Control

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2901 out of 3720 tested combinations for Control. That places this configuration in the lower half of all recorded systems, around the 22nd percentile among combos. The ranking reflects that while the CPU is a strong mid-range part, the GPU carries most of the workload in this title, and the RTX 2060 sits in the middle of the GPU performance distribution.

For context, the RTX 2060 holds the 58th percentile among all GPUs in the database. The i5-12400F sits at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. The gap between those two positions explains the overall ranking: the combo is limited by the graphics card, not the processor. The game's demands scale heavily with resolution and settings, and the recorded frames per second show the GPU becoming the decisive factor as pixel count rises.

The data indicates this combination is adequate for 1080p play at most presets, acceptable for 1440p only at low settings, and not suitable for 4K at any preset. The rank of 2901 out of 3720 suggests that many other tested pairings deliver higher averages, but the specific strengths and weaknesses of this CPU and GPU become clearer when examining per-resolution behavior.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results show a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. At 1920x1080, the CPU contributes enough headroom that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The average frame rate drops from 107.4 FPS at low settings to 62.1 FPS at ultra, a reduction of 42 percent. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where raising graphical quality increases the load on the graphics card while the processor waits for work.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern continues but with steeper declines. Low settings produce 83 FPS, medium drops to 59.5 FPS, high falls to 50.4 FPS, and ultra bottoms out at 43.7 FPS. The step from low to medium alone costs 23.5 FPS, which indicates the RTX 2060's 6 GB frame buffer and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are being pushed harder as texture and shading demands grow. The CPU's role diminishes further at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for performance. Low settings average 52.6 FPS, medium drops to 40.8 FPS, high falls to 34.4 FPS, and ultra reaches just 30 FPS. The delta between low and ultra is 22.6 FPS, and no preset crosses the 60 FPS threshold. The i5-12400F has ample single-thread and multi-thread capacity, as shown by its Cinebench R23 scores of 1680 single-core and 12380 multi-core, but that power is underutilized because the RTX 2060 cannot render frames fast enough at 4K.

The scaling between resolutions reinforces this interpretation. At low settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces the average from 107.4 FPS to 83 FPS, a 23 percent drop. Moving from 1440p to 4K reduces it from 83 FPS to 52.6 FPS, a 37 percent drop. These are classic GPU-limited patterns. A CPU-limited scenario would show much smaller frame rate differences when resolution changes, but the data shows large, consistent declines.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals in the database for the Intel Core i5-12400F provide context for how much CPU headroom this combo has. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS posts an average benchmark score of 19047, essentially identical to the i5-12400F's 19039, a delta of 0 percent. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, which is 0.1 percent higher. The Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982, 0.3 percent lower, and the AMD EPYC 7773X scores 18979, also 0.3 percent lower. Any of these processors would behave similarly in a gaming workload like Control, where the GPU dominates the frame rate.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, the nearest rivals are equally close. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 scores 15283, a 0 percent delta from the RTX 2060's 15290. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, 0.1 percent lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, 0.6 percent lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171, 0.8 percent lower. These small deltas mean a system using any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control, assuming the same CPU and settings.

The practical implication is that users considering upgrades or replacements for either component should expect minimal performance differences within these rival groups. Swapping the i5-12400F for a Ryzen 5 7535HS would not measurably change Control's frame rates, and moving from an RTX 2060 to an RX 7600 would improve scores by less than 1 percent in the database's aggregate benchmarks. The recorded data does not suggest any of these alternatives would push the combo into a higher playable tier at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 60 FPS on 1920x1080?

A: Yes. All four tested presets at 1920x1080 exceed 60 FPS: low averages 107.4 FPS, medium averages 76.7 FPS, high averages 67.8 FPS, and ultra averages 62.1 FPS.

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

A: The only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is low, with an average of 83 FPS. Medium drops to 59.5 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average is 52.6 FPS on low settings. Medium averages 40.8 FPS, high averages 34.4 FPS, and ultra averages 30 FPS. No preset reaches 60 FPS.

Q: How close is the RTX 2060 to the RTX 3050 OEM in overall GPU performance?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, while the RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, a delta of 0.6 percent. The RTX 2060 is marginally faster in the database's aggregate measurements.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in Control?

A: No. The frame rate scaling between resolutions and presets indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores within 0.1 percent, and the processor has sufficient headroom for the RTX 2060's output.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1920x1080 ultra?

A: The recorded average is 62.1 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold but leaves little margin for demanding scenes or background processes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Intel Core i5-12400F and RTX 2060 deliver their strongest results. Low settings average 107.4 FPS, medium averages 76.7 FPS, high averages 67.8 FPS, and ultra averages 62.1 FPS. The step from low to medium costs 30.7 FPS, while the step from high to ultra costs 5.7 FPS, indicating diminishing returns as settings approach maximum.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 83 FPS, medium averages 59.5 FPS, high averages 50.4 FPS, and ultra averages 43.7 FPS. The gap between low and medium is 23.5 FPS, and the gap between medium and high is 9.1 FPS. Only low settings remain above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the combo falls below playable levels across the board. Low settings average 52.6 FPS, medium averages 40.8 FPS, high averages 34.4 FPS, and ultra averages 30 FPS. The difference between low and ultra is 22.6 FPS, and the ultra preset delivers exactly 30 FPS, which matches common console-style frame pacing but falls far short of the 60 FPS target.

The data shows no min or max frame rate recordings for any resolution or preset, so the analysis relies on averages only. Users sensitive to frame time spikes should note that the average values may not capture brief drops, particularly at 1440p medium where the average sits at 59.5 FPS, so close to the threshold that any variance could push individual moments below 60 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is ultra, with an average of 62.1 FPS. This is the highest quality setting tested, and it clears the threshold by 2.1 FPS. The margin is slim, but the recorded data confirms that ultra is playable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the only preset that clears 60 FPS is low, with an average of 83 FPS. Medium falls to 59.5 FPS, which is below the threshold, so low is the best playable option. The 23.5 FPS gap between low and medium suggests that medium would require a stronger GPU to become viable.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. Low averages 52.6 FPS, which is the highest recorded result at this resolution, but it is still 7.4 FPS short of the playable threshold. The verdict data lists no playable settings and no best settings for 4K, confirming that this combo cannot sustain smooth gameplay at that resolution.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 can run Control, but the experience depends entirely on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on every preset, including ultra at 62.1 FPS. This is the resolution where the combo performs best, and the data supports playing at maximum quality with only a small margin above the target.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is conditional. Low settings average 83 FPS, which is comfortably playable, but medium drops to 59.5 FPS, just under the 60 FPS threshold. Users who want higher visual quality at 1440p would need to accept frame rates slightly below the target or reduce settings to low.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is clear: this combo cannot run Control at 60 FPS. The best result is 52.6 FPS on low settings, and ultra averages exactly 30 FPS. The RTX 2060's 6 GB GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the rendering load at 4K, and the CPU's headroom cannot compensate.

Overall, the database records this combo as a 1080p gaming configuration for Control. It handles the game well at that resolution, offers a single playable preset at 1440p, and fails to reach playable levels at 4K. The GPU is the limiting factor in every scenario, and the CPU's performance is more than adequate for the task.