Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT delivers a solid Control experience at 1080p, but higher resolutions demand significant settings compromises. At 1920x1080, this combination achieves playable frame rates across all presets, with Ultra settings averaging 71.2 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the system remains comfortable at Medium settings with 66.5 FPS, while 4K requires dropping to Low settings to barely clear the 60 FPS threshold at 60.6 FPS. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for 1080p gaming but increasingly GPU-limited as resolution scales upward.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: Yes. Benchmark results show an average of 71.2 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold by 11.2 FPS. This is the most demanding preset tested at this resolution.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: Medium settings provide the highest visual quality while maintaining playability, averaging 66.5 FPS. High settings drop to 57.2 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra averages just 53.7 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware combo?

A: Only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 60.6. Medium settings average 44.8 FPS, High drops to 40.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 31.9 FPS. The system is not suitable for 4K at higher presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F scores 19039 on average benchmarks, placing it at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, a mere 0.04% difference. The Intel Core 3 201E is 0.1% behind, while the Intel Core i5-1335U and AMD EPYC 7773X are both 0.3% ahead.

Q: How does the GPU stack up against similar-performing alternatives?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT has an average benchmark score of 19765, placing it at the 65th percentile among all GPUs. The NVIDIA Tesla K40m is 0.6% faster with a score of 19885, while the AMD FirePro W7000 is 0.7% faster at 19905. The AMD FirePro D300 scores 19637 (0.7% slower) and the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 scores 19602 (0.8% slower).

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The system achieves an average of 120.6 FPS at 1920x1080 Low, which is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold. This represents the highest frame rate recorded across all tested resolution and settings combinations.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU performance data provides context for what other hardware might deliver similar results. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with an average benchmark score of 19039, sits in a tight cluster of processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS is essentially identical at 19047, making it the closest performance match. The Intel Core 3 201E trails by just 0.1%, while both the Intel Core i5-1335U and AMD EPYC 7773X are 0.3% ahead. Any of these CPUs would likely produce nearly indistinguishable gaming frame rates in Control, as the delta between them is negligible.

For the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT's average score of 19765 places it among a group of professional and workstation cards. The NVIDIA Quadro K5200 and AMD FirePro W7000 are 0.8% and 0.7% faster respectively, while the AMD FirePro D300 is 0.7% slower. The NVIDIA Tesla K40m is 0.6% faster. These alternatives would deliver comparable performance in Control, though the Radeon's gaming-oriented feature set may offer better driver optimization for this title. The performance deltas are so small that users would not perceive meaningful differences in frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts. At 1920x1080, the system shows strong scaling from Low to Ultra: 120.6 FPS at Low, 89 at Medium, 79.8 at High, and 71.2 at Ultra. The performance drop from Low to Ultra is 49.4 FPS, indicating that the GPU has headroom at lower presets and becomes the limiting factor as settings increase. The CPU's capabilities are sufficient to feed the GPU even at Low settings, where the 120.6 FPS result suggests neither component is severely bottlenecked.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates compress significantly: 94.7 FPS at Low, 66.5 at Medium, 57.2 at High, and 53.7 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 41 FPS, but the absolute values drop. This pattern indicates the GPU is increasingly stressed by the higher pixel count, while the CPU maintains its ability to handle the game's logic. At this resolution, the GPU becomes the dominant factor in determining playability, as the step from Medium to High crosses the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. Frame rates range from 60.6 FPS at Low down to 31.9 FPS at Ultra. The CPU's role is diminished because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to require more processing power. The scaling from Low to Medium shows a drop of 15.8 FPS, while High and Ultra continue the decline. This is a classic GPU-bound scenario where resolution increases have a disproportionate impact on performance, and the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate for the workload.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT ranks 2405 out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 64.7th percentile of all configurations. This rank reflects the system's overall capability across all tested resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this combo outperforms roughly two-thirds of tested systems, positioning it as a mid-to-upper tier configuration for this game.

The rank is influenced by the balance between the CPU and GPU. The i5-12400F's 73rd percentile standing among CPUs contributes positively, while the RX 6650 XT's 65th percentile among GPUs provides solid graphical performance. The gap between the two component percentiles is modest, suggesting a reasonably balanced pairing. However, the 4K results drag down the overall rank, as the GPU struggles at that resolution. At 1080p, this combo would rank substantially higher relative to other systems, as the frame rates demonstrate strong performance.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows that this PC can run Control, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four tested presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — averaging above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers 71.2 FPS, providing headroom above the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at Low (94.7 FPS) and Medium (66.5 FPS), but High (57.2 FPS) and Ultra (53.7 FPS) fall short of the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve playable performance with an average of 60.6 FPS. Medium drops to 44.8 FPS, High to 40.1 FPS, and Ultra to 31.9 FPS. The verdict is that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can run Control at maximum settings with comfortable frame rates. For 1440p users, Medium settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance. 4K gaming is technically possible but only at the lowest preset, with no margin for error above the 60 FPS threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Low, which achieves 60.6 FPS. This is the only playable option at 4K, and the margin above the threshold is extremely thin — just 0.6 FPS. Users seeking a stable experience at this resolution should consider that any demanding scene could push frame rates below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings provide the best visual quality while staying above the threshold, averaging 66.5 FPS. This gives a 6.5 FPS buffer over the playable limit, which is more comfortable than the 4K situation. Low settings are also an option at 94.7 FPS for users prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings deliver an average of 71.2 FPS, making it the recommended configuration for the best visual experience. This provides an 11.2 FPS buffer above the threshold. For users with high-refresh-rate displays, Low settings at 120.6 FPS or Medium at 89 FPS offer smoother motion, while High at 79.8 FPS balances quality and performance. The 1080p Ultra result confirms that this combo can fully max out Control at the most common gaming resolution.