Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti delivers a strong performance profile for Control, ranking 362nd out of 3,720 tested combos for this specific game. This places the combo in the top 10% of all tested configurations, indicating that the hardware is well-matched to the game's demands. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings confirm that this system has substantial headroom for smooth gameplay, with even the most demanding preset at 4K remaining above the 60 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 362nd out of 3,720 tested combos for Control, which places it in the top 9.7% of all configurations tested. This is a strong result that reflects the balanced nature of the CPU and GPU pairing. The ranking is driven primarily by the GPU's capability, as the RTX 5070 Ti sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. The GPU's higher percentile suggests that it is the dominant performance factor in this pairing.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 18,683, placing it just 0.1% below the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.3% below the Intel Core i7-1355U in the nearest rival comparisons. On the GPU side, the RTX 5070 Ti averages 49,957, which is 2% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT but 3.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. These relative positions indicate that the CPU is competitive with other mid-range processors, while the GPU is a high-end performer that provides the bulk of the gaming headroom.

The combined rank of 362 suggests that this pairing is particularly effective for Control, likely because the game benefits from the GPU's raw throughput. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at the frame rates measured. The data shows that the combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, making it a reliable choice for high-refresh-rate play.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results show a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU across resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU has a more significant role, as evidenced by the scaling between Low and Ultra settings. The 1080p Low preset achieves 233.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 130.4 FPS, a reduction of 44.2%. This substantial drop indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder at higher settings, but the CPU still manages to feed it effectively at all preset levels.

At 1440p, the scaling is similar but slightly less pronounced. Low settings yield 175.5 FPS, while Ultra delivers 98.5 FPS, a 43.9% reduction. The smaller absolute difference at this resolution suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor, but the CPU continues to provide adequate support. At 4K, the pattern continues with Low at 117.3 FPS and Ultra at 67.4 FPS, a 42.5% reduction. The fact that even 4K Ultra stays above 60 FPS indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution, with the CPU maintaining a secondary role.

The CPU's influence is most visible when comparing Low presets across resolutions. The 1080p Low score of 233.6 FPS drops to 175.5 FPS at 1440p and 117.3 FPS at 4K, showing a 49.8% decrease from 1080p to 4K. This suggests that the CPU is capable of sustaining very high frame rates at lower resolutions, and the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution increases. The RTX 5070 Ti's 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 896.0 GB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for the game's textures at all resolutions, meaning the CPU's role is primarily to maintain frame pacing rather than to push raw performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance across all settings. The Low preset averages 233.6 FPS, which is more than triple the playable threshold of 60 FPS. Medium settings reduce this to 169.1 FPS, while High achieves 151.4 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still produces 130.4 FPS. This represents a 44.2% reduction from Low to Ultra, but even the lowest figure provides a significant cushion for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains robust. The Low preset averages 175.5 FPS, dropping to 128.8 FPS at Medium and 115.3 FPS at High. The Ultra preset delivers 98.5 FPS, which is 64.1% higher than the 60 FPS threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 43.9%, similar to the 1080p pattern, indicating consistent GPU scaling without CPU limitations.

At 3840x2160, the combo still maintains playable frame rates at every preset. Low settings average 117.3 FPS, while Medium produces 86.3 FPS and High achieves 76.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding configuration tested, averages 67.4 FPS. This is just 12.3% above the 60 FPS threshold, but it remains above the playable line. The 42.5% reduction from Low to Ultra at 4K is the smallest relative drop of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is the defining factor at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 7643, which scores 18,697 and is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Core i7-1355U, which scores 18,730 and is 0.3% faster. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 is 0.7% faster with a score of 18,811, while the Intel Core i3-14100F is 0.9% slower at 18,519. These alternatives would behave nearly identically in Control, with differences of less than 1% in synthetic benchmarks translating to negligible frame rate changes in practice.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5070 Ti's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, which scores 50,001 and is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Arc A550M, which scores 49,737 and is 0.4% slower. The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is 2% faster with a score of 50,951, while the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is 3.1% slower at 48,477. These GPUs would deliver similar frame rates in Control, with the RX 6900 XT potentially offering a few extra FPS at 4K Ultra, while the RX 6800 XT might fall slightly below the 67.4 FPS average seen here.

For users considering alternatives, the data suggests that swapping the CPU for any of these near-identical rivals would not meaningfully change performance in Control. The GPU alternatives, however, could shift results by a few percent, which might matter at 4K Ultra where the headroom above 60 FPS is thinner.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 67.4 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 achieves an average of 233.6 FPS, which is the highest measured value for this combo.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 175.5 FPS, while Ultra averages 98.5 FPS, representing a 43.9% reduction.

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

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU plays a larger role, as the RTX 5070 Ti ranks in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile. Frame rates scale more with resolution changes than with CPU-bound tasks.

Q: Does the combo ever drop below 60 FPS?

A: No, all measured settings at all three resolutions stay at or above 67.4 FPS, which is the lowest average recorded at 4K Ultra.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 averages 18,683, which is 0.9% faster than the Intel Core i3-14100F and 0.7% slower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with ease at all tested resolutions and settings. The verdict data lists every preset—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—as playable at each resolution, meaning the average FPS always exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the lowest average is 130.4 FPS at Ultra, providing a massive cushion for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers 98.5 FPS, which is still well above the threshold. Even at the most demanding configuration—3840x2160 with Ultra settings—the combo achieves 67.4 FPS, confirming that high-resolution, high-detail play is viable.

The data indicates that this system is not just playable but comfortably so, with no settings combination dipping below 60 FPS. The RTX 5070 Ti's high percentile ranking and the CPU's adequate multi-threaded performance combine to produce a well-balanced system for Control. Users targeting 4K gaming can enable Ultra settings without concern, while those with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors will see triple-digit frame rates at all presets.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 130.4 FPS. This is the recommended setting for this resolution, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate that is more than double the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best choice, averaging 98.5 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while delivering the full graphical feature set. The 98.5 FPS average is suitable for most monitors, and users with 144Hz displays will still see a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 67.4 FPS, which is the only setting at this resolution that stays above 60 FPS with the highest quality. While the margin is smaller than at lower resolutions, it remains playable. Users who prioritize higher frame rates over visual fidelity could drop to High settings for 76.5 FPS, but the data confirms Ultra is viable for a standard 60Hz 4K display.