Control

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a robust experience in Control, with benchmark results showing this combination ranks 843rd out of 3720 tested combos in the game. The data, which is measured rather than estimated, shows that this system comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold across nearly all tested settings, with only the most demanding 4K Ultra preset falling short. The measured FPS figures reveal a system that scales predictably with resolution and graphical load, making it a versatile option for both high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and visually demanding 4K play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system is never constrained, with average frame rates ranging from 109 FPS at Ultra settings to 194.1 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset delivers 135 FPS, while High settings achieve 123.6 FPS. This resolution shows the largest performance headroom, with even the most demanding preset maintaining a substantial margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the influence of increased pixel count. The Low preset achieves 145.3 FPS, Medium produces 105.6 FPS, High delivers 93.6 FPS, and Ultra settings still manage 78.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 66.8 FPS, indicating that the GPU is handling the additional load without significant degradation at any preset.

At 3840x2160, the system demonstrates its limits. The Low preset reaches 98.7 FPS, Medium drops to 72.4 FPS, and High manages 62.7 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 56.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steep, with the High preset dropping from 93.6 FPS to 62.7 FPS, a reduction of 30.9 FPS. This suggests that 4K Ultra is the only configuration in the tested set that the system cannot handle smoothly.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 843 out of 3720 tested combinations places this system in the top 22.7% of all tested hardware pairings for Control. This percentile position indicates that while the i5-12600KF and RTX 4070 are not at the absolute top tier, they outperform the vast majority of other configurations. The CPU, with a percentile rank of 79 among all processors, and the GPU, at percentile 81 among all graphics cards, are well-matched in their relative standing.

The ranking reflects the system's ability to maintain high frame rates across most settings. The data shows that the bottleneck shifts with resolution, but the combination never falls below playable performance except at 4K Ultra. The i5-12600KF's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302, indicate strong CPU performance that does not hold back the GPU in most scenarios. The RTX 4070's compute capabilities, including a Passmark G3D score of 26927, support the high frame rates observed in the FPS data.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the optimal choice for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best option, delivering an average of 109 FPS. This provides the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining a significant margin above the playability threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best choice, with an average of 78.5 FPS. This is 18.5 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold, providing comfortable headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset at this resolution would also be viable, but Ultra offers the full visual experience without requiring a performance compromise.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The High preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 62.7 FPS. This is only 2.7 FPS above the threshold, indicating that the system is near its limit at this resolution. The Medium preset at 72.4 FPS provides more headroom, but High is the best balance of visual quality and performance according to the data. The Ultra preset at 56.1 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the playability threshold.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with High settings?*

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 62.7 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is 2.7 FPS above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 78.5 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS and the recommended choice for this resolution.

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

A: No, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 56.1 FPS, which is 3.9 FPS below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 123.6 at 1920x1080 to 93.6 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 30 FPS. This represents a 24.3% decrease in frame rate.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: The Low preset achieves 194.1 FPS, while Ultra delivers 109 FPS, a difference of 85.1 FPS. This indicates that Ultra settings are 43.8% slower than Low at this resolution.

Q: Is the system more CPU-bound or GPU-bound in this game?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and presets, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops when moving from 1440p High to 4K High, while the CPU's strong single-core performance of 3302 in Cinebench R23 suggests it does not limit the GPU at lower resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component plays the larger role in Control for this system. At 1920x1080, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to push frame rates above 190 FPS at Low settings. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 85.1 FPS, which suggests that the GPU's workload increases significantly with visual quality, but the CPU can still feed it adequately.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the GPU becomes more dominant. The performance at Ultra drops to 78.5 FPS, and the gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 66.8 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is now the primary constraint, as the pixel fill rate requirements grow. The CPU's role diminishes, as evidenced by the smaller absolute FPS differences between presets.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The High preset yields 62.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 56.1 FPS, showing that the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS at the highest settings. The CPU's performance, including a Passmark multi-thread score of 27575, is more than sufficient at this resolution, as the frame rates are limited entirely by the GPU's rendering capabilities. The data indicates that users seeking higher 4K frame rates would need a more powerful GPU rather than a faster CPU.

The Verdict

This system can run Control at all tested resolutions and presets except for 4K Ultra, which falls just below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS at every preset, with the Ultra setting delivering 109 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets also exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra providing 78.5 FPS. At 3840x2160, the High preset achieves 62.7 FPS, which is playable, but Ultra at 56.1 FPS is not recommended.

The verdict by resolution confirms that the system is fully playable at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings. The 4K Ultra preset is the only configuration that fails to meet the 60 FPS playability threshold, and the margin is small at 3.9 FPS. For users prioritizing visual quality at 4K, the Medium preset at 72.4 FPS offers a safer alternative with additional headroom.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-12600KF, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27872 and is 0.3% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which scores 27896 and is also 0.3% slower. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27712, making it 0.3% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887, showing a 0.3% difference. These CPUs would behave similarly in Control, providing comparable performance in scenarios where the processor is the limiting factor.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with an average score of 37628, which is 0.1% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 with a score of 37507, which is 0.4% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, making it 1.3% faster, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, showing a 1.3% difference. These GPUs would produce frame rates very close to the RTX 4070 in Control, with the RTX 4080 Mobile potentially offering slightly higher performance at 4K, though the difference is within 1.3%.