Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a specific performance profile for Control, anchored by measured data rather than speculation. The CPU holds a 73rd percentile ranking against all tested processors, while the GPU sits at the 68th percentile, indicating a balanced pairing where neither component drastically outstrips the other in synthetic benchmarks. The measured frame rates across resolutions and presets provide a clear picture of what this configuration can deliver, with the data showing that 1080p Ultra is achievable, 1440p requires a setting compromise, and 4K remains out of reach for smooth gameplay.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU place this combo in familiar territory. The Intel Core i5-12400F’s average benchmark score of 19039 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which scores 19047 with a deltaPct of 0. The Intel Core 3 201E trails by a mere 0.1% at 19056, while the Intel Core i5-1335U is 0.3% behind at 18982. The AMD EPYC 7773X also matches within 0.3% at 18979. This means the CPU’s compute performance in Control will be effectively indistinguishable from these alternatives, so any frame rate differences in game would stem from the GPU or platform-level factors, not the processor itself.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580’s average score of 23021 places it alongside some notable cards. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, a 0.2% advantage, making it a near-exact performance match. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, a 0.7% higher result. The NVIDIA P106-100 is 1% higher at 23249. In practical terms for Control, the Arc B580 will deliver frame rates within a few percentage points of these GPUs. A user moving from an RTX 2080 to this Arc B580 should expect nearly identical performance in this title, while an RTX 3080 would offer a slight but measurable edge.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting factor for Control at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides sufficient headroom at lower settings. At 1920x1080, the scaling between presets shows a clear GPU-bound trend. Low settings average 111.6 FPS, Medium drops to 79 FPS, High falls to 74.4 FPS, and Ultra settles at 63.3 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 48.3 FPS, which is substantial and directly tied to GPU load. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, are more than adequate to feed the GPU at this resolution, as evidenced by the high Low-preset frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU’s workload increases significantly. Low settings still manage 85 FPS, but Medium drops to 62.5 FPS, High to 51.8 FPS, and Ultra to 49.9 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra shrinks to 35.1 FPS, but the absolute numbers reveal that the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates beyond Medium. The CPU is not the bottleneck here; the Arc B580’s 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 456.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are simply insufficient for higher presets at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. Low settings yield 58.7 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold, while Medium drops to 40.1 FPS, High to 35.4 FPS, and Ultra to 31.2 FPS. The 27.5 FPS difference between Low and Ultra demonstrates that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are exhausted. The CPU’s role becomes negligible at 4K, as the frame rates are dictated entirely by the Arc B580’s rendering capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this setup ranks 2844 out of 3720 combos for Control, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This percentile position is consistent with the measured frame rates, which show that the combo cannot max out the game at 1440p or 4K. The rank reflects that many other CPU-GPU pairings outperform it, particularly those with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 3080, which scores 0.7% higher in synthetic benchmarks.

The ranking also suggests that the combo is not optimized for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming in Control, but it is firmly capable of 1080p Ultra and 1440p Medium. The data indicates that the GPU is the weaker link, as the CPU’s 73rd percentile rank is higher than the GPU’s 68th percentile. Users seeking better performance in this game would benefit more from a GPU upgrade than a CPU swap, though the CPU’s nearest rivals show that it is already a solid match for this workload.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the measured data shows that Ultra settings at 1920x1080 achieve an average of 63.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the best settings preset for this resolution.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: The highest playable preset at 2560x1440 is Medium, with an average of 62.5 FPS. High settings drop to 51.8 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is 3840x2160 playable at any preset?

A: No, none of the tested presets at 3840x2160 reach 60 FPS. Low settings average 58.7 FPS, which is close but still below the playable threshold, and all other presets are lower.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 in this game?

A: The Arc B580’s average benchmark score is 23021, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 2080’s 22895. This indicates near-identical performance, so frame rates in Control would be essentially the same.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-12400F bottleneck the Arc B580?

A: The data suggests no. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 19039 is near its rivals, and at 1080p Low the combo achieves 111.6 FPS, showing that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The frame rate drops at higher resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 High is 74.4 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the Arc B580 delivers 58.7 FPS on Low, 40.1 FPS on Medium, 35.4 FPS on High, and 31.2 FPS on Ultra. The progression shows a steep drop as settings increase, with Ultra being 27.5 FPS slower than Low. The min and max FPS values are not available in the data, so only averages are reported.

Moving to 2560x1440, Low settings produce 85 FPS, Medium 62.5 FPS, High 51.8 FPS, and Ultra 49.9 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 35.1 FPS, but the more notable gap is between Medium and High, which is 10.7 FPS. This indicates that High settings introduce a significant additional GPU load that the card cannot sustain above 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the data shows 111.6 FPS on Low, 79 FPS on Medium, 74.4 FPS on High, and 63.3 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 32.6 FPS, but the subsequent drops are smaller: 4.6 FPS from Medium to High and 11.1 FPS from High to Ultra. The Ultra preset remains playable at 63.3 FPS, which is just 3.3 FPS above the threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS, so there is no recommended setting. Low comes closest at 58.7 FPS, but it still falls short of the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is Medium, with an average of 62.5 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS. Low also clears the threshold at 85 FPS, but Medium offers higher visual quality while maintaining smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the best playable preset is Ultra, with an average of 63.3 FPS. This is the highest quality setting tested and it remains above the 60 FPS threshold. All presets at this resolution are playable, but Ultra provides the full experience.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows that this PC can run Control, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo handles every preset, including Ultra at 63.3 FPS, making it fully capable of a high-quality experience. At 2560x1440, the system is limited to Low and Medium presets, with Medium at 62.5 FPS being the best option for visual fidelity while maintaining smoothness. The 3840x2160 resolution is not playable at any setting, as the highest average FPS is 58.7 on Low, which fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold.

The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1080p is fully playable, 1440p is partially playable with a setting compromise, and 4K is not viable. The Intel Core i5-12400F provides sufficient CPU performance, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low, but the Intel Arc B580 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. Users targeting 1440p or 4K would need to lower settings significantly or consider a more powerful GPU, but for 1080p gaming, this combo delivers a smooth and visually rich experience in Control.