Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers a high-refresh-rate experience in Control at 1080p and 1440p, while remaining playable at 4K with a settings adjustment. The data shows a system that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold at most configurations, with the primary compromise occurring only at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which produces an average of 62 FPS. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS, and Low reaches 98 FPS, but High offers the best visual fidelity while still clearing the 60 FPS line. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 54 FPS, which falls short of the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), every preset clears 60 FPS, so the best settings are Ultra, delivering an average of 80 FPS. This leaves substantial headroom above the threshold, making Ultra the obvious choice for maximum image quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system is similarly unconstrained. The Ultra preset averages 105 FPS, which is the highest quality option and still well above 60 FPS. Lower presets offer higher frame rates—Medium at 136 FPS, High at 121 FPS, Low at 192 FPS—but none are necessary for maintaining playability.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Core i5-12400F and RTX 3080 Ti ranks 981st out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top quarter of all systems evaluated. This rank reflects a strong pairing where the GPU's high-end capabilities are matched with a capable six-core CPU.

The CPU itself sits at the 73rd percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 19,039. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores nearly identically at 19,047, a delta of 0%. The Intel Core 3 201E is 0.1% behind, while the Intel Core i5-1335U and AMD EPYC 7773X are both 0.3% ahead. This places the i5-12400F in a tightly contested mid-range tier where single-thread and multi-thread performance are balanced.

The RTX 3080 Ti performs at the 83rd percentile among GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41,187. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which is 0.8% behind, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, which is 2% ahead. The NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB and Tesla M40 trail by 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively. This GPU is clearly a high-end part, and the measured FPS data confirms it drives Control effectively even at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, Medium averages 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS and maximum of 80 FPS, High averages 62 FPS, and Ultra averages 54 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 59 FPS is the only recorded value below the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution, though it is a single dip rather than a sustained average.

At 2560x1440, performance scales upward significantly. Low averages 145 FPS, Medium averages 103 FPS with a range of 88 to 118 FPS, High averages 92 FPS, and Ultra averages 80 FPS. All presets maintain minimums above 60 FPS, with the Medium preset's minimum of 88 FPS showing consistent headroom.

At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-bound at lower settings and CPU-bound at higher settings. Low averages 192 FPS, Medium averages 136 FPS with a range of 116 to 157 FPS, High averages 121 FPS, and Ultra averages 105 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 87 FPS, indicating that the GPU's rendering load scales considerably with quality settings, but even the most demanding preset leaves ample performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K with ray tracing?

A: The measured data does not include ray tracing presets. At 4K, the High preset averages 62 FPS and Ultra averages 54 FPS, so enabling ray tracing would likely push performance below the 60 FPS threshold, but no specific ray tracing figures are available.

Q: What is the best settings choice for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 80 FPS, which is below 144 Hz but well above 60 FPS. To approach 144 Hz, you would need to use the Low preset, which averages 145 FPS, or the Medium preset at 103 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes less of a bottleneck as resolution drops. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 192 FPS, which is very high, but the scaling from Low to Ultra (192 to 105 FPS) still shows a significant GPU workload. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking indicates it is adequate, but frame rates above 190 FPS likely approach CPU limits.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to the RTX 5070 in this game?

A: The benchmark data shows the RTX 5070 has an average GPU score 2% higher than the RTX 3080 Ti. In Control, this would translate to a small FPS advantage, but the measured FPS figures for this specific combo are based on the 3080 Ti, so exact in-game differences are not provided.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 4K Medium?

A: The 4K Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 59 and an average of 70 FPS. This minimum is just below the 60 FPS threshold, though the average is comfortably above it.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: No. The 4K Ultra preset averages 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. You would need to drop to High (62 FPS average) or Medium (70 FPS average) to stay above 60 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The interaction between the CPU and GPU becomes clearer when comparing resolutions and presets. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant factor. The difference between Low (98 FPS) and Ultra (54 FPS) is 44 FPS, representing a 45% drop in performance as settings increase. This substantial scaling indicates the GPU's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames at these lower rates.

At 2560x1440, the GPU remains the main bottleneck, but the CPU starts to play a larger role. The drop from Low (145 FPS) to Ultra (80 FPS) is 65 FPS, a 45% reduction. The absolute frame rates are higher than at 4K, which means the CPU must process more draw calls and physics updates. The i5-12400F's 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz appears sufficient, as even Ultra maintains 80 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's influence becomes most apparent. The Low preset hits 192 FPS, which approaches the practical limit for many gaming CPUs. The scaling from Low to Ultra (192 to 105 FPS) is less dramatic in percentage terms (45% drop) but the absolute values suggest the CPU is nearing its ceiling at the highest frame rates. The Medium preset's minimum of 116 FPS and maximum of 157 FPS show consistent delivery, but the 192 FPS average at Low indicates the CPU is likely the limiting factor at that extreme.

Across all resolutions, the RTX 3080 Ti's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth provide ample capacity for Control's textures and effects. The GPU's 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are not directly measured in this data, but the high FPS figures at 4K High suggest the Ampere architecture handles the game's demands efficiently.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control successfully at all three tested resolutions, with clear guidance on settings. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best choice at an average of 62 FPS. Ultra is not playable, averaging 54 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets—High, Low, Medium, and Ultra—are playable, with Ultra delivering 80 FPS as the best option. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, and Ultra averages 105 FPS, providing a high-quality experience with significant headroom.

The verdict is straightforward: for a 4K display, cap settings at High; for 1440p or 1080p, enable Ultra without concern. The system ranks 981st out of 3,720 combos, which is a strong position, and the measured data confirms that the RTX 3080 Ti paired with the i5-12400F delivers a smooth experience in Control across the board. The only compromise is at 4K Ultra, where the 54 FPS average falls just short of the 60 FPS threshold, but the High preset offers nearly identical visuals at 62 FPS.