Control

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a versatile performance profile in Control, with benchmark results showing a clear progression of frame rates across resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160, the combo maintains an average of 62.3 FPS on High settings, while dropping to 52.6 FPS on Ultra, indicating that 4K gaming requires a slight compromise on the highest preset. Moving to 2560x1440, the system achieves 75.5 FPS on Ultra, and at 1920x1080, it reaches 101.2 FPS on the same preset, demonstrating ample headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data positions this configuration as a strong performer for the game, with the RTX 3080’s 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and the i5-12600KF’s 10 cores working in tandem to handle the title’s demands across all tested scenarios.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have nearby hardware that would produce comparable results in Control, based on aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Core i5-12600KF, with an average benchmark score of 27799, sits within a tight cluster of rivals. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27872, a delta of -0.3%, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, also a -0.3% delta. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27712 (+0.3%). These deltas are negligible, meaning a system built around any of these CPUs would likely deliver nearly identical frame pacing in Control, with the 12600KF’s 3.70 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost clocks providing similar single-threaded responsiveness.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 posts an average benchmark score of 23172, with rivals showing equally small margins. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249 (-0.3%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23250 (-0.3%), the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23273 (-0.4%), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23276 (-0.4%). In practical terms for Control, these alternatives would produce frame rates within a few percentage points of the RTX 3080 at any given resolution and preset, though the RTX 3080’s 8704 shading units and 68 RT cores give it a specific architectural advantage in this game’s physics-heavy combat sequences. Users upgrading from these rival parts would see minimal measurable change, while those downgrading would retain most of the experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 101.2 FPS. This leaves substantial margin above the playable threshold, so users can confidently enable all visual features without concern. The Low preset reaches 184.9 FPS, Medium hits 131.4 FPS, and High achieves 117.9 FPS, but Ultra remains the recommended target for maximum fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset still clears the 60 FPS bar with an average of 75.5 FPS, making it the best choice for visual quality. High yields 86.5 FPS, Medium 101.2 FPS, and Low 137.6 FPS, but since Ultra maintains a 15.5 FPS cushion above the threshold, there is no reason to drop below it unless prioritizing higher refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset falls to 52.6 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold, so the most demanding playable preset is High, which averages 62.3 FPS. Medium reaches 64.8 FPS and Low 92.6 FPS, but High offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance at this resolution. Users seeking a smoother experience could opt for Medium, but the data shows High stays above the threshold with a narrow 2.3 FPS margin.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the dominant factor as resolution increases, while the CPU provides sufficient headroom at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from 101.2 FPS on Ultra to 184.9 FPS on Low, a spread of 83.7 FPS. This wide gap suggests the RTX 3080 is not fully saturated at this resolution, and the i5-12600KF’s single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3302, ensures the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU’s output. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is steep, with Ultra delivering 54.7% of the Low preset’s frame rate, indicating that graphics settings have a large impact on GPU load.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates compress slightly, ranging from 75.5 FPS on Ultra to 137.6 FPS on Low, a spread of 62.1 FPS. The ratio of Ultra to Low performance is 54.9%, nearly identical to 1080p, which suggests the GPU is now the primary limiter. The CPU’s role diminishes, as the 12600KF’s multi-threaded capabilities, reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391, are more than adequate to feed the RTX 3080 at this resolution. The delta between 1080p and 1440p on Ultra is 25.7 FPS (101.2 to 75.5), a 25.4% reduction, showing that pixel count heavily influences GPU-bound performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The frame rates range from 52.6 FPS on Ultra to 92.6 FPS on Low, a spread of 40.0 FPS. The Ultra preset drops below the 60 FPS threshold, while High and Medium hover just above it. The reduction from 1440p to 4K on High is 24.2 FPS (86.5 to 62.3), a 28.0% decrease, and on Low it is 45.0 FPS (137.6 to 92.6), a 32.7% decrease. This pattern confirms that the RTX 3080’s 760.3 GB/s memory bandwidth and 164.2 GPixel/s pixel rate are the limiting factors at 4K, while the CPU’s impact is negligible beyond ensuring minimum frame stability. Across all resolutions, the i5-12600KF’s 20 MB of L3 cache and 16 threads provide consistent performance, but the data shows that Control scales primarily with GPU load as resolution rises.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, with the verdict depending on the target resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on all four tested settings, with Ultra averaging 101.2 FPS, making it fully playable at maximum fidelity. At 2560x1440, the same holds true: Ultra averages 75.5 FPS, and all lower presets exceed 86.5 FPS, so users can enjoy the game at high detail without compromise. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset drops to 52.6 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, but High settings average 62.3 FPS, just above the line. Medium also clears the bar at 64.8 FPS, and Low reaches 92.6 FPS. Therefore, the system is fully playable at 4K only if the user selects High or lower settings; Ultra requires a reduction in resolution or settings to maintain smooth gameplay. The data confirms that this combination is suitable for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, and for 4K gaming with reasonable settings adjustments.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 1920x1080 on Ultra is 101.2, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 3840x2160?

