Control

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a solid, high-refresh-rate experience in Control, but 4K gaming requires compromises. The data shows this combo ranks in the 43rd percentile of tested configurations, placing it in the upper-middle tier for this title. The benchmark results are clear: 1440p and 1080p are fully playable at maximum settings, while 4K Ultra remains out of reach, though lower presets at that resolution remain viable.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Low, which hits an average of 80.6 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 57.2 FPS, falling just below the playable threshold. High and Ultra average 48.3 FPS and 44.8 FPS respectively, so those are not recommended for a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the story improves dramatically. The Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS, delivering an average of 69.1 FPS. This means you can run the game at its highest visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset averages 75.2 FPS, Medium hits 88.3 FPS, and Low reaches 121.4 FPS, all comfortably above the threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, averaging 84.4 FPS. This resolution offers the most headroom, with High at 101.2 FPS, Medium at 110.8 FPS, and Low at 159.4 FPS. For players prioritizing maximum frame rates on a 1080p display, the Low preset provides an exceptionally fluid experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 achieves a combo rank of 1595 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places it in the 57th percentile of all tested hardware pairings for this specific game. While not a top-tier enthusiast setup, the data indicates this combo outperforms more than half of all other tested systems, which is a strong result for a mid-range to upper-mid-range configuration.

The ranking reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. The RTX 3070 provides the graphical muscle, while the i5-12600KF’s 10 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient to keep up at the resolutions tested. The benchmark results show that the system is not CPU-bound in most scenarios, allowing the GPU to be the primary driver of frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. All figures are average FPS, as no minimum or maximum data was recorded.

At 3840x2160, the results are as follows:

• Low: 80.6 FPS
• Medium: 57.2 FPS
• High: 48.3 FPS
• Ultra: 44.8 FPS

The drop from Low to Medium is significant, representing a 29% reduction in frame rate. This suggests that the GPU’s 8GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being stressed at higher settings, likely due to texture and effects memory pressure.

At 2560x1440, the performance curve is much more forgiving:

• Low: 121.4 FPS
• Medium: 88.3 FPS
• High: 75.2 FPS
• Ultra: 69.1 FPS

The gap between Medium and Ultra is 19.2 FPS, which is manageable. Notably, the Ultra preset at 1440p still delivers a higher average frame rate than the Medium preset at 4K, highlighting the resolution scaling efficiency of this hardware combination.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its strength:

• Low: 159.4 FPS
• Medium: 110.8 FPS
• High: 101.2 FPS
• Ultra: 84.4 FPS

Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS exceeds 84, which is excellent for a demanding action-adventure title. The difference between Low and Ultra is 75 FPS, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even at lower settings where the GPU is not the bottleneck.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals to the Intel Core i5-12600KF include several processors with nearly identical average benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, which is 0.3% higher than the i5-12600KF’s 27799. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887, also 0.3% higher. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27872, 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27712, 0.3% lower. In practice, any of these CPUs would deliver essentially identical performance in Control, as the differences are within the margin of error for benchmark testing.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070’s nearest rivals show similar clustering. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average score of 17083, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 3070’s 17208. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037, 1.0% lower, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, 1.1% lower. On the higher end, the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468, which is 1.5% higher. These delta percentages indicate that swapping the RTX 3070 for any of these cards would produce a nearly identical frame rate in Control, though the RX 7600 XT is the closest direct competitor.

FAQ

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

A: The data does not include ray tracing-specific measurements. At 4K without ray tracing, the best playable setting is Low with an average of 80.6 FPS. Higher presets at 4K fall below 60 FPS, so enabling ray tracing would likely require further reductions.

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

A: The Ultra preset averages 69.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold but below 144 FPS. To approach 144Hz, the Low preset at 121.4 FPS is the only option that gets close, though it still falls short of the full refresh rate.

Q: How does the i5-12600KF compare to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D for this game?

A: The Ryzen 7 5800X3D has an average benchmark score of 27896, which is 0.3% higher than the i5-12600KF’s 27799. In Control, this translates to a negligible difference, likely less than 1 FPS in most scenes.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 bottlenecked by the i5-12600KF at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset reaches 159.4 FPS, suggesting the CPU can drive high frame rates. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 75 FPS drop, which indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings rather than the CPU.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested systems for Control?

A: The combo ranks 1595 out of 3720 tested configurations, placing it in the 57th percentile. This means it outperforms 57% of all other tested hardware combinations for this specific game.

Q: Does the 8GB VRAM on the RTX 3070 limit performance at 4K?

A: The data shows a sharp drop from Low (80.6 FPS) to Medium (57.2 FPS) at 4K, a 29% reduction. This suggests that memory capacity or bandwidth may be a factor at higher settings, though the exact cause is not specified in the benchmark data.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 can run Control effectively, but the experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset, with Ultra averaging 84.4 FPS. This makes 1080p fully playable at maximum settings, and the Low preset at 159.4 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. At 2560x1440, all four presets also remain above 60 FPS, with Ultra at 69.1 FPS being the recommended choice for the best visual quality. The system is fully capable at this resolution, offering a smooth experience without needing to compromise on settings.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more restrictive. Only the Low preset achieves an average of 80.6 FPS, which is above the playable threshold. Medium at 57.2 FPS, High at 48.3 FPS, and Ultra at 44.8 FPS all fall short of 60 FPS. Therefore, 4K gaming is possible but only at the lowest settings. For players who prioritize visual fidelity over resolution, the 1440p Ultra preset is the sweet spot. For those who must game at 4K, the Low preset provides a playable, though visually reduced, experience. Overall, this hardware combination is a strong performer for Control at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring significant setting adjustments.