Control

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is a mid-range combination that lands in the 49th percentile of all tested combos for Control, ranking 1831st out of 3720. This places it almost exactly in the middle of the pack, meaning it is neither a top-tier performer nor a marginal one; it is a solidly average pairing for this title. The data indicates this combo is well-balanced enough to handle the game with confidence at most settings, but it will require some graphical compromises at the highest resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1831 out of 3720 tested configurations places it at roughly the 49.2% mark, which is a touch below the median. In practical terms, this means the i3-12100F and RX 6750 XT combination sits in the middle of the bell curve for Control performance. This is not surprising given the individual components’ standings: the CPU ranks in the 68th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 71st percentile among all graphics cards. The combination of a slightly above-average CPU and GPU results in a system that is consistently capable, but it does not have the headroom to dominate the game at extreme settings.

The benchmark results show a clear pattern: the combo is more than capable at 1080p and 1440p, but it starts to struggle at 4K with higher presets. The average frame rates across all tested settings tell a story of diminishing returns as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 146.2 on Low to 80.8 on Ultra, which is a very healthy spread. At 2560x1440, the range tightens to between 109.4 on Low and 64.2 on Ultra. However, at 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly, with the Ultra preset averaging just 39.7 FPS. This ranking suggests that the combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p or solid 60 FPS gaming at 1440p, but it is not a 4K powerhouse.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in this pairing, especially as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU has enough headroom to push high frame rates, but the scaling between presets is heavily influenced by the GPU’s workload. For instance, moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p drops the average FPS from 146.2 to 80.8, a reduction of 44.7%. This is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, where the graphics card is the limiting factor at higher detail levels.

At 2560x1440, the pattern continues. The average FPS at Low is 109.4, dropping to 64.2 at Ultra, a 41.3% reduction. The CPU’s role becomes less prominent as the GPU takes on more work. The i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, is sufficient to keep up with the RX 6750 XT at these resolutions, but it is not the bottleneck. The data suggests that the CPU’s single-thread performance, which is reflected in its 3DMark single-thread score of 893, is adequate for this game.

The 4K results are where the GPU’s limitations become stark. At 3840x2160, the average FPS at Low is 76, which is playable, but at Medium it drops to 53.4, and at High it falls to 48.8. The Ultra preset averages just 39.7 FPS. This steep decline indicates that the RX 6750 XT’s 12 GB of VRAM and 432.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are not enough to sustain high detail levels at 4K. The CPU is not the issue here; even at Low settings, the 76 FPS average suggests the GPU is still managing to push frames, but the gap between Low and Medium is a massive 22.6 FPS drop, which points to the GPU hitting a memory or compute ceiling.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i3-12100F is closely matched by the Intel Core 3 N355, which has an average benchmark score of 13492 versus the i3’s 13494, a delta of 0%. This means either processor would perform nearly identically in Control. The Intel Core i5-9500 is also very close, with a score of 13452 and a delta of 0.3%, indicating it would be equally capable. On the other side, the Intel Core 5 120UL scores 13594, which is 0.7% higher, and the Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13351, which is 1.1% lower. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, so any of these CPUs would produce very similar frame rates when paired with the same GPU.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT’s nearest rivals are somewhat surprising. The AMD Radeon R9 M395X has an average score of 25891, which is 0.5% lower than the RX 6750 XT’s 26011. The AMD FirePro W7100 (25856, 0.6% lower) and AMD FirePro D700 (25842, 0.7% lower) are also extremely close. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile scores 25740, which is 1.1% lower. These deltas are all within 1.1%, meaning that in practice, any of these GPUs would deliver nearly identical performance in Control. The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile being a laptop part is notable, but its raw score is close enough that desktop users should not expect a meaningful difference.

The Verdict

The verdict from the data is clear: this PC can run Control, but the experience varies dramatically by resolution. At 1920x1080, the combo clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset, including Ultra, which averages 80.8 FPS. This makes 1080p the sweet spot for this pairing, offering smooth gameplay even at maximum settings. At 2560x1440, the system also clears 60 FPS on all presets, with Ultra averaging 64.2 FPS. This is a comfortable margin, though it leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the story changes. The only playable setting is Low, which averages 76 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 53.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and High and Ultra are far worse at 48.8 and 39.7 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, users would need to stick with Low settings to maintain a playable frame rate, which is not ideal for a visually demanding game like Control. The data suggests that this combo is best used at 1080p or 1440p, where it can deliver a consistently smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combo performs across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are strong across the board. The Low preset averages 146.2 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates that the CPU and GPU are working efficiently together. Medium drops to 103.7 FPS, High to 91.7 FPS, and Ultra to 80.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 65.4 FPS, showing that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher detail settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains solid but starts to show the GPU’s limits. Low averages 109.4 FPS, Medium 79.6 FPS, High 71 FPS, and Ultra 64.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 45.2 FPS, which is a significant reduction but still leaves the Ultra preset above the 60 FPS threshold. This resolution is the practical limit for high-quality gaming with this combo.

At 3840x2160, the results are less encouraging. Low averages 76 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 53.4 FPS, High to 48.8 FPS, and Ultra to 39.7 FPS. The scaling is steep, with a 36.3 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. This indicates that the RX 6750 XT’s memory bandwidth and compute capabilities are insufficient for 4K at higher settings. The min and max FPS values are not provided in the data, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates, but the trend is unmistakable.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS on 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 80.8, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a comfortable margin.

Q: What is the best setting to use at 3840x2160?

A: The only playable setting at 3840x2160 is Low, which averages 76 FPS. All other presets (Medium, High, Ultra) fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging just 39.7 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i3-12100F compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 has an average benchmark score of 13492, which is a 0% delta from the i3-12100F’s 13494. This means they are virtually identical in performance, so either CPU would yield similar frame rates in Control.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for this game at higher resolutions?

A: The data shows the GPU is the limiting factor. At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 109.4 on Low to 64.2 on Ultra, a reduction of 41.3%, while the CPU remains capable. At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations are even more apparent, with Ultra averaging just 39.7 FPS.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this combo?

A: The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS. The combo exceeds this at 1080p and 1440p on all settings, but at 4K, only the Low preset clears it.

Q: Are there any GPUs that perform similarly to the RX 6750 XT?

A: Yes. The AMD Radeon R9 M395X is the closest rival with a 0.5% lower average benchmark score. The AMD FirePro W7100 and FirePro D700 are also within 0.7%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile is 1.1% lower. All of these would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control.