Control

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a balanced Control experience, placing in the 1384th position out of 2888 tested combos. This mid-pack ranking reflects a CPU that sits in the 96th percentile among all processors, paired with a GPU that lands in the 59th percentile. The result is a system that can handle the game’s action-adventure environments at playable frame rates, though the graphics card becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The data shows a combo that is neither a top-tier enthusiast setup nor a low-end compromise, but rather a dependable mid-range option for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1384 out of 2888 tested configurations places it almost exactly in the middle of the database. This is not a surprising outcome when examining the components. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a high-end desktop processor, evidenced by its 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs. However, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, while a capable graphics card, only reaches the 59th percentile among all GPUs. The pairing of a top-decile CPU with a mid-range GPU means the overall gaming performance is heavily dependent on the graphics workload, which is exactly what the benchmark results show.

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, the Intel Xeon 6520P scores an average of 93786, which is essentially identical to the Core Ultra 7’s 93785 average score, with a deltaPct of 0. The AMD EPYC 4564P is 1.5% faster, the AMD EPYC 9175F is 1.9% faster, and the AMD EPYC 4565P is 2.1% faster. These are all server-class processors, which highlights that the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus delivers workstation-level compute performance. In a game like Control, which is not heavily CPU-bound at typical gaming resolutions, this processing headroom goes largely unused.

For the GPU, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which scores 16014 on average versus the RTX 3060 Ti’s 16129, a deltaPct of 0.7% in favor of the NVIDIA card. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT are both 1.4% slower, while the AMD Radeon R9 370X is 1.7% faster despite being an older architecture. These small deltas confirm that the RTX 3060 Ti sits in a crowded performance band. The combination of a very fast CPU with an average GPU means the combo’s rank is effectively dictated by the GPU’s capabilities in most gaming scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, providing 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a desktop processor with an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, and it supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a consumer chip.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows exceptional multi-threaded strength. It scores 44253 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 24461 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 6656 in Cinebench R15 multi-core. Single-core performance is also strong, with scores of 2439 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 5068 in Passmark single-thread. Passmark multithread score is 68574, and the average benchmark score across all tests is 93785. These numbers place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market.

For Control, this level of CPU performance is more than sufficient. The game is an action-adventure title that relies on physics and particle effects, but the measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 145 FPS average. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 41 FPS. The CPU is not the bottleneck in any of these scenarios; instead, the GPU is being pushed to its limits. The fact that the CPU has 24 threads and a 5.50 GHz boost clock means it can easily feed the RTX 3060 Ti with draw calls and game logic without breaking a sweat. The data indicates that even at 1080p with Low settings, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the frame rate is high, suggesting no CPU limitation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is based on the Ampere architecture, built on an 8 nm process by Samsung. It features 4864 shading units, 152 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The chip, GA104, has 38 RT cores and 152 Tensor cores. The GPU’s base clock is 1410 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. Memory is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. The GPU has a TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W power supply. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 3060 Ti scores 20349 in Passmark G3D, 10006 in Passmark GPU compute, and 2626 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Geekbench scores include 78927 in OpenCL and 47784 in Vulkan. The average benchmark score is 16129, placing it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9060, is only 0.7% slower on average, indicating that this performance tier is tightly contested. The 8 GB of VRAM is a consideration for modern games, but in Control, which released in 2019, it is sufficient for the tested settings.

The GPU’s role in Control is dominant. Looking at the measured FPS, the difference between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution is significant. At 1080p, Low yields 145 FPS average while Ultra yields 80 FPS average, a drop of 45%. At 1440p, the drop from Low to Ultra is from 110 FPS to 60 FPS, a 45% reduction. At 4K, Low produces 74 FPS and Ultra produces 41 FPS, a 45% reduction as well. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor when settings are increased. The CPU has enough headroom to handle the extra draw calls and physics calculations, but the RTX 3060 Ti’s shading units and memory bandwidth become saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves an average of 145 FPS on Low settings. This is a very high frame rate, suitable for fast-paced action. On Medium settings, the average drops to 103 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS. High settings produce 92 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce 80 FPS average. The range from Low to Ultra is 65 FPS, showing that the GPU has a substantial impact on performance even at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings yield 110 FPS average, which is still very playable. Medium settings produce 78 FPS average, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. High settings bring the average to 69 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 60 FPS average. The 1440p numbers show that this combo can handle the resolution well, with even Ultra settings maintaining a 60 FPS average. The minimum FPS for Medium at 1440p is 66, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting a stable experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to struggle. Low settings produce 74 FPS average, which is still respectable. Medium settings drop to 53 FPS average, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS. High settings yield 47 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 41 FPS average. The 4K results show that the RTX 3060 Ti is not powerful enough for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution, especially on higher settings. The minimum FPS of 45 at Medium settings indicates potential stuttering in demanding scenes. For 4K gaming, the combo is only suitable for Low settings if aiming for a 60 FPS average.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals where the bottleneck lies. At Low settings, the frame rates are 145 FPS at 1080p, 110 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K. This represents a 24% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49% drop from 1440p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the frame rates are 80 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. This is a 25% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 32% drop from 1440p to 4K. The percentage drops are larger when going from 1440p to 4K, which is expected because the pixel count increases by 2.25 times.

The scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push the GPU to its maximum, resulting in high frame rates. As resolution increases, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become the constraint, causing the frame rate to drop.

The data also shows that the GPU’s performance scales almost linearly with the number of pixels. The ratio of FPS at 1080p to FPS at 4K at the same settings is roughly 2x at Low settings (145/74 = 1.96) and about 1.95x at Ultra settings (80/41 = 1.95). This is close to the pixel ratio of 4x (3840x2160 / 1920x1080 = 4), but not exactly, because the GPU is not purely pixel-bound due to other factors like memory bandwidth and shading complexity. Still, the trend is clear: the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary determinant of performance in this game, and the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is never the limiting factor in the tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank for Control?

A: The combo ranks 1384th out of 2888 tested combinations for Control, placing it in the middle of the database.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93785. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6520P, scores 93786, a deltaPct of 0. The AMD EPYC 4564P is 1.5% faster, the AMD EPYC 9175F is 1.9% faster, and the AMD EPYC 4565P is 2.1% faster.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 92.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 74. On Medium settings, it drops to 53 FPS, and on Ultra settings, it is 41 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, Low settings are required at 4K.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 66, with an average of 78 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck in this combo for Control?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the limiting component. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the FPS drops consistently (from 145 to 74 FPS at Low settings), which indicates the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the primary constraint. The CPU, with a 96th percentile ranking, has ample performance headroom.