Control

Control is an action-adventure title that pushes both GPU and CPU, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT produces a specific performance profile that scales predictably with resolution and settings. The data shows a system that is firmly capable of high-refresh 1080p play, but which begins to strain under the load of 4K, particularly at higher presets. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, contextualizes the hardware’s standing, and provides guidance on how to get the best experience from this specific pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset, the combination averages 77 FPS. This is the most demanding standard preset at that resolution, and it remains above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a smooth experience for most players.

Q: How does the GPU’s performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Radeon RX 6700 XT has an average benchmark score of 27425, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, which scores 27435, representing a negligible 0 percent difference. The data shows it performs nearly identically to that mobile part and is only 0.5% behind the desktop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090.

Q: What is the best resolution for maintaining an average FPS above 100?

A: The only measured configuration that achieves an average above 100 FPS is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which delivers 141 FPS. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average drops to 107 FPS. For a 100+ FPS target, 1440p with the lowest settings is the only other viable option.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at any resolution?

A: The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as 51731 in Cinebench R23 multicore, place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, indicating very high processing power. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K suggests that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops significantly despite the strong CPU.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset?

A: The only measured minimum FPS values are for the Medium preset. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 44 FPS, with a maximum of 59 FPS. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 65 FPS and the maximum is 87 FPS. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 85 FPS and the maximum is 115 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the graphics card?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT has a launch MSRP of 479 USD. The CPU in this pairing does not have a launch MSRP listed in the data.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is the primary driver of visual output in this pairing. It is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the measured settings in Control, though the data shows that the demands of higher resolutions and presets quickly consume the available bandwidth and compute resources.

The GPU’s clock speeds are notable, with a base clock of 2321 MHz and a boost clock of 2581 MHz. The game clock is listed at 2424 MHz, which is the expected sustained clock during gaming workloads. These high clocks contribute to the card's raw throughput, which is rated at 13.21 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. The 2560 shading units and 160 texture mapping units work in tandem to process the game’s geometry and effects. In Control, this translates to a strong showing at 1080p, where the card can produce high frame rates, but the performance envelope tightens considerably at 4K.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this system. The CPU is exceptionally powerful, ranking in the 96th percentile, but the GPU is in the 72nd percentile. When comparing the FPS scaling, the drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The GPU’s performance is closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, showing a 0 percent difference in average benchmark scores, and is only 0.5% behind the much larger desktop RTX 3090. This positions the RX 6700 XT as a capable mid-to-high-end part, but one that is not designed for maximum settings at 4K in a demanding title like Control.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT ranks 1484 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is a slightly surprising result given the strength of the individual components. The CPU is in the top 4% of all processors, but the GPU is in the 72nd percentile, which drags the overall combo ranking down.

This positioning suggests that while the system is capable, it is not optimized for the absolute highest performance tiers. The CPU is likely not the limiting factor, as its benchmark scores are far above what is needed for this game. The ranking is more indicative of the GPU’s mid-range standing. The data shows the GPU is a direct match for the RTX 4070 Mobile, which is a laptop part, and is only 1.1% ahead of the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell. This indicates that the RX 6700 XT is a competent performer for its class, but the combo ranking reflects that it is outclassed by systems with higher-tier GPUs.

The rank of 1484 out of 2888 means that approximately half of the tested configurations are faster, and half are slower. This is a solid, workmanlike result. It implies that the system will handle all the settings and resolutions measured, but it will not deliver the exceptional frame rates seen in top-tier builds. For a user with a high refresh rate 1440p monitor, this system will require some settings adjustments to hit higher frame rate targets, as indicated by the measured FPS data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset delivers an average of 141 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play or high refresh rate displays. The Medium preset averages 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. The High preset averages 89 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 77 FPS. This shows a smooth performance curve, with a 64 FPS difference between the lowest and highest settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the impact of the resolution increase is clear. The Low preset still delivers a very playable 107 FPS. The Medium preset averages 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS. The High preset averages 67 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 59 FPS. This is the first resolution where the Ultra preset dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the GPU is starting to struggle with the most demanding settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a high average, at 72 FPS. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS, showing noticeable frame drops. The High preset averages 46 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at an average of 40 FPS. This data clearly shows that 4K gaming is not this combo’s strong suit, particularly with higher quality settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K highlights the GPU-bound nature of this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 89 at 1080p to 67 at 1440p, a reduction of 22 FPS. Moving to 4K, the average drops further to 46 FPS, which is a 43 FPS reduction from 1080p. This represents a significant 48% performance loss when moving from 1080p to 4K, which is a clear indication that the GPU is the limiting factor.

The pattern is similar for the Low preset, where the average FPS drops from 141 at 1080p to 107 at 1440p, and then to 72 at 4K. This is a 49% reduction from 1080p to 4K. These consistent percentage drops across different settings confirm that the bottleneck is the GPU’s rendering capabilities, not the CPU or memory. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would be more consistent across resolutions, as the CPU workload does not scale as aggressively with resolution.

The data suggests that the 12 GB of VRAM on the RX 6700 XT is sufficient for the settings tested, as the frame rates do not show any sudden catastrophic drops that would indicate memory swapping. The scaling is smooth and predictable, which is a sign of a well-balanced system where the GPU is the sole performance ceiling. The CPU’s strong scores in benchmarks like Passmark Multithread (60860) and Cinebench R23 (51731) confirm that it is not holding back the GPU at any point.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice. It provides an average of 89 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard and close to the 90+ FPS range that many gamers prefer for a responsive feel. The Ultra preset, at 77 FPS, is also viable, but the 12 FPS gain from dropping to High is a good trade-off for the performance headroom.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance. It averages 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience without dipping below 60 FPS. The High preset, at 67 FPS, is also playable, but the Medium preset provides a safer margin for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset, at 59 FPS, is on the edge and may lead to noticeable stutters in intense moments, so it is not recommended for a consistent experience.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only reasonable option if the goal is playable frame rates. It delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K and suggests that Control is well-optimized on low settings. The Medium preset, at 51 FPS, is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets, at 46 and 40 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a smooth experience. The data shows that for this combo, 4K gaming requires significant settings compromises to achieve a playable frame rate.