accept lower frame rates with higher visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings.

1920x1080:

• Low: 148 avg FPS — The highest frame rate recorded for this combo, indicating a CPU-bound scenario where the GPU is not the limiting factor.
• Medium: 105 avg FPS (min 89, max 121) — A significant drop from Low, showing the GPU is starting to take on more work.
• High: 93 avg FPS — A further reduction, but still a very playable frame rate.
• Ultra: 81 avg FPS — The most demanding preset at 1080p, still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

2560x1440:

• Low: 112 avg FPS — Still a high frame rate, showing the GPU can handle the resolution increase at the lowest settings.
• Medium: 80 avg FPS (min 68, max 92) — A 32 FPS drop from Low, demonstrating the combined impact of resolution and settings.
• High: 71 avg FPS — A playable frame rate, but the gap from Medium is smaller than the gap from Low to Medium.
• Ultra: 61 avg FPS — The minimum playable frame rate for smooth gameplay, right at the 60 FPS mark.

3840x2160:

• Low: 76 avg FPS — The only 4K setting that provides a smooth experience.
• Medium: 54 avg FPS (min 46, max 62) — This is the first setting where the average FPS drops below 60, showing the GPU is severely taxed.
• High: 48 avg FPS — A further drop, making the game feel less fluid.
• Ultra: 41 avg FPS — The lowest recorded score, confirming this combo is not suitable for 4K Ultra gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the GPU-bound nature of this system. At the High preset, the average FPS falls from 93 at 1080p, to 71 at 1440p, and finally to 48 at 4K. This represents a 24% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 48% drop from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is far from linear, showing that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are increasingly saturated as the pixel count grows.

The scaling pattern is similar for the Ultra preset: 81 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 33%, which is more severe than the 25% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU, which is powerful enough for high frame rates at lower resolutions, has plenty of headroom to spare. At 1080p Low, the 148 avg FPS shows that the CPU can push frames far beyond what the GPU can render at higher settings.

This data suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is not a limiting factor at any of the tested resolutions or settings. The system's performance is almost entirely dictated by the Radeon RX 7700. If you were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, the frame rates in Control would scale much more aggressively with resolution, as the CPU would be able to feed the GPU with more frames.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a consistent 60+ FPS experience?

A: At 1920x1080, all settings including Ultra maintain an average FPS above 60 (81-148 FPS). At 2560x1440, the Medium and High presets achieve 80 and 71 FPS respectively, while the Ultra preset just barely misses the mark at 61 FPS. For 4K, only the Low preset (76 FPS) achieves a 60+ FPS average.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 7700 a bottleneck for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K in Control?

A: Yes, the data strongly indicates a GPU bottleneck. The CPU scores in the 94th percentile and can produce 148 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU is unable to maintain high frame rates at higher settings and resolutions. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited system.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K compare to the Intel Core i7-14700KF in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ultra 7 265K has a higher average benchmark score of 70879 compared to the i7-14700KF's 70163. This gives the Ultra 7 a 1% performance advantage in the aggregate.

Q: How much VRAM does the Radeon RX 7700 have, and is it sufficient for Control?

A: The RX 7700 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. This is more than enough for Control at any of the tested settings, as the game does not require that much memory. VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor for this combination.

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

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 41 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra preset. The Medium preset at 4K also dips below 60 FPS, with an average of 54 FPS.

Q: Is the system more powerful than one with an AMD Ryzen 7 9700F?

A: In terms of CPU performance, yes. The Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 70879, which is 1.3% higher than the Ryzen 7 9700F's score of 69996. However, the overall gaming performance would depend on the GPU paired with each CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a high-end desktop processor that provides the computational muscle for this system. It has 20 cores and 20 threads, a base clock of 3.90 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This high core count and clock speed make it a powerhouse for multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35850. Its single-core performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2020.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics calculations, and draw calls. The data shows that the Ultra 7 265K is more than capable of handling these tasks. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 148 avg FPS, a clear indication that the CPU is able to process frames far faster than the GPU can render them. The CPU's percentile ranking of 94 against all CPUs confirms its high-end status.

The CPU's performance headroom is further highlighted by its PassMark multi-thread score of 58594, which is a strong result. Its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark charts, such as the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270, are server-class parts, showing that the Ultra 7 265K offers comparable compute power in a desktop package. This means that in a game like Control, the CPU will not be the source of frame rate dips or stutters. The system's performance ceiling is entirely defined by the AMD Radeon RX 7700. If a user were to upgrade the GPU in the future, the Ultra 7 265K would have no trouble keeping up, ensuring that the system's gaming performance could scale significantly without needing a CPU upgrade.