Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that pushes hardware in unusual ways, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with the Intel Arc B370 produces a revealing dataset. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings tell a story of a system that is almost entirely constrained by its graphics solution, with the processor showing its strength in ways that do not translate to playable performance at higher loads. The data indicates a significant imbalance, where the CPU's high-end capabilities are largely left untapped due to the GPU's limitations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, clearly identifying the graphics processor as the limiting component. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 59 FPS at 1920x1080 to 30 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of roughly half. This near-linear relationship between resolution and performance is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario; the workload is scaling directly with the pixel count, and the renderer is unable to keep up. The data suggests that the Arc B370's processing power is saturated even at lower resolutions, and increasing the resolution simply adds more work for an already exhausted component.

Moving to Medium settings, the pattern repeats, with averages dropping from 42 FPS at 1080p to 32 FPS at 1440p and then to 21 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 10 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 11 FPS, showing a consistent penalty for each step up in resolution. At High settings, the curve is similar but starts from a lower base: 37 FPS at 1080p, 28 FPS at 1440p, and a nearly unplayable 19 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with the average frame rate plummeting from 32 FPS at 1080p to 25 FPS at 1440p and finally to 17 FPS at 4K.

This scaling behavior implies that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution. If the processor were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in performance at lower resolutions, where the GPU has spare capacity but the CPU cannot feed it fast enough. Instead, the FPS continues to climb as resolution drops, which indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint across the board. The data suggests that for this specific game, the Core Ultra 7 265K is more than capable of handling the game's logic and draw calls, and the Arc B370 is the sole arbiter of the final frame rate.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution with specifications that explain its performance profile in Control. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, which are relatively modest figures for a graphics processor. The data shows that this combination results in a benchmark score of only 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low position, indicating that the Arc B370 is not designed for high-end gaming performance, and its nearest rivals are legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which have similar average scores.

The memory configuration is a major factor in the performance. The Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system's main DDR5 RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which suggests that the performance can vary significantly based on the CPU and motherboard setup. In this case, the Core Ultra 7 265K supports dual-channel DDR5 with a theoretical bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, but the GPU's access to this shared pool is likely less efficient than a dedicated VRAM interface. The lack of dedicated video memory means that texture loading and frame buffer operations compete with CPU tasks for the same memory bandwidth, which can lead to hitches and lower average FPS.

The shader and texture resources are also limited. With 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 20 render output units (ROPs), the Arc B370 has a modest amount of processing power. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, which are low figures that directly limit how quickly the GPU can fill pixels and apply textures. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is a measure of raw compute capability, but the data shows this is not sufficient for demanding titles at higher resolutions. The low ROP count is particularly relevant for a game like Control, which uses heavy post-processing effects that require substantial pixel throughput.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a high-end desktop processor that demonstrates exceptional strength in synthetic benchmarks. It features 20 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a powerful configuration that places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 70879, which is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6511P, and it is 1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700KF. This shows that the CPU is far more capable than the GPU relative to their respective product categories.

The processor's benchmark scores are consistently high across various tests. For example, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35850 and a single-core score of 2020. In Geekbench, it scores 23085 in multi-core and 2713 in single-core. These figures are not directly related to gaming performance, but they indicate a processor with immense headroom for any task. In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle physics, AI, and game logic, and the data suggests it is doing so with ease.

The high single-thread performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2020, is particularly important for games that rely on a few heavily loaded threads. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz should allow for very fast single-threaded execution. However, the measured FPS data shows that this CPU power does not translate to high frame rates in Control, because the GPU is the bottleneck. The data implies that the Core Ultra 7 265K is essentially waiting for the Arc B370 to finish rendering each frame. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to become a limiting factor, the 59 FPS average suggests the GPU is still the primary constraint, as a more capable graphics card would likely push this figure much higher.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall ranking for this specific combination in Control is 2657 out of 2888 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, which is a poor result for a CPU that is otherwise in the top 6%. The data shows a massive mismatch between the processor's potential and the actual performance delivered in this game. This rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability but rather a direct consequence of the GPU's severe limitations.

The combo's position in the rankings is more closely tied to the GPU's performance than the CPU's. Since the GPU is in the 5th percentile, it is dragging the entire system down to a level that is comparable to systems with much older and weaker processors. The data suggests that pairing a top-tier CPU with a low-tier integrated GPU creates a system that performs far below what either component could achieve on its own. This is a classic example of a bottleneck, where the system's overall performance is determined by its weakest link, which in this case is overwhelmingly the graphics solution.

Benchmark results indicate that the Arc B370's performance is analogous to that of the ATI Radeon HD 5770, a GPU from a bygone era. This comparison underscores the fact that the combo is not suitable for modern gaming at playable frame rates, except at the lowest settings and resolutions. The rank of 2657 is a clear signal that this configuration is not intended for this type of workload, and the CPU's power is effectively wasted in this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across a grid of resolutions and settings. For 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 17 to 30. The Low preset achieves 30 FPS, while Medium drops to 21 FPS, High to 19 FPS, and Ultra to 17 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS, indicating some variability but no playable moments. All 4K figures are well below the threshold for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the results are somewhat better but still limited. The Low preset reaches an average of 45 FPS, which is approaching playability. Medium averages 32 FPS, High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 25 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p has a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1440p is only viable at Low settings for a consistent frame rate, and even then, it is not ideal for fast-paced action.

At 1920x1080, the performance is the best of the tested configurations. The Low preset achieves an average of 59 FPS, which is the only average that meets the standard for smooth gameplay. Medium averages 42 FPS, High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. This data indicates that 1080p Low is the only setting that provides a satisfactory experience, with all other presets falling below 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best performance I can expect from this combo in Control?

A: The highest average frame rate measured is 59 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K the reason for the low frame rates?

A: No. The data shows the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 5th percentile. The FPS scaling with resolution indicates the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component.

Q: Can I play Control at 4K with this hardware?

A: The data shows average frame rates between 17 and 30 FPS at 3840x2160 depending on the preset. These figures are too low for a smooth gaming experience.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

Q: What settings should I use for a playable experience?

A: The only measured configuration with an average FPS of 59 is 1920x1080 with Low settings. All other presets at this resolution have averages below 42 FPS.

Q: What is the overall rank of this combo in Control?

A: This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2657 out of 2888 tested combos for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the only viable option for a consistently smooth experience in Control is the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is the only combination that achieves an average frame rate of 59 FPS, which is the standard for playable performance. All other presets at 1080p result in average frame rates below 42 FPS, which are likely to feel stuttery in a game that requires precise timing.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that comes close to playability with an average of 45 FPS, but it still falls short of the 60 FPS target. The data suggests that this resolution is not recommended for this hardware, as the frame rate is too inconsistent. The 3840x2160 resolution should be entirely avoided, as the maximum average FPS of 30 is well below the threshold for an enjoyable experience.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, the High or Ultra presets at 1080p are the best choices, but they will result in average FPS of 37 and 32 respectively. This is a significant compromise, but it is the only way to see the game's effects at a higher quality setting. The data makes it clear that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at the lowest settings, and any attempt to increase the graphical load will result in a substantial drop in performance.