Control

Control with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 9060 presents a compelling case study in system balance for a 2019 action-adventure title. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but encounters significant performance walls as resolution increases, highlighting the distinct roles of the processor and graphics card in this specific game engine.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Control?

A: The combo ranks 2152 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database for this specific title. This rank suggests that while the components are modern, their combined performance in Control is not top-tier relative to other pairings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus compare to its nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 93785 is virtually identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P, which scores 93786 (a 0% delta). It trails the AMD EPYC 4564P by 1.5%, the AMD EPYC 9175F by 1.9%, and the AMD EPYC 4565P by 2.1%, showing it is a strong competitor in raw processing power.

Q: What is the GPU's position relative to its closest competitors in the market?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. It sits slightly below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is 0.7% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, which is 1% faster. It is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 370X and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the jump from Low to Ultra settings results in a substantial performance drop. The Low preset achieves an average of 130 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 71 FPS, representing a 59 FPS decrease for higher visual fidelity.

Q: What is the best average FPS recorded for this combo at 4K resolution?

A: The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is achieved with the Low settings preset, which produces an average of 66 FPS. This is the only 4K preset that breaks the 60 FPS threshold for this configuration.

Q: Does the data include frame time information for all settings?

A: No, only the Medium settings presets include minimum and maximum FPS data across all three resolutions. For example, at 1440p Medium, the frame rate fluctuates between a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, while other presets only provide an average FPS figure.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and can boost up to 5.50 GHz, providing substantial computational headroom. The CPU’s performance is reflected in its 96th percentile ranking against all CPUs, indicating that it is faster than the vast majority of processors in the database.

In synthetic workloads, the processor demonstrates formidable capabilities. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and single-core score of 2439 illustrate a balanced design that excels in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded tasks. This is corroborated by a Passmark multithread score of 68574 and a single-thread score of 5068. The CPU also has a large 36 MB shared L3 cache, which can help with data-heavy game logic.

For a game like Control, which features complex physics and AI systems, the CPU's 24 threads and high boost clock are likely significant contributors to the high frame rates seen at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 130 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to prevent a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The data shows a clear trend: when the resolution is lowered, the FPS increases significantly, which is a classic sign that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration. The 1.5% score deficit to the AMD EPYC 4564P in synthetic benchmarks does not translate into a noticeable gameplay disadvantage here, as the measured FPS in Control is primarily dictated by resolution and graphics settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and utilizes the Navi 44 chip. It is a 4 nm part with a boost clock of 2990 MHz and a game clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key specification to consider for modern games, as VRAM capacity can be a limiting factor at higher resolutions and texture quality settings.

The GPU’s synthetic benchmark scores place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score of 17631 is close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129, a delta of just -0.7%. However, the RX 9060's performance in Control appears to be heavily influenced by the graphics settings, more so than its raw compute potential might suggest.

The measured FPS data indicates that the RX 9060 is the primary performance bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 36, while at 4K Low it rises to 66. This sensitivity to settings is typical of a GPU that is struggling with pixel throughput and memory bandwidth at high resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely a contributing factor to the significant performance drop when moving from Medium to High and Ultra settings at 1440p and 4K, as these presets often increase texture memory usage. The GPU's 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial, but the 128-bit memory interface appears to constrain performance in this memory-intensive scenario.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 9060 achieves a rank of 2152 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places the pairing in the lower 42nd percentile of all tested systems in the database for this game. This rank is surprisingly modest given the individual component specifications, which hints that the GPU is holding back the overall system performance.

The CPU’s 96th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 59th percentile ranking create a significant imbalance. The processor is capable of far more performance than the graphics card can deliver in this specific title. The benchmark results suggest that if the CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the system would likely rank much higher, as the CPU is not the bottleneck. Conversely, the GPU is performing within the expected range for its class, but it is not enough to push the combo into the upper echelons of the database. This ranking highlights that for Control, the graphics card is the decisive factor in overall system performance, and the powerful CPU is left with untapped potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of how the system performs across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is very capable. The Low preset delivers an average of 130 FPS, while Medium averages 92 FPS (with a range of 78 to 106 FPS). The High preset averages 82 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 71 FPS. All 1080p presets are playable, with even the most demanding Ultra setting maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance takes a noticeable hit. The Low preset still delivers a smooth 98 FPS, and Medium averages 70 FPS (with a range of 59 to 80 FPS). The High preset drops to an average of 62 FPS, which is right at the edge of the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset falls below this threshold, averaging 54 FPS. This resolution represents the tipping point where the GPU begins to struggle with the most demanding settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset is the only one that remains playable, averaging 66 FPS. The Medium preset drops to an average of 47 FPS (with a range of 40 to 54 FPS), and the High preset averages 42 FPS. The Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at an average of 36 FPS. The data shows a steep decline in performance from 1080p to 4K, particularly at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo in Control depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is clearly the best choice, as the average of 71 FPS provides a visually rich and smooth experience. The CPU has enough headroom to support the higher settings without compromising frame rate.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended balance. The average of 62 FPS is sufficient for most players and offers a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset. While the Medium preset at 70 FPS is smoother, the High preset provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS may be acceptable for players who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but it is not ideal for fast-paced action.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, averaging 66 FPS. Players with a 4K display will have to make a significant compromise on visual fidelity to achieve playable frame rates. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive, while the High and Ultra presets are not recommended due to their low average frame rates. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch goal that requires lowering settings substantially.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 130 at 1080p to 98 at 1440p (a 24.6% decrease) and then to 66 at 4K (a 32.7% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is relatively linear and indicates that the GPU is handling the increased pixel count gracefully, but performance is still heavily impacted.

At Ultra settings, the decline is even more pronounced. The average FPS drops from 71 at 1080p to 54 at 1440p (a 23.9% decrease) and then to 36 at 4K (a 33.3% decrease from 1440p). The absolute drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is 35 FPS, which is a 49.3% reduction in performance. This is a severe penalty that points directly at the GPU’s memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity as the primary culprits.

The scaling behavior strongly implies that the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the limiting component in this system. The CPU’s performance is consistent, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU cannot maintain that throughput when the resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM buffer and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of 4K gaming in Control, especially with higher settings. The benchmark results indicate that players using this combo should target 1080p or 1440p for the best experience, as the system’s 4K capabilities are constrained by the graphics card.