Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title from Remedy Entertainment, is a demanding showcase of physics-based combat and destructible environments. The benchmark data for this configuration, pairing the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, reveals a system that is clearly capable of delivering a strong experience, but the performance landscape is heavily influenced by resolution and graphical preset. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the board indicate a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU's substantial compute power is often left waiting on the graphics card to finish its work. This analysis will dissect the measured FPS data to understand how this specific combination of a top-tier 24-core processor and a mid-to-high-range 8GB graphics card handles the game's demands.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling aspect of the data is how performance degrades as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of where the bottleneck lies. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 166 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings, that number drops to 126 FPS, a 24% reduction. Pushing further to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields an average of 85 FPS, which is a 49% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is substantial and points directly at the GPU as the primary limiting factor; the pixel fillrate and memory bandwidth demands at higher resolutions are overwhelming the RTX 3070 Ti's capabilities.

The trend is even more pronounced when examining the High preset. At 1080p High, the system manages 105 FPS. This falls to 79 FPS at 1440p, a 25% decrease, and then further down to 54 FPS at 4K, a 49% drop from the 1080p baseline. The consistent ~50% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K across both Low and High settings strongly suggests that the CPU is not the constraining factor. A CPU-bound scenario would typically show a smaller performance gap between resolutions, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU workload increases. Here, the frame rate is halved, indicating the GPU is scaling its workload linearly with the pixel count, and its performance ceiling is being hit.

This behavior implies that the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and boost clock of 5.80 GHz, is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 3070 Ti at 1080p and 1440p. However, at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput becomes the absolute wall. The data shows that the 3070 Ti is a capable 1080p and 1440p card for this title, but at 4K, it is struggling to maintain high frame rates even on lower presets. The jump from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing, with a 33% performance hit on High settings, which is a clear sign that the 8GB VRAM and 256-bit memory bus are being saturated by the higher resolution's demands.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and RTX 3070 Ti achieves a combo rank of 971 out of 2888 tested combos. This places it in the 66th percentile of all systems benchmarked for this game, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of other configurations. This is a respectable position, but it is not a top-tier ranking, which aligns with the GPU being the limiting factor. The CPU itself is a top-tier part, but in gaming, the graphics card often dictates the final ranking.

The rank suggests that while this system delivers good performance, there are many other combinations that can achieve higher frame rates in Control. The data implies that the CPU's potential is being held back by the GPU. If this processor were paired with a more powerful graphics card, the combo's rank would likely be significantly higher, as the CPU's benchmark scores suggest it can handle much more work. The CPU's average benchmark score is 84003, which puts it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, a far higher standing than the combo's 66th percentile ranking in this game.

This discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile and the combo's middling rank is a powerful piece of evidence for a GPU bottleneck. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a powerhouse, but its performance in Control is capped by the RTX 3070 Ti. The combo rank indicates that users with this setup are getting a solid, above-average experience, but they are not tapping into the full potential of their processor. The data suggests that the system is balanced for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, but it is not a top contender for 4K or for maximizing frame rates with all settings maxed out.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. This memory configuration is a critical factor in the performance seen in Control. The game's texture streaming and high-resolution assets can quickly fill the 8 GB VRAM buffer, especially at 1440p and 4K. The data shows that at 4K, the average FPS on Medium is 60, with a minimum of 51 FPS. This relatively low minimum frame rate could be a symptom of VRAM limitations causing texture pop-in or stuttering as the system is forced to swap data.

The GPU's boost clock is listed at 1770 MHz, and its performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 23356, places it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800, which scores 30095 (0.5% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, which scores 29783 (0.5% lower). This indicates that the 3070 Ti is a competitive performer, but it is not at the top of the stack. In Control, this translates to the observed frame rates, which are good but not exceptional at higher resolutions.

