Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers a strong showing in Control, placing 884th out of 3,720 tested combos. Based on the measured data, this pairing is firmly in the upper quartile of tested systems, with the RTX 4070 landing in the 81st percentile among all GPUs and the Core i5-12400 in the 72nd percentile among all CPUs. These percentile rankings indicate that both components are well above average, but the GPU carries more weight in overall game performance.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have close rivals based on aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Core i5-12400’s average benchmark score of 18,683 is nearly identical to several other processors. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697, a mere 0.1% difference, making it the closest match. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18,730 (0.3% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811 (0.7% higher). On the other side, the Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519, which is 0.9% lower. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would produce nearly indistinguishable frame rates in Control when paired with the RTX 4070, as the differences are all under one percent.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070’s average benchmark score of 37,648 puts it in close company with several other cards. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37,628 (0.1% lower), while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507 (0.4% lower). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is slightly faster at 38,135 (1.3% higher), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 trails at 37,157 (1.3% lower). These delta percentages are small, meaning that swapping the RTX 4070 for any of these alternatives would result in very similar performance in Control. The RTX 4080 Mobile would offer a modest uplift, while the RX Vega 56 would be a slight step down, but none would dramatically change the playability picture.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 884th out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 23.8% of all systems tested. This is a strong result, but it is not at the very top of the hierarchy. The ranking reflects the balance between the mid-range CPU and the high-end GPU. The RTX 4070’s 81st percentile GPU score is the dominant factor, while the Core i5-12400’s 72nd percentile CPU score is adequate but not exceptional. In a game like Control, which can be demanding at higher settings, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, and the data confirms that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at most resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers excellent frame rates across the board. Low settings produce an average of 190.8 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded in the entire dataset. Medium settings drop to 138.5 FPS, High settings to 122.5 FPS, and Ultra settings to 105.7 FPS. Even at the most demanding preset, the average frame rate remains well above 100 FPS, indicating that the system is never CPU-bound at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings yield 145.8 FPS, Medium settings 105.2 FPS, High settings 92.4 FPS, and Ultra settings 80.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 65.3 FPS, showing a significant but manageable impact from the settings preset. At this resolution, all presets remain comfortably above 60 FPS, with Ultra still offering an 80.5 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the performance drops more sharply. Low settings produce 99 FPS, Medium settings 69.6 FPS, High settings 63.3 FPS, and Ultra settings 55 FPS. The Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it the only setting combination in the entire dataset that is not playable. High settings just clear the threshold at 63.3 FPS, while Medium and Low are more comfortable. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is substantial, with the Ultra preset dropping from 80.5 FPS to 55 FPS, a 31.7% reduction.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly shows that this PC can run Control at 60 FPS or higher in the vast majority of scenarios. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — exceed the 60 FPS threshold, with the lowest average being 105.7 FPS at Ultra. At 2560x1440, the same is true: every preset clears 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 80.5 FPS. This makes 1440p a fully playable resolution with no compromises required.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes slightly. The Ultra preset averages 55 FPS, which falls short of the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, the High preset averages 63.3 FPS, just clearing the line. Medium averages 69.6 FPS and Low averages 99 FPS. The verdict is that 4K gaming is possible, but only if the user is willing to step down from Ultra to High or lower. The best playable setting at 4K is High, with an average of 63.3 FPS. For users who prioritize visual fidelity at 4K, the Ultra preset’s 55 FPS average may still be tolerable, but it does not meet the defined playability standard.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data indicates that the GPU is the dominant component in Control at all tested resolutions, but its role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU has enough headroom to push frame rates very high, with the Low preset reaching 190.8 FPS. This suggests that the Core i5-12400 is not a bottleneck at this resolution, even with a powerful GPU like the RTX 4070. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a drop from 190.8 FPS to 105.7 FPS, a 44.6% reduction, which is primarily driven by GPU workload.

At 2560x1440, the GPU’s workload increases, and the frame rates drop accordingly. The Low preset averages 145.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 80.5 FPS. The CPU still has enough performance to keep up, as the frame rates remain high. However, the gap between Low and Ultra narrows slightly in percentage terms compared to 1080p, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take on a larger share of the workload.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset drops to 99 FPS, and Ultra falls to 55 FPS. The CPU is no longer able to compensate for the GPU’s workload at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is a 44.4% reduction, similar to 1080p, but the absolute frame rates are much lower. This pattern shows that the RTX 4070 is the primary determinant of performance at 4K, while the Core i5-12400 provides sufficient headroom at lower resolutions. The data suggests that users who want to play at 4K Ultra would need a more powerful GPU, while those at 1080p or 1440p are well-served by this combination.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, with an average of 105.7 FPS. This leaves a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing for smooth gameplay with maximum visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the best setting, averaging 80.5 FPS. This is still well above the threshold, providing a comfortable experience with all settings maxed out.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 63.3 FPS. This barely clears the 60 FPS threshold, so users should expect occasional dips below 60 FPS in demanding scenes, but the average remains playable. The Medium preset averages 69.6 FPS, offering a slightly larger safety margin, while Low averages 99 FPS for those who prioritize frame rate over visual quality. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as its 55 FPS average falls short of the playable threshold. In summary, this system excels at 1080p and 1440p with Ultra settings, and can handle 4K with High settings or lower.