Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is an unusual but highly effective combination for Control. The data shows this pairing delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions and presets, with the RTX 5090 D clearly dominating performance. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and optimal settings based solely on the provided benchmark data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces its highest raw frame rates. The Low preset averages 233 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this pairing. Stepping up to Medium yields an average of 205 FPS, with a minimum of 175 FPS and a maximum of 236 FPS. High settings average 188 FPS, while the most demanding Ultra preset still manages an average of 163 FPS. All of these figures are far above the 60 FPS playability threshold, indicating that the game runs with enormous headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down but remains exceptionally strong. The Low preset averages 213 FPS, a drop of 20 FPS from 1080p. Medium averages 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS. High settings average 142 FPS, and Ultra averages 124 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a performance reduction of roughly 20-25% across the presets, which is a typical cost of increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the 4K resolution is where the workload becomes more demanding, but the RTX 5090 D still delivers excellent results. The Low preset averages 152 FPS, which is still more than double the playability threshold. Medium averages 108 FPS, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS. High settings average 96 FPS, and Ultra drops to an average of 83 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a more significant hit, with performance falling by roughly 30-40% depending on the preset, which demonstrates the GPU is handling a much heavier pixel workload.

The Medium preset data is the only one that includes minimum and maximum frame rate figures. At 1080p, the 175 FPS minimum shows that even in the most demanding scenes, the system never comes close to dropping below the 60 FPS target. At 1440p, the 136 FPS minimum is similarly strong. At 4K, the 92 FPS minimum is still well above 60 FPS, confirming that the system maintains smooth performance even during heavy action sequences.

The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at each resolution is substantial. At 1080p, the gap is 70 FPS (233 vs 163 FPS). At 1440p, the gap is 89 FPS (213 vs 124 FPS). At 4K, the gap is 69 FPS (152 vs 83 FPS). This indicates the Ultra preset is placing a heavy load on the GPU, but the RTX 5090 D has enough reserve capacity to handle it at all three resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the dominant factor in this pairing for Control. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides a solid foundation, but the data shows that frame rates scale primarily with the graphics workload rather than CPU capability. The RTX 5090 D is ranked in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-12400F is in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. This gap in relative performance directly explains why the GPU is the clear bottleneck.

Evidence of this comes from the resolution scaling between presets. When moving from 1080p Low to 4K Low, the average FPS drops from 233 to 152, a reduction of 81 FPS. This massive drop is entirely attributed to the GPU, as the CPU is doing the same work at all resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely working near its maximum capacity to feed the GPU, but the GPU is so fast that it still waits on the CPU. As resolution increases, the GPU takes longer to render each frame, which gives the CPU more time to prepare the next frame.

The performance difference between the Medium and Ultra presets is another indicator of GPU dominance. At 4K, the Ultra preset (83 FPS) is 25 FPS slower than Medium (108 FPS). This is a 23% performance penalty from a single settings change, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU is not affected by graphical settings in the same way; it is the GPU that does the heavy lifting for visual effects.

The i5-12400F's single-thread performance is respectable, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1964. However, the data suggests this is sufficient for Control at all tested settings. The minimum FPS figures, which often expose CPU bottlenecks, stay high even at lower resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 175 FPS, which indicates the CPU can maintain a high frame delivery rate.

In summary, the RTX 5090 D is the primary driver of the frame rates in every scenario. The CPU is sufficient to avoid becoming a limiting factor, even at the lowest resolution and settings where CPU overhead is typically most visible. The GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS of fp32 performance and the 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth are the key specifications that make this possible.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best setting, achieving an average of 163 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available and it still maintains an enormous margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows that the system can easily handle the full visual fidelity of the game at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, with an average of 124 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a perfect balance of high-quality visuals and smooth performance. The 124 FPS average is 64 FPS above the playable threshold, providing plenty of headroom for demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset also remains the best setting, with an average of 83 FPS. While this is lower than the other resolutions, it still exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by 23 FPS. The RTX 5090 D is one of the few GPUs that can handle 4K Ultra settings in Control with such a high frame rate. The data shows that this is the only resolution where the Ultra preset drops below 100 FPS, but it remains perfectly playable.

FAQ

Q: Can this setup run Control at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The data shows the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 83 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the highest settings and resolution combination measured in the data.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 D?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the main performance driver. The RTX 5090 D is in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, while the i5-12400F is in the 73rd percentile. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor rather than the CPU.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate you can expect at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 136 FPS. This is the lowest recorded frame figure for that specific configuration, and it is still more than double the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How many FPS are you losing when going from Low to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 233 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 163 FPS. This is a performance difference of 70 FPS between the lowest and highest graphical presets.

Q: Is this combination’s performance consistent across all presets?

A: The data indicates a consistent scaling pattern. At 4K, the frame rates range from 152 FPS (Low) to 83 FPS (Ultra), with Medium (108 FPS) and High (96 FPS) falling in between. This shows a predictable drop in performance as the preset demands more from the GPU.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded in the data?

A: The highest average FPS in the dataset is 233 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. The highest maximum FPS recorded is 236 FPS at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with outstanding performance at all tested resolutions and settings. The verdict by resolution is clear: all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at every resolution, as they all exceed the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the system is effectively overkill. The lowest average FPS is 163 FPS on Ultra, which is nearly three times the playable threshold. This is a great setup for high refresh rate monitors, as the system can easily drive 144Hz or higher displays at maximum settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance is still exceptional. The Ultra preset averages 124 FPS, which is perfect for a 144Hz monitor. The system has enough headroom to maintain smooth gameplay even in the most demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the system is very capable. The Ultra preset averages 83 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. This is a very strong result for 4K gaming, as it allows for full visual quality without compromising on frame rate. The data shows this is a high-end setup that can handle the game’s demands.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination ranks at position 44 out of 3720 tested combos in the game Control. This puts it in the top percentile of all tested hardware configurations for this title. The high ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 5090 D, which is in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, showcasing its top-tier performance.

The GPU’s closest rivals in the benchmark database are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (with a score delta of 1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (with a delta of -1.6%), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (with a delta of -2.1%). These are the GPUs with the most similar average benchmark scores, but the RTX 5090 D still performs best in this specific game.

The CPU’s nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (delta 0%), the Intel Core 3 201E (delta -0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-1335U (delta 0.3%). This shows that the i5-12400F is a solid mid-range CPU, but it is not the top performer in its class. However, this does not matter for this game, as the data shows the GPU is the dominant factor.

The rank of 44 out of 3720 is a strong result, indicating that this combo is one of the best tested for Control. It places the system in the top 1.2% of all tested combinations, which is an excellent outcome. This rank reflects the RTX 5090 D’s raw power, as the CPU is a more modest component. The user can expect top-tier performance in this game, and the data confirms that this is a high-end combination.