Control

# Control with Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

This combination pairs a 24-core, 24-thread Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus (Arrow Lake Refresh, 3 nm process, boost clock 5.50 GHz) with an 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER (Turing architecture, 2176 shading units, boost 1650 MHz). The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system where the GPU is the clear bottleneck, yet the CPU's raw compute headroom keeps minimums stable even when the graphics card is saturated. The combo ranks 2054th out of 2888 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, which aligns with the RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile standing among all GPUs.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus brings 24 cores and 24 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a desktop-class processor built on a 3 nm TSMC process, featuring 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. Its integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is irrelevant for gaming with a discrete GPU present, but the CPU's multithreaded muscle is substantial: it scores 44,253 in Cinebench R23 multicore, 24,461 in R20 multicore, and 6,656 in R15 multicore. Single-thread performance is equally strong, with 2,439 in R23 single-core and 5,068 in Passmark single-thread tests.

In Control, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls, physics calculations, and game logic. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work per frame, the average FPS reaches 118 — a figure that suggests the CPU can push far beyond what the RTX 2060 SUPER can render. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 65 FPS, which is a 45% reduction from Low settings. This scaling pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior: as workloads increase, the CPU sits idle waiting for the GPU to finish. The 24-core processor is overkill for Control's threading model, but it ensures that no core becomes a bottleneck, which is why the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium (54) is only 15% below the average (63) — a sign of consistent frame pacing without CPU-induced stutters.

The CPU's 96th percentile ranking among all processors (avg benchmark score 93,785) places it near the top of the database, but its nearest rivals are server-class chips like the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta), AMD EPYC 4564P (-1.5%), and AMD EPYC 9175F (-1.9%). These comparisons highlight that the Ultra 7 270K Plus is a compute monster, yet its gaming performance is capped by the GPU. The 125 W TDP and DDR5 dual-channel memory support (115.2 GB/s bandwidth) provide ample headroom for sustained loads, but Control simply does not demand that much from the processor. The data implies that pairing this CPU with a much stronger GPU would unlock significantly higher frame rates, as the CPU's 5.50 GHz boost clock and 24 threads are more than sufficient for any modern title.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus bottleneck the RTX 2060 SUPER in Control?

A: No. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 118 FPS average, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 33 FPS. The 72% performance drop from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU. The processor's 24 cores and 5.50 GHz boost clock provide far more headroom than the RTX 2060 SUPER can utilize.

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

A: At 1440p High, the combo delivers 56 FPS average, which is playable but not smooth. At 1080p High, it reaches 74 FPS average, providing a better balance. The data suggests 1080p is the sweet spot, as 1440p and 4K resolutions push the GPU to its limits, with 4K High dropping to 38 FPS average.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER scores 16,462 in Passmark G3D, placing it at the 62nd percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, scores 18,159 (0.4% higher), while the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 18,189 (0.5% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 460 and Intel Arc A770M are 1.5% and 1.6% ahead, respectively, showing the 2060 SUPER sits in a tight cluster of mid-range GPUs.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: Barely. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 60, which is playable. However, at 4K Medium it drops to 43 FPS average (with a 36 FPS minimum), and at 4K High it falls to 38 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average is 33 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 8 GB GDDR6 memory (448.0 GB/s bandwidth) is sufficient for 4K textures, but the 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 compute is not enough for high settings at this resolution.

Q: What does the combo rank of 2054 out of 2888 tell us?

A: The combo ranks in the 29th percentile of all tested combinations in Control. This is lower than the GPU's individual 62nd percentile, suggesting that the CPU's high performance is wasted in this pairing. The rank reflects the GPU's limitations in this specific title, not the CPU's capabilities.

Q: Is the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM enough for Control?

A: The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 33, while at 4K Low it is 60. The 8 GB VRAM is not the primary constraint — the GPU's compute throughput is. The 256-bit memory bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth provide adequate bandwidth, but the 2176 shading units and 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 performance limit the frame rate at high settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 118 FPS average, which is excellent for competitive play or high-refresh monitors. Medium at 1080p drops to 84 FPS average (with 71 FPS minimum and 96 FPS maximum), still smooth but with better visual fidelity. High at 1080p yields 74 FPS average, while Ultra falls to 65 FPS. The jump from Medium to High costs 10 FPS (12% reduction), while High to Ultra costs 9 FPS (12% reduction). For a 60 FPS target, 1080p High is the best choice — it provides 74 FPS average with room to spare, and the visual improvements over Medium are noticeable in a game like Control with its detailed environments.

At 1440p, the situation changes. Low delivers 89 FPS average, Medium 63 FPS (54 minimum, 73 maximum), High 56 FPS, and Ultra 49 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset offers the best balance: 63 FPS average is above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 54 FPS is playable. However, 1440p High at 56 FPS average is borderline, and Ultra at 49 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay. At 4K, only Low (60 FPS average) is viable for 60 FPS gaming. Medium at 4K drops to 43 FPS average with a 36 FPS minimum, which will feel stuttery in action sequences. The data suggests that 1080p High is the optimal preset for this combo, offering 74 FPS average with good visual quality, while 1440p Medium is a viable alternative for those prioritizing resolution over frame rate. For players who must use 4K, Low is the only playable option.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2054 out of 2888 tested combinations places this pairing in the 29th percentile of all systems tested in Control. This is a low ranking, but it is entirely attributable to the GPU. The RTX 2060 SUPER sits at the 62nd percentile among all GPUs (avg benchmark score 18,093), while the CPU sits at the 96th percentile (avg benchmark score 93,785). The mismatch is stark: a top-5% CPU paired with a mid-range GPU results in a bottom-third gaming combo. The data implies that Control is GPU-bound on this system, and the CPU's performance headroom is entirely wasted.

