Control PC Performance Review & Optimisation Guide

Graphical Settings Comparison – Low, Medium High and RTX On

Much like in our last set of screenshots, the largest difference between Low and Medium is the change in LOD detail, which can see higher resolution geometry used in the distance. Even so, Control doesn’t look bad at low settings. If you need a boost in framerate, there is no shame in trying out the game’s lowest preset. 
   

(Low VS Medium)
 

 
When cranking things up to high settings, we can see that distant geometry gains more detail, both in terms of shadow quality and LOD quality. This scene isn’t reflection heavy, so the game’s other settings don’t cause a dramatic change in image quality. 

(Medium VS High)
 

 
With this scene lacking reflective objects, you’d think that raytraced reflections would have no impact on this scene. You’d be wrong. On the hidden storage containers we can see how light now reacts with the object, and how some light is reflected from the floor of floor and ceiling of the power plant area. These changes are both subtle but have a positive impact on the game’s visuals. 

(High VS High with Medium RT)
 

With raytracing set to high, we see shadows appear all over the scene, with each box on the floor gaining realistic shadows while distant objects also gain small, distinct shadows. This has a huge impact on the game’s visuals, moving the game from a “gamey” appearance to something that’s more akin to a professional render. However, this comes at a huge performance cost. 

(High with Medium RT VS High with High RT)