Control

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a commanding performance profile in Control, with measured frame rates that consistently exceed the 60 FPS threshold across nearly every resolution and preset combination tested. The data indicates that this combo is capable of running the game at maximum settings in both 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires a slight reduction from the highest preset to maintain smooth gameplay.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, at 4K the combo achieves playable frame rates on High, Medium, and Low settings. The High preset delivers an average of 72.1 FPS, Medium averages 76 FPS, and Low averages 108.9 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 59.1 FPS, which falls just below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gameplay?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is fully playable with an average of 88.1 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the optimal choice for maximum visual quality at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, which is virtually identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13492 (0% delta). It is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452) and 1.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351), while trailing the Intel Core 5 120UL by 0.7% (13594).

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43223. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, scores 43262, representing a negligible -0.1% difference.

Q: Does the game perform better at 1080p Low or 4K High?

A: The 1080p Low preset produces an average of 215.9 FPS, while 4K High averages 72.1 FPS. The frame rate at 1080p Low is roughly three times higher than at 4K High, demonstrating the significant scaling cost of higher resolutions.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested configurations?

A: This CPU-GPU combination ranks 622nd out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 16.7% of all configurations tested in the database.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from 118.1 FPS on Ultra to 215.9 FPS on Low, showing that the GPU has substantial headroom even at the highest settings. Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to 88.1 FPS, a 25% reduction from the 1080p result, while Low drops to 160.1 FPS, a 26% reduction. This consistent scaling across all settings suggests the rendering load is scaling predictably with pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the performance impact becomes more pronounced. The High preset falls to 72.1 FPS from 104.1 FPS at 1440p, a 31% reduction, while Low drops to 108.9 FPS from 160.1 FPS, a 32% reduction. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 59.1 FPS, which is 33% lower than the 1440p Ultra result of 88.1 FPS. The near-uniform percentage drops across all settings as resolution increases indicate the game is consistently GPU-limited.

The spread between Low and Ultra presets also grows with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (215.9 FPS) and Ultra (118.1 FPS) is 97.8 FPS. At 1440p, the gap narrows slightly to 72 FPS (160.1 vs 88.1). At 4K, the gap further compresses to 49.8 FPS (108.9 vs 59.1). This compression at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU becomes the primary constraint, while at lower resolutions the preset-based workload differences matter more.

The CPU's role appears secondary in this title. The Core i3-12100F's 4-core, 8-thread configuration with a 4.30 GHz boost clock provides sufficient processing power to feed the RTX 4070 SUPER, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at 1080p where CPU overhead is typically more visible. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support contribute to maintaining these frame rates without bottlenecking the GPU's output.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Core i3-12100F's nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks include the Intel Core 3 N355, which matches its average score of 13492 within 0%, and the Intel Core i5-9500, which trails by just 0.3%. The Intel Core 5 120UL leads by 0.7% with a score of 13594, while the Intel Core i7-1250U sits 1.1% behind at 13351. For gaming workloads, these processors would deliver nearly identical performance, with differences well within run-to-run variance.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 SUPER's nearest competitors are all NVIDIA professional and mobile parts. The Quadro M6000 24 GB scores 43262, a -0.1% difference, while the RTX 5050 Mobile achieves 43268, also -0.1% relative. The Quadro M6000 (non-24GB) scores 43301 at -0.2%, and the RTX 4090 Mobile leads with 43667 at -1%. These results indicate that for Control, the desktop RTX 4070 SUPER performs on par with a high-end mobile RTX 4090, making the desktop card an exceptionally strong choice for this title.

Systems configured with any of these CPU alternatives alongside the RTX 4070 SUPER would show virtually indistinguishable frame rates in Control. Similarly, pairing the Core i3-12100F with any of the GPU rivals would produce comparable results, though the desktop GPU's 220 W TDP and dual-slot cooler suggest it maintains sustained performance more easily than mobile counterparts.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with high confidence across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset delivering an average of 118.1 FPS. The 2560x1440 resolution also supports all four presets above 60 FPS, with Ultra achieving 88.1 FPS average. At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding option that remains playable, averaging 72.1 FPS, while the Medium preset offers 76 FPS and Low reaches 108.9 FPS.

The only configuration that fails the 60 FPS playable threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 59.1 FPS. This is a marginal miss of just 0.9 FPS, suggesting that minor adjustments in game settings or driver optimizations could potentially bring even this configuration into playable territory. For users prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, the 1440p Ultra setting at 88.1 FPS presents the best balance between image quality and smoothness.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo are consistent across all resolution and settings combinations, with no minimum or maximum frame data recorded. At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 215.9 FPS, Medium averages 155.3 FPS, High averages 137.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 118.1 FPS. These results show a smooth degradation curve as visual complexity increases.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high with Low averaging 160.1 FPS, Medium at 118.4 FPS, High at 104.1 FPS, and Ultra at 88.1 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by approximately 25-26% across all presets, consistent with the increased pixel count.

The 3840x2160 results show the most significant performance impact. Low averages 108.9 FPS, Medium averages 76 FPS, High averages 72.1 FPS, and Ultra averages 59.1 FPS. The step from High to Ultra at 4K represents a 13 FPS drop, which is the largest single-preset delta observed in the entire data set. This indicates that the Ultra preset's additional effects are particularly demanding at 4K resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 118.1 FPS. This provides a substantial margin above the 60 FPS threshold while maximizing visual quality. Users could also consider capping frame rates at 120 FPS for consistent frame pacing.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset remains the optimal setting with an average of 88.1 FPS. This maintains a comfortable buffer above 60 FPS while enabling all graphical features. The High preset at 104.1 FPS would be a reasonable alternative for users with 100 Hz or 120 Hz displays who prefer even higher frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is recommended, averaging 72.1 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset at 76 FPS offers similar performance with slightly reduced visual quality, while the 4K Ultra setting at 59.1 FPS should be avoided unless users are willing to accept frame rates marginally below the playable threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

This Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 622nd out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 16.7% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's strong 83rd percentile position among all graphics cards, while the CPU's 68th percentile ranking among all processors suggests the combination benefits more from the GPU's capabilities than the CPU's raw processing power.

The high ranking indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems in Control, with only 621 configurations achieving better results. The fact that the CPU ranks in the 68th percentile while the combo ranks in the 83rd percentile of game configurations suggests that Control is heavily GPU-dependent, and the RTX 4070 SUPER's strengths are fully utilized despite the relatively modest CPU. This is consistent with the measured frame rates, which remain high even at 1080p where CPU limitations typically surface.