Comparing to other combos in the database, the 2054th rank means there are 2,053 combinations that achieve higher frame rates in Control, and only 834 that perform worse. This places the system in the lower half of the tested pool, which is surprising given the CPU's capabilities. The nearest CPU rivals — the Intel Xeon 6520P, AMD EPYC 4564P, EPYC 9175F, and EPYC 4565P — are all server processors with similar or slightly higher average benchmark scores, but they would likely perform identically in Control when paired with the same GPU. The ranking reflects the GPU bottleneck, not any deficiency in the CPU. If the same CPU were paired with a higher-tier GPU, the combo rank would improve dramatically, as the CPU's 44,253 Cinebench R23 multicore score and 5.50 GHz boost clock would support much higher frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear resolution scaling pattern. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS drops from 74 to 56, a 24% reduction. From 1440p to 4K at High, it drops from 56 to 38, another 32% reduction. The total drop from 1080p High to 4K High is 49% (from 74 to 38 FPS). At Low settings, the scaling is even more dramatic: 1080p Low delivers 118 FPS, 1440p Low delivers 89 FPS (25% drop), and 4K Low delivers 60 FPS (33% drop from 1440p, 49% total from 1080p). At Medium settings, the progression is 84 → 63 → 43 FPS, representing 25% and 32% drops respectively. At Ultra, it goes from 65 → 49 → 33 FPS, with 25% and 33% drops.

This scaling pattern is a textbook example of GPU-bound performance. The consistent 24-33% drops between resolutions indicate that the GPU's fill rate and shading throughput are the limiting factors, not memory bandwidth or CPU performance. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 105.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 224.4 GTexel/s texture rate are being saturated as resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM does not appear to cause a cliff effect — the performance degradation is gradual, suggesting that the memory capacity is sufficient for Control's textures at all settings. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is also not a bottleneck, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the pixel count increase (1.78x from 1080p to 1440p, 2.25x from 1440p to 4K). The data implies that any attempt to improve 4K performance would require a GPU with higher raw compute, as the current card is delivering only 33 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. Low settings produce 118 FPS average, providing a smooth experience on high-refresh displays. Medium settings yield 84 FPS average with a minimum of 71 FPS and maximum of 96 FPS, indicating consistent frame pacing. High settings drop to 74 FPS average, while Ultra falls to 65 FPS. The 1080p results show a clear hierarchy: each preset tier costs roughly 10-15% performance, with Low being the only preset that breaks the 100 FPS barrier.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings still deliver 89 FPS average, which is playable. Medium settings produce 63 FPS average with a 54 FPS minimum and 73 FPS maximum, making it the only 1440p preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS. High settings fall to 56 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset's minimum of 54 FPS is within 10% of the average, showing good frame consistency, but the overall performance is 25-32% lower than 1080p across all settings.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings (60 FPS average) achieve playable frame rates. Medium produces 43 FPS average with a 36 FPS minimum and 49 FPS maximum, which will exhibit visible stuttering in fast-paced scenes. High settings drop to 38 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 33 FPS. The 4K results show that the RTX 2060 SUPER is severely overmatched at this resolution, with even Low settings barely reaching 60 FPS. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium (36) is 16% below the average, indicating some frame time spikes, likely due to GPU driver overhead or scene complexity.

The complete dataset shows a consistent pattern: Low settings at each resolution provide 60-118 FPS, Medium provides 43-84 FPS, High provides 38-74 FPS, and Ultra provides 33-65 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra widens as resolution increases: 45% at 1080p (118 vs 65), 45% at 1440p (89 vs 49), and 45% at 4K (60 vs 33). This consistency suggests that the GPU's compute resources scale linearly with workload, and the CPU is never the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, built on the TU106 chip with Turing architecture and a 12 nm process, is the primary determinant of this combo's gaming performance. Its 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs provide 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, 224.4 GTexel/s texture fill rate, and 105.6 GPixel/s pixel fill rate. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for Control's textures at all settings. The GPU's 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores enable ray tracing and DLSS features, though the measured FPS data does not indicate whether these were enabled during testing.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile ranking among all GPUs (avg benchmark score 18,093) places it in the mid-range of the database. Its nearest rivals are the RTX 3060 Mobile (0.4% faster), AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (0.5% faster), AMD Radeon RX 460 (1.5% faster), and Intel Arc A770M (1.6% faster). This tight cluster — all within 2% of each other — shows that the 2060 SUPER's performance is typical for its class, but it is clearly not enough for 4K gaming at high settings in Control. The GPU's 175 W TDP and 450 W suggested PSU are modest, but the card's 12 nm process and 10,800 million transistors result in a large 445 mm² die that runs hot under load.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at every resolution and settings combination. At 1080p Low, the 118 FPS average is likely near the GPU's maximum output, while at 4K Ultra, the 33 FPS average represents the GPU's hard limit. The GPU's 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 performance is simply not enough for Control's demanding rendering at high resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate — there is no evidence of texture thrashing or memory-related stutters in the minimum FPS data — but the compute throughput is insufficient for 4K high settings. The data implies that players seeking higher frame rates at 1440p or 4K would need a GPU with at least 50% more compute performance, as the 2060 SUPER is delivering only 33-43 FPS at those resolutions with medium-to-ultra settings.