Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B580 combination presents a compelling mid-range pairing for Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. Measured benchmark data shows that this system is highly capable at mainstream resolutions, though it encounters clear limits at 4K. The data indicates a strong 1080p experience, a solid 1440p experience with settings adjustments, and a 4K experience that falls short of the 60 FPS playability threshold. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and how this specific CPU-GPU combo stacks up against other tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured performance for this combo spans three resolutions and four quality presets, revealing a clear performance hierarchy. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent frame rates across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS is 114. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93. High settings yield an average of 72 FPS. The most demanding 1080p preset, Ultra, still manages a respectable average of 62 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. The Low preset produces an average of 86 FPS. The Medium preset averages 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 70 FPS, placing it just above the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings drop the average to 54 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 47 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 32 FPS. The data shows a steep drop-off in performance at 4K, with the system unable to sustain a smooth experience at any preset.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU provides a stable foundation. At 1920x1080, the system achieves high frame rates even on Ultra settings (62 FPS), suggesting that the Intel Core i5-12400 is capable of feeding the Intel Arc B580 sufficiently at this resolution. The scaling from Low (114 FPS) to Ultra (62 FPS) shows a 45.6% performance reduction, which is primarily driven by the increasing graphical load on the GPU.

The role of the GPU becomes more pronounced at 2560x1440. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p on the same settings is significant; for example, High settings drop from 72 FPS to 54 FPS, a 25% reduction. This indicates that the GPU's rendering capabilities are being taxed more heavily. The CPU's influence appears to diminish, as the frame rates are increasingly bound by the Arc B580's fill rate and shader processing.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The performance falls below the 60 FPS threshold even on Low settings (58 FPS). The delta between presets is also compressed; the difference between Low (58 FPS) and Ultra (32 FPS) is 26 FPS, compared to a 52 FPS difference at 1080p. This compression suggests that the GPU is saturated at 4K, and the CPU has ample headroom, making the Arc B580 the definitive performance ceiling for this game at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured data and the 60 FPS playability threshold, the optimal settings for each resolution are as follows. At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 62 FPS. This allows for the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Medium, which delivers an average of 61 FPS. While the Low preset averages 86 FPS, the Medium preset is the highest quality option that still clears the 60 FPS bar, offering a balance between visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves an average of 60 FPS. The closest is the Low preset at 58 FPS, but this falls short of the playable threshold. Therefore, the data indicates that this combo cannot maintain a playable experience at 4K for Control.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B580 holds a rank of 2816 out of 3720 tested combos. This places it in the 75.7th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the configurations in the database. While not a top-tier system, this rank indicates that the combo is positioned well above the median for this game, offering a strong price-to-performance profile within the broader landscape of tested hardware.

The rank suggests that while the combo is not at the bleeding edge of performance, it is a solidly mid-to-upper-mid-range contender for Control. The 1080p results, particularly the 62 FPS average on Ultra, likely contribute significantly to this ranking, as they represent a smooth, high-fidelity experience for the majority of players.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for both the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware might deliver similar performance. For the Intel Core i5-12400, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 7643, Intel Core i7-1355U, AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, and Intel Core i3-14100F. The scores for these CPUs are all within a narrow band, with deltas ranging from -0.7% to +0.9% compared to the i5-12400. This indicates that in a system with the same GPU, swapping the i5-12400 for any of these processors would result in negligible changes to the overall FPS in Control, as the game is likely GPU-bound in most scenarios.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, and NVIDIA P106-100. The average scores for these GPUs are remarkably close, with deltas ranging from -1.0% to +0.6% relative to the Arc B580. This suggests that a system pairing the i5-12400 with any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. For instance, the RTX 2080, a previous-generation high-end card, would offer a very similar experience to the Arc B580, as would the RTX 3080, which is a more powerful card on paper but scores within 0.7% in the benchmark aggregate. This data implies that the user's experience with this combo is representative of a broad cluster of mid-to-high-end hardware.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Control at 1920x1080 with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 62 FPS on the Ultra preset at 1920x1080, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 61 FPS. The High preset drops to 54 FPS, falling below the threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS achieved is 58 on the Low preset, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. No preset reaches a playable frame rate.

*Q: How does this combo compare to other systems tested for Control?*

A: This combo ranks 2816 out of 3720 tested configurations, placing it in the 75.7th percentile. It performs better than the majority of tested systems.

Q: Would a different CPU significantly change the performance in this game?

A: No. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-14100F or AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, have average scores within 0.9% of the i5-12400. At higher resolutions, the game is likely GPU-bound, making the CPU choice less impactful.

Q: What is the expected performance difference if the GPU were swapped for a similar-scoring model?

A: The data suggests minimal difference. GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 or RTX 3080 have average scores within 0.7% of the Intel Arc B580, implying that frame rates in Control would be nearly identical.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B580 combination is a capable system for Control, but its playability is strictly resolution-dependent. At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable, clearing the 60 FPS threshold on all presets, including the highest Ultra setting which averages 62 FPS. This makes it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable but requires a compromise on visual quality. The Medium preset achieves an average of 61 FPS, which is just above the playable threshold. Users seeking higher fidelity at this resolution will need to accept frame rates in the 40s and 50s, which may not be ideal for a fast-paced action game.

At 3840x2160, the system is not playable, as no preset reaches the 60 FPS threshold. The best result, 58 FPS on Low, is below the target. The verdict is clear: this PC can run Control exceptionally well at 1080p, adequately at 1440p with settings adjustments, but it cannot handle 4K. The data positions this combo as a strong 1080p and capable 1440p machine, ranking in the top 25% of tested systems for this title.