Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a decisive performance outcome for Control: this combination is overwhelmingly capable, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution and preset with the sole exception of 4K Ultra. The data shows a system that shifts from being GPU-bound at lower resolutions to a more balanced workload at 4K, yet still maintains excellent playability. The benchmark results indicate that users can expect a smooth experience at 1440p Ultra and 1080p Ultra, with high refresh rate potential at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for this CPU and GPU combo at 1440p?

A: The verdict data identifies Ultra as the best setting at 2560x1440, achieving an average of 80 FPS. This is the highest quality preset that still maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, with caveats. At 3840x2160, the playable settings list includes High, Low, and Medium. The High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 62 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 54 FPS average, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: How much performance is gained by dropping from High to Low settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 193 FPS, while the High preset averages 122 FPS. This represents a 58% increase in average frame rate when moving from High to Low.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates recorded at Medium settings?

A: Only the Medium preset includes min/max data across all resolutions. At 4K, the minimum is 59 FPS; at 1440p, it is 88 FPS; and at 1080p, it is 116 FPS. These minimums are all at or above the 60 FPS threshold, except for the 4K figure which is one frame below it.

Q: Where does this specific CPU+GPU pairing rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: The combo rank in game is 904 out of 3720 tested combinations. This places it in the top quartile of all tested hardware pairings for Control.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, while the Tesla P4 scores 37628. The delta percentage is 0.1%, indicating virtually identical synthetic benchmark performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 becomes clear when examining frame rate scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the dominant factor; the data shows a massive 71 FPS jump from High to Low settings (122 to 193 FPS), indicating that the graphics card has ample headroom and is not bottlenecked by the processor. The CPU’s capabilities, reflected in its 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, are sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling pattern remains similar but with reduced absolute values. The High preset yields 92 FPS, while Low produces 146 FPS. The performance delta between presets shrinks slightly, suggesting that the GPU is beginning to work harder, but the CPU still provides adequate support. The 104 FPS average at Medium with a minimum of 88 FPS demonstrates consistent frame pacing, indicating that neither component is causing significant stalls.

At 3840x2160, the balance shifts noticeably toward the GPU. The High preset delivers 62 FPS, while Low reaches 98 FPS. The scaling from High to Low is less dramatic than at lower resolutions, which is typical when the GPU becomes the primary performance limiter. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, highlighting that the RTX 4070’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are stretched at 4K with maximum quality settings. The CPU’s role diminishes at this resolution, as the frame rate is more constrained by the GPU’s pixel throughput and shading capabilities.

The data shows that the i5-12400F is never the limiting factor in this pairing. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is processing 193 FPS, the processor’s 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, are sufficient to maintain high frame rates. The CPU’s performance percentile of 73 versus the GPU’s percentile of 81 suggests that the graphics card is the stronger component relative to its peers, which aligns with the observed scaling behavior.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show a wide range of performance across presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 193 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combination. The Medium preset delivers 137 FPS average, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157 FPS. High settings produce 122 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 106 FPS average. The data indicates that even at the most demanding 1080p preset, the system maintains a frame rate nearly double the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but scales down predictably. Low settings yield 146 FPS average, which is still exceptionally high for 1440p. Medium settings produce 104 FPS average, with minimum and maximum values of 88 and 119 FPS respectively. The High preset achieves 92 FPS average, while Ultra delivers 80 FPS average. All presets at this resolution stay comfortably above 60 FPS, with the lowest minimum recorded being 88 FPS at Medium settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. The Low preset achieves 98 FPS average, demonstrating that the GPU can handle 4K when graphical demands are reduced. Medium settings produce 70 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 80 FPS. The High preset delivers 62 FPS average, which just clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset falls below this threshold with a 54 FPS average, making it the only non-playable configuration in the entire dataset. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 44 FPS, which represents a significant performance range that users can exploit based on their preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear: this system can run Control effectively at all tested resolutions, with one exception. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, and the best setting is Ultra with an average of 106 FPS. This provides a substantial buffer above the 60 FPS threshold, making it ideal for high refresh rate displays. At 2560x1440, all presets are also playable, with Ultra being the best option at 80 FPS average. This is the sweet spot for this hardware, offering high visual quality while maintaining smooth performance.

At 3840x2160, the system remains viable but requires setting adjustments. The playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best choice at 62 FPS average. This is right at the playable threshold, so users seeking a more consistent experience might prefer Medium, which averages 70 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is not playable, as its 54 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS requirement. Overall, the data shows that this combination is a strong performer for Control, with the caveat that 4K Ultra is the only configuration that fails to meet playability standards.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS scores 19047, representing a 0% delta, meaning these processors deliver essentially identical synthetic performance. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056 with a -0.1% delta, and the Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982 with a 0.3% delta. The AMD EPYC 7773X also scores 18979 with a 0.3% delta. In practical terms for Control, any of these CPUs would likely produce very similar frame rates when paired with the RTX 4070, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the tested resolutions.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 is the closest rival with a score of 37628 and a 0.1% delta, indicating near-identical performance. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507 with a 0.4% delta, which is also very close. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135 with a -1.3% delta, meaning it is slightly faster in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157 with a 1.3% delta, making it slightly slower. Users considering alternative GPUs in this performance class could expect similar frame rates in Control, with the RTX 4080 Mobile potentially offering a small improvement and the Radeon PRO W6400 a small deficit.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 904th out of 3720 tested combinations for Control. This places the system in the 76th percentile of all tested hardware pairings, indicating that it performs better than roughly three-quarters of the configurations in the database. The ranking reflects the strong balance between the CPU’s 73rd percentile performance and the GPU’s 81st percentile performance.

This rank suggests that while the system is not at the absolute top tier, it is well above average for this game. The data shows that the bottleneck is primarily the GPU at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra preset failing to reach 60 FPS. However, given that the combo clears the playable threshold at 4K High, 1440p Ultra, and 1080p Ultra, the 904th rank reflects the overall capability of this pairing. For users seeking a high-refresh-rate 1080p experience or a solid 1440p Ultra experience, this combination performs admirably. For 4K enthusiasts, the system is adequate but requires preset adjustments to maintain smooth gameplay.