Control

This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 in Control, based on measured benchmark data. The results show a system that is capable of smooth gameplay at lower resolutions but begins to strain under the demands of 4K, particularly at higher settings presets. The data indicates a clear shift in the bottleneck from the CPU at 1080p to the GPU at 4K, providing a practical view of this mobile component combination's capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo in Control shows a predictable but significant decline as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 124 FPS, but this drops to 94 FPS at 1440p and further to 64 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern suggests that at lower resolutions, the system has ample headroom, but the GPU becomes increasingly taxed as pixel count grows.

The transition from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep. At Low settings, the drop from 94 FPS to 64 FPS represents a 32% reduction in performance. This is a clear indicator that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus, is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU's 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates when rendering four times the pixels of 1080p.

Looking at High settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The system manages 79 FPS at 1080p, 59 FPS at 1440p, and only 40 FPS at 4K. The 4K result falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay, indicating that this resolution is only viable for less demanding scenarios or with significant settings reductions. The 1080p to 1440p drop of 20 FPS shows that even at 1440p, the GPU is starting to struggle with High settings, though the 59 FPS average remains playable.

The data suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is not the primary constraint in this game. The 2.70 GHz base clock and 5.40 GHz boost clock provide ample single-thread performance for Control's engine, which typically relies more on GPU throughput than CPU compute. The benchmark results indicate that users targeting 4K should expect to use Medium settings at best, where the system averages 45 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its benchmark scores reflect strong multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 20795. In Control, however, the game's engine is more dependent on single-thread performance and GPU rendering than on raw core counts.

The CPU's single-core scores, including a Cinebench R23 single-core result of 2204 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4713, are more relevant to gaming performance. The 5.40 GHz boost clock ensures that the processor can handle the game's physics and AI calculations without becoming a bottleneck. This is reflected in the measured FPS data, where the system shows strong performance at 1080p, reaching 124 FPS at Low settings and 88 FPS at Medium settings.

At 1080p, the difference between settings presets is substantial, which indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough frames to see real performance scaling. The jump from 68 FPS at Ultra to 124 FPS at Low represents an 82% increase in frame rate, suggesting that the CPU is not limiting the system at this resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller differences between settings presets as the GPU becomes less utilized.

The CPU's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth provide adequate data throughput for Control's environments. The processor's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs places it well above average, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon w5-3525 and AMD EPYC 4484PX, which score within 0.5% of each other. This level of performance ensures that the CPU is not the limiting component at any resolution tested.

However, it is important to note that the combo rank in game (1738 out of 2888) suggests that the overall system performance is mid-pack. This is largely due to the GPU's lower percentile ranking (61st among all GPUs) rather than the CPU's capabilities. The data indicates that for Control, the RTX 4060 is the component that determines the playable settings and resolutions, while the Ultra 9 275HX provides a solid foundation without introducing CPU-related stutters or frame drops.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1738 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places the system in the 60th percentile of all combinations tested, which is a modest result given the CPU's high performance tier. The ranking suggests that while the processor is capable, the GPU limits the overall gaming experience in this title.

The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and AMD Radeon 780M, which score within 0.3% of each other. This indicates that while the GPU is not a top-tier performer, it is competitive with mid-range options. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19545 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 provide context for its gaming capabilities.

When examining the combo's ranking relative to its component parts, it becomes clear that the CPU is outperforming the GPU in terms of relative standing. The Ultra 9 275HX's 94th percentile CPU ranking is significantly higher than the GPU's 61st percentile. This imbalance suggests that the system would benefit from a more powerful GPU to fully utilize the CPU's capabilities in GPU-bound scenarios like 4K gaming.

The measured FPS data supports this analysis. At 4K Ultra settings, the system only achieves 35 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most gamers. Even at 4K High settings, the 40 FPS average is marginal. These results indicate that the combo is better suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver smooth frame rates across all settings presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 124 FPS, while Medium settings achieve 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS and maximum of 102 FPS. High settings drop to 79 FPS, and Ultra settings average 68 FPS. All of these results are above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p the ideal resolution for this combo, even at the highest settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains playable but shows the GPU's limitations. Low settings average 94 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium settings produce 67 FPS with a range of 57 to 77 FPS, which is acceptable but shows some variance. High settings drop to 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS mark. Ultra settings average 52 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action sequences.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain smooth frame rates. Low settings average 64 FPS, which is the only settings preset that achieves a playable result at this resolution. Medium settings drop to 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 52 FPS, which will be noticeable in gameplay. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra settings average 35 FPS. These results make 4K gaming impractical for this combo unless users are willing to accept significant visual compromises.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the system is well-suited for 1080p gaming at any settings, capable at 1440p with some settings reductions, and limited at 4K to Low or Medium settings at best. The RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are the primary constraints at higher resolutions, as Control's detailed environments require significant graphics memory and bandwidth.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the best resolution for this combo, as it achieves at least 68 FPS across all settings presets. At 2560x1440, performance ranges from 52 FPS at Ultra to 94 FPS at Low, which is playable but requires settings adjustments for smoother gameplay.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: The data indicates that 4K gaming is possible but limited. At Low settings, the system averages 64 FPS, which is playable. However, Medium settings drop to 45 FPS, and High settings average 40 FPS. Ultra settings are the worst at 35 FPS. Users targeting 4K should use Low settings for the best experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX's 24 cores and 5.40 GHz boost clock provide sufficient performance, as shown by the strong 1080p results. The RTX 4060's 15.11 TFLOPS and 8 GB memory become limiting factors at 1440p and 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is very close to its nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17666 (0.2% higher), while the AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588 (0.3% lower). This places the GPU in the 61st percentile of all GPUs.

Q: What settings preset provides the best balance of performance and quality at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings provide the best balance, averaging 67 FPS with a range of 57 to 77 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold and offers better visual quality than Low settings. High settings drop to 59 FPS, which is close but may result in occasional stutters.

Q: Does the CPU's performance impact the frame rates at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU does not limit performance at 1080p. The system shows significant scaling between settings presets, from 68 FPS at Ultra to 124 FPS at Low. This indicates the GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p, as the CPU can keep up with the demands of the game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the system can handle Ultra settings at 68 FPS, providing the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. For users who prioritize frame rate over visuals, Medium settings at 88 FPS offer a significant boost with only a moderate reduction in quality.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings are the recommended choice, delivering 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. Low settings at 94 FPS are recommended for competitive play or for users who want maximum smoothness. Ultra settings at 52 FPS are playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced combat sequences.

For 3840x2160, the only viable option is Low settings, which average 64 FPS. Medium settings drop to 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable frame drops during intense scenes. Users who insist on 4K gaming should accept the visual compromises of Low settings or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The data indicates that this combo is best utilized at 1080p with High or Ultra settings, or at 1440p with Medium settings. The RTX 4060's performance characteristics make it well-suited for 1080p gaming, while the Ultra 9 275HX ensures that the system does not experience CPU-related bottlenecks. For users with 1440p monitors, Medium settings provide the best combination of smoothness and visual quality, while 4K should be reserved for less demanding titles or users willing to play at Low settings.