Control

# Control with Intel Core Ultra 9 185H + AMD Radeon 760M

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H paired with the AMD Radeon 760M delivers a playable-but-modest experience in Remedy's 2019 action-adventure title, Control. This mobile combo ranks 2878th out of 2888 tested combinations in the game's benchmark database, placing it in the bottom percentile of all systems. The data reveals a configuration where the CPU has ample headroom, but the integrated GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings. Measured frame rates range from a low of 11 FPS at 4K Ultra to a passable 40 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that users must carefully manage settings to achieve acceptable performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor built on Intel's Meteor Lake architecture at a 7 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a 45 W TDP. The CPU features a three-tier cache hierarchy: 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel configuration, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The processor was released on December 13, 2023, with a launch MSRP of $640.

In Control, this CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The game's benchmark results show that the CPU is far from the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 40 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 11 FPS — a pattern that points directly to GPU saturation rather than CPU starvation. The Core Ultra 9 185H's multi-threaded capabilities, demonstrated by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17984.5 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 11657, are more than sufficient for Control's demands. The single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1794, ensures that the game's main thread logic runs without introducing frame pacing issues.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (average score 35719, delta -0.1%), the Intel Core 7 250H (35728, delta -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, delta -0.4%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (35909, delta -0.7%). These deltas are all within 1% of the Core Ultra 9 185H's average benchmark score of 35670, indicating that this processor sits in a tightly contested performance band. The CPU's overall percentile ranking against all CPUs is 85th, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors in general compute tasks. However, in Control, that compute strength doesn't translate to higher frame rates because the integrated GPU's throughput caps the system's output.

The 45 W TDP and mobile form factor (Intel BGA 2049 socket) suggest this chip is designed for thin-and-light laptops. In Control, the CPU's 16 cores and 22 threads handle the game's asynchronous physics and AI routines without breaking a sweat, but the benchmark data shows no scenario where CPU performance differentiates the experience. At 1440p Medium, the combo produces 22 FPS; at 1080p Medium, it rises to 29 FPS. These increments align with GPU workload scaling, not CPU capability changes. The processor's boost clock of 5.10 GHz does provide the single-thread responsiveness that Control's engine benefits from, but the integrated GPU's 512 shading units simply cannot convert that CPU readiness into high frame rates.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 760M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation units, along with 8 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2599 MHz, with a TDP of just 15 W. Memory is system-shared, meaning the GPU draws from the same DDR5 pool as the CPU, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." The chip has a transistor count of 25,390 million on a 178 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 142.6M per mm². It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Radeon 760M was released on January 30, 2024, and its predecessor is the Navi II IGP.

The GPU's performance profile in Control is the defining constraint of this combo. The benchmark data shows a clear performance ceiling: the highest average frame rate recorded is 40 FPS at 1080p Low, and even that drops to 25 FPS at 1080p High. The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 5.323 TFLOPS FP32 and 41.58 GPixel/s pixel rate, are modest for a modern game like Control, which features heavy particle effects and destructible environments. The Radeon 760M's percentile ranking against all GPUs is 35th, placing it in the lower third of the performance distribution.

The nearest GPU rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon RX 6400 (average score 6001, delta 0.3%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M (6000, delta 0.3%), NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server (5996, delta 0.4%), and NVIDIA Quadro P2000 (6049, delta -0.5%). The Radeon 760M's average benchmark score of 6019 is nearly identical to these discrete GPUs from previous generations, suggesting it performs like a budget desktop card from several years ago. In Control, this translates to playable frame rates only at lower settings and resolutions. The GPU's 8 ray tracing cores are present, but the benchmark data does not include any ray tracing tests for Control, and given the overall performance levels, enabling such features would likely render the game unplayable.

The memory bandwidth being "System Dependent" is a critical factor. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 29 FPS with a minimum of 24 FPS and maximum of 33 FPS. At 1440p Medium, those numbers drop to 22 FPS average, 18 FPS minimum, and 25 FPS maximum. The system-shared memory architecture means that the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth, and in a game like Control that streams large texture datasets, this can cause stutters. However, the measured minimum frame rates are only slightly below averages, suggesting the memory subsystem handles the workload consistently rather than spiking. The boost clock of 2599 MHz is relatively high for an iGPU, which helps maintain performance, but the 512 shading units are the hard limit.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo in Control?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 40 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. No other configuration in the measured data exceeds this value.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has an average benchmark score of 35670. Its closest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35719, 0.1% higher), Intel Core 7 250H (35728, 0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, 0.4% higher), and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (35909, 0.7% higher). All are within 1% of each other.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the bottleneck in Control?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. Frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings changes, dropping from 40 FPS at 1080p Low to 11 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is a GPU-bound pattern. The CPU's strong benchmark scores (85th percentile) suggest it has headroom.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum frame rates at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 22 FPS, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS.

Q: How does the Radeon 760M compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6400?

