Control

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i3-12100F sits in a tight cluster of processors with nearly identical average benchmark scores. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, delivers an average score of 13492, which is effectively a 0% difference from the Core i3-12100F's 13494. In practical terms, swapping one for the other would produce no measurable change in game performance. The Intel Core i5-9500 trails by a hair at 13452, a 0.3% deficit, while the Intel Core 5 120UL is slightly ahead at 13594, a 0.7% advantage. The Intel Core i7-1250U rounds out the group at 13351, which is 1.1% slower. These deltas are all within run-to-run variance, so any of these four CPUs would behave essentially the same in a gaming build.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT holds an average benchmark score of 16361. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, scores 16351, a 0.1% gap that is statistically indistinguishable. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell and AMD Radeon PRO W7500 both post scores of 16408 and 16415 respectively, each about 0.3% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 leads the pack at 16504, which is 0.9% faster. None of these differences would show up as a meaningful frame rate change in Control; the RX 5700 XT and its nearest rivals all land in the same performance tier.

How This Combo Ranks

The database has measured this specific pairing of the Core i3-12100F with the RX 5700 XT across a large pool of tested configurations. Out of 3720 total combos, this one ranks 2702nd. That places it in the lower third of all tested systems, which is expected given the modest CPU and the mid-range GPU. The percentile data reinforces this: the CPU sits at the 68th percentile among all processors, meaning it beats most CPUs on the market, while the GPU lands at the 59th percentile among all graphics cards. Yet the combination still lands at 2702 out of 3720, which suggests that many of the combos ahead of it pair stronger GPUs with similar or better CPUs.

The rank is not a verdict on playability. A combo can rank low in the database while still clearing the 60 FPS threshold at common gaming resolutions, and that is exactly what happens here. The rank reflects raw competitive standing against the full spectrum of hardware, not whether the game runs smoothly. For Control specifically, the more useful measure is the measured FPS data and the verdict by resolution, which show that this combo is fully capable at 1080p and partially capable at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Core i3-12100F and RX 5700 XT combination delivers strong results across all four presets. Low settings produce an average of 118.9 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 85.1 FPS, still comfortably above 60. High settings yield 73.8 FPS, and Ultra settings hold at 67.1 FPS. Every preset at 1080p clears the playable threshold, with Ultra maintaining a 7.1 FPS margin above it. The scaling from Low to Ultra is smooth: stepping from Low to Medium costs 33.8 FPS, from Medium to High costs 11.3 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 6.7 FPS. The largest single hit comes from the Low to Medium transition, which indicates the Medium preset introduces substantial rendering changes.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low settings average 85.7 FPS, which is still well above 60. Medium settings drop to 64.2 FPS, clearing the threshold by only 4.2 FPS. High settings fall to 58.7 FPS, just under the line, and Ultra drops further to 48.4 FPS. The gaps between presets widen as resolution increases: Low to Medium costs 21.5 FPS, Medium to High costs 5.5 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 10.3 FPS. The High preset at 1440p misses the 60 FPS mark by a narrow margin, so users at this resolution should stick to Medium or Low.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings average 58.9 FPS, which is 1.1 FPS short of the threshold. Medium drops to 40.5 FPS, High to 39 FPS, and Ultra to 31.5 FPS. No preset at 4K reaches 60 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is steep at 18.4 FPS, while Medium to High is a modest 1.5 FPS loss, and High to Ultra costs another 7.5 FPS. The RX 5700 XT's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not enough to sustain playable frame rates at this resolution in Control.

The Verdict

The recorded data gives a clear verdict on whether this PC can run Control. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold. The highest playable setting is Ultra, which averages 67.1 FPS, leaving a 7.1 FPS buffer above the line. This is the best case for this combo: full visual quality with a playable frame rate. At 2560x1440, the playable settings are Low and Medium. Medium averages 64.2 FPS, which is the best quality option at this resolution that stays above 60. High and Ultra both fall short, at 58.7 and 48.4 FPS respectively. At 3840x2160, none of the settings reach 60 FPS. Low comes closest at 58.9 FPS, but that is still 1.1 FPS under the mark.

The verdict by resolution is straightforward. A 1080p monitor is fully supported at maximum settings. A 1440p monitor is supported at Medium settings, with Low as a fallback for extra headroom. A 4K monitor is not viable for this game with this hardware; the best case is 58.9 FPS on Low, which is below the playable threshold. The GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU has enough headroom to avoid being a bottleneck at 1080p.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Core i3-12100F and the RX 5700 XT changes as resolution climbs. At 1920x1080, the CPU's four cores and eight threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at all presets. The fact that Ultra settings still hold 67.1 FPS shows the CPU is not holding back the GPU at this resolution. The 1080p Low result of 118.9 FPS indicates the GPU is the component that caps performance; the CPU could push even higher if the GPU allowed it. The CPU's single-thread and multi-thread scores, such as the 1674 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 11860 in multi-core, are more than adequate for a title like Control, which is not heavily threaded.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to dominate the frame rate. The transition from Low at 85.7 FPS to Medium at 64.2 FPS is a 25% drop, and the further slide to High at 58.7 FPS shows the GPU struggling with increased shading and texture work. The CPU is still not the bottleneck here; the RX 5700 XT's 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 304.8 GTexel/s texture rate are the limiting factors. The 1440p results scale almost entirely with GPU load, and the CPU's role stays constant.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the sole constraint. The frame rates collapse to a range of 31.5 to 58.9 FPS across presets, and the CPU is nowhere near its limit. The 4K results show that the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB of VRAM and 256-bit memory bus are insufficient for Control's high-resolution textures and effects. The CPU's contribution is effectively flat across all 4K presets, confirming that the GPU is the dominant factor at this resolution. Players considering 4K would need a substantially stronger graphics card, while the Core i3-12100F would still be adequate for the job.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database records the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS for each resolution. At 1920x1080, that preset is Ultra, with an average of 67.1 FPS. This is the optimal configuration: maximum visual quality with a playable frame rate. The margin of 7.1 FPS above the threshold is thin but acceptable, and for users who want extra headroom, High at 73.8 FPS or Medium at 85.1 FPS are viable fallbacks. Low at 118.9 FPS is available for those chasing the highest possible refresh rate.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is Medium, averaging 64.2 FPS. This setting clears the 60 FPS line by a narrow 4.2 FPS margin. Users who prefer a larger buffer can drop to Low at 85.7 FPS, which is the only other preset above 60 at this resolution. High and Ultra are not recommended, as they fall to 58.7 and 48.4 FPS respectively. The Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, balancing visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, there is no playable preset. The closest is Low at 58.9 FPS, which misses the threshold by 1.1 FPS. The database verdict confirms this: the playable settings list is empty for 4K, and no best setting is recorded. Users with a 4K display would need to lower the resolution in the game's settings to 1440p or 1080p to achieve playable frame rates. Alternatively, they would need a more powerful GPU than the RX 5700 XT, since the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

In summary, this combo is a solid 1080p machine for Control, a capable 1440p machine at Medium settings, and not a viable 4K option. The Core i3-12100F provides enough CPU throughput for all tested resolutions, while the RX 5700 XT's limits become apparent as resolution and preset quality increase.