A: The best playable setting at 3840x2160 is High, which achieves an average of 62.3 FPS. Ultra falls below the threshold at 52.6 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, with the Intel Core i9-10900K scoring 27872 (-0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scoring 27896 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scoring 27887 (-0.3%). These are effectively identical in performance.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 significantly faster than its nearest GPU rivals?

A: No, the RTX 3080’s average benchmark score is 23172, while the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249 (-0.3%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23250 (-0.3%), the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23273 (-0.4%), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23276 (-0.4%). The differences are under one percent.

Q: Which component limits performance at 3840x2160?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops from 62.3 FPS on High to 52.6 FPS on Ultra, while the CPU’s performance remains sufficient, as shown by the 12600KF’s multi-threaded benchmark scores.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 2560x1440 on Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 on Medium is 101.2, which is identical to the 1920x1080 Ultra average.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 pairing ranks 1101 out of 3720 combos for Control. This places it in the upper third of all tested systems, indicating that it outperforms the majority of configurations while trailing a significant number of higher-end setups. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU’s 79th percentile standing among all CPUs and the GPU’s 68th percentile among all GPUs, with the overall combo benefiting from the RTX 3080’s strong rasterization performance. In practical terms, this rank means that users with this system will experience frame rates that are competitive with most other hardware, though there is room for improvement by pairing a higher-tier GPU or CPU. The data suggests that this combo is a solid mid-to-high-tier choice for Control, capable of handling the game’s demands at most resolutions without requiring extreme settings compromises.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings deliver 184.9 FPS, Medium settings deliver 131.4 FPS, High settings deliver 117.9 FPS, and Ultra settings deliver 101.2 FPS. The progression shows a 44.7% reduction from Low to Ultra, with each step up in settings costing a measurable amount of performance. The gap between Medium and High is 13.5 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 16.7 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load on the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low at 137.6 FPS, Medium at 101.2 FPS, High at 86.5 FPS, and Ultra at 75.5 FPS. The reduction from Low to Ultra is 45.1%, closely mirroring the 1080p scaling. The step from Medium to High costs 14.7 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 11.0 FPS, showing a more gradual decline at this resolution. The 1440p Ultra frame rate of 75.5 FPS is 25.4% lower than the 1080p Ultra result, highlighting the impact of increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are: Low at 92.6 FPS, Medium at 64.8 FPS, High at 62.3 FPS, and Ultra at 52.6 FPS. This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and the drop from High to Ultra is 9.7 FPS, a 15.6% decrease. The gap between Medium and High is only 2.5 FPS, suggesting that High settings provide a marginal visual improvement over Medium at a similar performance cost. The Low preset remains well above the threshold, offering a comfortable fallback for users who prioritize frame rate over fidelity. Across all resolutions, the min and max FPS values were not recorded in the dataset, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates, which consistently show that this combo delivers playable performance in most scenarios.