A: The Radeon 760M has an average benchmark score of 6019, while the Radeon RX 6400 scores 6001, giving the 760M a 0.3% advantage. The two GPUs are statistically equivalent in overall benchmarks.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested systems in Control?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H + AMD Radeon 760M combo ranks 2878th out of 2888 tested combinations, placing it near the bottom of the database at approximately the 0.35th percentile.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2878 out of 2888 tested systems in Control places it in the bottom 10 positions of the entire database. This is a stark result that underscores the limitations of integrated graphics for demanding action-adventure titles. The rank reflects the measured FPS data across all resolution and settings combinations, and the numbers are consistently low. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 11 FPS average, which is unplayable by any standard. At 1080p High, it reaches 25 FPS, which is borderline playable but far from smooth. The best case scenario, 1080p Low at 40 FPS, is the only configuration that approaches a console-like experience.

The rank is particularly telling when considering the CPU's strength. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H sits at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, outperforming the vast majority of processors. Yet, the combo's overall rank in Control is 2878th, meaning the GPU nullifies the CPU's advantages. The nearest GPU rivals, such as the Radeon RX 6400 and GTX 770M, are discrete parts that historically would be paired with weaker CPUs, yet they deliver similar or better average benchmark scores. In Control, the integrated Radeon 760M's 15 W TDP and system-shared memory simply cannot sustain the frame rates that even entry-level discrete GPUs manage.

The rank also highlights the gap between synthetic benchmarks and real-world gaming. The Radeon 760M's average benchmark score of 6019 places it in the 35th percentile of all GPUs, which sounds mediocre but not catastrophic. However, in Control specifically, the combo's rank of 2878 out of 2888 suggests that the game is particularly demanding on the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth. The 512 shading units and 16 ROPs are insufficient for Control's resolution-dependent effects, which is why the frame rates drop so steeply from 1080p to 4K. For context, the 15 FPS at 4K Medium is only 4 FPS higher than 4K Ultra's 11 FPS, indicating that settings changes at high resolutions yield diminishing returns because the GPU is already saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four quality settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), producing a comprehensive matrix of 12 data points. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance: 40 FPS on Low, 29 FPS on Medium (with a range of 24-33 FPS), 25 FPS on High, and 22 FPS on Ultra. This shows a predictable degradation as settings increase, with a 45% drop from Low to Ultra (40 to 22 FPS). The Medium setting's min/max range of 24-33 FPS indicates relatively stable frame pacing, with only a 9 FPS spread between minimum and maximum.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. Low settings yield 30 FPS, Medium produces 22 FPS (range 18-25), High achieves 19 FPS, and Ultra falls to 17 FPS. The jump from 1080p Low (40 FPS) to 1440p Low (30 FPS) represents a 25% reduction, while the Ultra settings see a smaller absolute drop from 22 to 17 FPS (23% reduction). The Medium range at 1440p (18-25 FPS) has a 7 FPS spread, slightly tighter than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU's workload at this resolution is more consistent but still below playable thresholds for most users.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playability. Low settings produce 21 FPS, Medium achieves 15 FPS (range 12-17), High drops to 13 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 11 FPS. The 4K Low result of 21 FPS is the only double-digit frame rate above 20, and even that is marginal. The Medium setting's min/max of 12-17 FPS shows a 5 FPS spread, which is the tightest range across all resolutions, indicating the GPU is fully saturated and frame times are more uniform, albeit at a very low level. The progression from 1080p Ultra (22 FPS) to 4K Ultra (11 FPS) is a 50% reduction, which is less severe than the Low settings' 47.5% drop (40 to 21 FPS), suggesting that at Ultra settings, the GPU is already so limited that resolution scaling has a smaller relative impact.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for Control with this combo depends heavily on the user's resolution and tolerance for frame rate fluctuations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset at 40 FPS is the only configuration that approaches smooth gameplay, and it is the clear recommendation for users who prioritize playability over visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 29 FPS is acceptable for users who prefer some visual enhancements, but the 24 FPS minimum may cause noticeable stutters during action sequences. High and Ultra at 25 and 22 FPS respectively are not recommended, as they fall below the 30 FPS threshold that most players consider the minimum for an enjoyable experience.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that only the Low preset at 30 FPS is worth considering, and even that is borderline. The Medium preset at 22 FPS (min 18) and High at 19 FPS are too low for consistent gameplay, while Ultra at 17 FPS is unplayable. Users with 1440p displays should strongly consider running the game at 1080p with Low settings instead, as the 40 FPS result at 1080p Low is substantially better than any 1440p option. The 30 FPS at 1440p Low might be acceptable for slower-paced exploration, but Control's combat sequences demand higher frame rates for responsive aiming.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset delivers a playable experience. The best case is 21 FPS at Low, which is below the threshold for comfortable play. The Medium preset's 15 FPS average with a 12 FPS minimum is not viable. Users with 4K displays should avoid native resolution entirely and instead render at 1080p or 1440p, where the combo can achieve 40 or 30 FPS respectively. The overall recommendation is to use 1920x1080 with Low settings for the best balance of frame rate and visual clarity, as this is the only configuration that consistently stays above 30 FPS. For users willing to accept lower frame rates for better graphics, 1080p Medium at 29 FPS is the next best option, but the minimum of 24 FPS may prove distracting in intense firefights. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for high-fidelity or high-resolution play in Control, and users should prioritize frame rate over visual quality to achieve a functional experience.