Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a performance profile that ranks in the 1314th position out of 3720 tested combinations for Control, placing it comfortably within the upper third of all systems evaluated. This combo sits at the 72nd percentile for the CPU and 75th percentile for the GPU against all other tested parts, suggesting a balanced pairing where neither component is dramatically outpacing the other. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings confirm that this is a system built for high-refresh gaming, though the most demanding 4K preset does dip below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only configuration that fails to meet the playability standard.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1314 out of 3720 tested configurations places it in the 64.7th percentile of all CPU-GPU pairings for Control. This is a strong showing, but the data reveals that the ranking is driven more by the GPU's raw capability than by any exceptional synergy between the two components. The RTX 3070 Ti achieves an average benchmark score of 29945, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile and 0.5% higher than the RTX 2080 Ti, while the i5-12400's average score of 18683 is only 0.9% above the Intel Core i3-14100F. In practical terms, this means the combo's rank reflects a GPU that punches near the top of its class, paired with a CPU that is competent but not exceptional among its peers.

The benchmark results show that the system's performance ceiling is defined by the graphics card. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields an average of 49 FPS, which is 11.6% below the 60 FPS playability threshold, while dropping to Low at the same resolution produces 83.7 FPS, a 70.8% improvement. This wide spread between presets indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed the graphics card at lower settings. The rank of 1314 places this combo ahead of a majority of tested systems, and the data suggests that most of those ahead of it are likely equipped with more powerful GPUs rather than faster processors.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the i5-12400 and RTX 3070 Ti shifts dramatically as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-bound, with the Low preset hitting 167.2 FPS and Ultra reaching 94.2 FPS, a difference of 77.5% that demonstrates how much graphical settings matter when the CPU is not a bottleneck. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to keep the GPU saturated at 1080p, as evidenced by the fact that even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average above 90 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 43.7% performance drop, which is entirely attributable to the GPU's workload.

Moving to 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The Low preset produces 128.6 FPS, while Ultra yields 71.4 FPS, a 44.5% reduction. The gap between Medium (90 FPS) and High (80.1 FPS) at this resolution is 11.0%, suggesting that the GPU is still the primary constraint, but the CPU's role becomes more apparent as the frame rate climbs. At 3840x2160, the GPU is unambiguously the limiting factor. The Ultra preset drops to 49 FPS, which is 31.4% below the Medium preset's 60.4 FPS, and the Low preset's 83.7 FPS is 70.8% higher than Ultra. The CPU's single-thread performance, reflected in its 3dmark single-thread score of 910, is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking even at 4K Low, meaning the RTX 3070 Ti is the sole determinant of playability at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals are all within 1% of the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18697, a delta of -0.1%, making it statistically indistinguishable in synthetic tests. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811 (-0.7%), all of which would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Control. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519 (0.9% higher than the i5-12400), which is the closest rival on the lower end. In practice, any of these CPUs would produce the same gaming experience when paired with the RTX 3070 Ti, as the GPU will be the bottleneck in most scenarios.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3070 Ti's nearest rivals are equally close. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile scores 29928 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6800 scores 30095 (-0.5%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783 (0.5% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 6700 scores 30433 (-1.6%), which is the furthest outlier but still within a 2% margin. For Control specifically, swapping the RTX 3070 Ti for any of these cards would result in frame rates within 1-2 FPS of each other at any given resolution and preset, meaning the choice between them comes down to other factors like driver stability or feature support rather than raw performance in this title.

The Verdict

This system can run Control at playable frame rates across most configurations, but the 4K Ultra preset is the exception. At 3840x2160, only the Low (83.7 FPS) and Medium (60.4 FPS) presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, while High (53.6 FPS) and Ultra (49 FPS) fall short. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, which averages 60.4 FPS, just barely above the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, every preset is playable, with Ultra averaging 71.4 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The 1920x1080 resolution offers the most headroom, with Ultra averaging 94.2 FPS and Low reaching 167.2 FPS, making it the ideal resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors.

The verdict is straightforward: this PC can run Control at 60 FPS or higher at 1080p and 1440p with any settings, but 4K requires lowering to Medium or below. The data shows that the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1440p Ultra, but the 4K Ultra preset demands more than the GPU can deliver. For users with 4K displays, the Medium preset at 60.4 FPS is the practical ceiling, while those with 1440p or 1080p monitors can enjoy the full Ultra experience without compromise.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Low (83.7 FPS) or Medium (60.4 FPS) settings. The High preset averages 53.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The Ultra preset averages 71.4 FPS at 1440p, making it fully playable. The High preset averages 80.1 FPS, Medium 90 FPS, and Low 128.6 FPS, all exceeding the threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to the RTX 2080 Ti in this system?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 2080 Ti's 29783. In Control, this translates to a negligible difference in frame rates, typically less than 1 FPS at any given setting.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: No, the i5-12400's single-thread score of 910 in 3dmark and multicore score of 5890 indicate sufficient headroom. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 167.2 FPS, which is limited by the GPU rather than the CPU.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 3840x2160?

A: The Medium preset, which averages 60.4 FPS, is the best option that stays at or above 60 FPS. The High preset at 53.6 FPS and Ultra at 49 FPS require dropping to a lower resolution for smoother performance.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Control?

A: It ranks 1314th out of 3720 combinations, placing it in the top 35% of all tested configurations. This rank is driven primarily by the GPU's strong performance, as the CPU's percentile rank is 72 compared to the GPU's 75.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Medium, which produces an average of 60.4 FPS. This is a borderline result, sitting just 0.7% above the threshold, so users may want to consider the Low preset at 83.7 FPS for a more consistent experience if frame pacing becomes an issue. The High preset at 53.6 FPS and Ultra at 49 FPS are not recommended for 4K play.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, averaging 71.4 FPS. This provides a 19% margin above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a stable option for most gameplay. The High preset at 80.1 FPS offers additional headroom if the user prefers higher minimum frame rates, but Ultra is fully playable.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 94.2 FPS, which is 57% above the threshold. This is the recommended setting for 1080p, as it delivers the highest visual quality while still maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 118 FPS and High at 108.9 FPS are also viable, but Ultra provides the best balance of quality and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 83.7 FPS, Medium produces 60.4 FPS, High produces 53.6 FPS, and Ultra produces 49 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 41.5%, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are heavily taxed at 4K. The min and max FPS values are not recorded in the data, so the average figures represent the central tendency of performance.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low settings at 128.6 FPS, Medium at 90 FPS, High at 80.1 FPS, and Ultra at 71.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 44.5% reduction, which is consistent with the 4K results and confirms that the GPU is the primary performance driver. The gap between Medium and High is 11.0%, while the gap between High and Ultra is 10.9%, showing a nearly linear relationship between preset and performance.

At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are: Low settings at 167.2 FPS, Medium at 118 FPS, High at 108.9 FPS, and Ultra at 94.2 FPS. The Low preset's 167.2 FPS is the highest measured across all resolutions, and it represents a 77.5% improvement over the Ultra preset at the same resolution. The difference between Medium and High is 7.7%, while the difference between High and Ultra is 13.5%, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a disproportionately higher load on the GPU. All 1080p presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold by a significant margin, with even the most demanding setting maintaining a 57% buffer.