The data shows a clear performance hierarchy based on settings. At 1080p, the GPU is powerful enough to push frame rates from 91 FPS on Ultra to 166 FPS on Low. The GPU's 6144 shading units are fully utilized, and the CPU is not a limiting factor. However, as the resolution increases, the GPU's 21.75 TFLOPS of compute power and 8 GB of VRAM become the bottleneck. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K on Ultra settings, going from 69 FPS to 47 FPS, illustrates the card's struggle to maintain high frame rates at the highest pixel counts. This is a typical behavior for a card in this performance class; it is excellent for 1080p and solid for 1440p, but it is not a true 4K powerhouse for demanding games like Control.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this configuration depend heavily on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, the Ultra preset is a viable option, with an average of 91 FPS. This provides a high-fidelity experience with a frame rate that is still smooth for most players. The High preset at 1080p offers a better average of 105 FPS, which could be preferable for competitive play or for users with high-refresh-rate monitors. The Low preset at 1080p, hitting 166 FPS, is the choice for maximum performance, but it sacrifices visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that the High preset provides the best balance, with an average of 79 FPS. This is a playable and visually pleasing experience. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 69 FPS, which is still playable but may not be as consistently smooth. The Medium preset offers 89 FPS and could be a good middle ground if the user wants to prioritize frame rate over the highest visual details. The Low preset at 1440p, with 126 FPS, is excellent for very high refresh rate gaming, but it will look noticeably less detailed.

For 3840x2160, the data indicates that the system is not well-suited for the highest presets. The Ultra preset averages only 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target most gamers prefer. The High preset at 54 FPS is not much better. The Medium preset at 4K is the first one to break the 60 FPS barrier, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS. This is the recommended settings tier for 4K gaming on this system, as it provides a playable frame rate while maintaining a reasonable level of visual fidelity. The Low preset at 4K, with 85 FPS, is the only way to get a high frame rate, but it significantly diminishes the game's atmosphere.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across all resolutions and presets.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average 166 FPS.
• Medium: Average 118 FPS, with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 136 FPS.
• High: Average 105 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 91 FPS.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average 126 FPS.
• Medium: Average 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS.
• High: Average 79 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 69 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average 85 FPS.
• Medium: Average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS.
• High: Average 54 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 47 FPS.

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern. The frame rate scales down as resolution and settings are increased. The Medium preset is the only one for which minimum and maximum FPS data is provided, showing a 35 FPS spread at 1080p, a 27 FPS spread at 1440p, and an 18 FPS spread at 4K. This tighter spread at higher resolutions suggests that the frame pacing becomes more consistent as the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck, with less variation caused by CPU or system-level hiccups. The jump from Low to Medium at 4K is significant, with a 29% drop in performance, highlighting the cost of enabling higher-quality textures and effects.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its synthetic benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. This processing power is typically far more than what is needed for gaming, and the data in Control confirms this. The CPU's performance is not a limiting factor in any of the measured scenarios.

The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which has a nearly identical average score (83807 vs. 84003, a 0.2% difference). This shows that the 290K Plus is at the very top of the consumer CPU performance hierarchy. However, in Control, the frame rates are entirely dictated by the GPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload would be the same. Instead, we see a massive drop in FPS as resolution increases, which is a definitive sign of a GPU bottleneck.

The CPU's role in this setup is to ensure that the GPU is always fed with data. With its high single-core performance and 24 threads, it does this effortlessly. The data does not show any scenario where a faster CPU would yield higher frame rates in Control with this GPU. The 290K Plus provides a solid foundation for the RTX 3070 Ti, ensuring that the graphics card is the sole determinant of performance. This makes the system well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU can stretch its legs, but it is the GPU's capabilities that will ultimately define the gaming experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that the system can only achieve an average of 60 FPS at 4K on the Medium preset, with a minimum of 51 FPS. The High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS, so a perfectly smooth 60 FPS experience is only possible on the Medium preset or lower.

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

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At this resolution, the High preset delivers an average of 79 FPS, and the Ultra preset is still playable at 69 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the main bottleneck in this system for Control?

A: The benchmark data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high benchmark scores and the consistent performance scaling with resolution confirm it is not the limiting factor.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800, scores 30095, which is 0.5% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783, which is 0.5% lower. This puts the 3070 Ti in a very competitive performance bracket.

Q: What is the highest graphical preset that maintains an average above 100 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset provides an average of 105 FPS. At 2560x1440, no preset achieves an average above 100 FPS; the Low preset is closest with 126 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 89 FPS. So, 1080p High is the highest quality setting to break the 100 FPS barrier.

Q: Does the 8 GB of VRAM on the GPU appear to be a limiting factor?

A: The data suggests it is, particularly at higher resolutions. The significant performance drop at 4K, especially on higher presets, and the relatively low minimum FPS at 4K Medium, are indicative of the 8 GB framebuffer being taxed. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s is high, but the capacity is limited for this generation of games.