Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title, and the combination of an Intel Core i7-12700K with an AMD Radeon RX 580 produces a heavily GPU-bound experience. The recorded data indicates that this pairing is only capable of delivering smooth, playable performance at 1080p with the lowest graphical preset. At higher resolutions, the frame rates drop below the 60 FPS threshold, making the experience feel stuttery and less responsive. The analysis below breaks down the measured performance, compares this combo to similar hardware, and provides clear guidance on which settings to use.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places the Intel Core i7-12700K in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35287. Its nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent of this score. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305, which is 0.1% lower. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35365, a 0.2% difference, while the Intel Core i7-13700T and Intel Core 5 213PE score 35403 and 35428, representing 0.3% and 0.4% gaps respectively. For practical purposes, any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Control, meaning the choice between them has almost no impact on the game's frame rate.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 580 sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which scores 12940 (0.1% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which scores 12986 (0.4% higher). On the lower end, the AMD Radeon 740M scores 12870 (0.5% lower) and the AMD FirePro W5100 scores 12847 (0.6% lower). In a game like Control, where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, swapping the RX 580 for a GTX 1660 SUPER would yield a negligible performance improvement, likely resulting in frame rates that are nearly identical to those recorded for this combo.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured frame rates across resolutions make it clear that the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the limiting factor in this pairing. The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-end 12-core, 20-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and its benchmark scores, such as 19784 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1850.5 in single-core, show it is more than capable of feeding the GPU. However, the game's performance scales directly with the GPU's workload.

At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 62.9 FPS. This is the only settings level where the frame rate exceeds 60 FPS. Moving to Medium settings drops the average to 47.3 FPS, and High settings result in 40.3 FPS. At Ultra, the frame rate falls to 37.9 FPS. This steep decline with each preset increase demonstrates that the RX 580's processing power is being saturated, and the CPU is not the constraint.

When the resolution increases to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop further. Low settings yield 47.6 FPS, Medium produces 36.9 FPS, High results in 30.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26.6 FPS. The pattern continues at 3840x2160, where Low settings only manage 33.3 FPS, Medium hits 25.6 FPS, High drops to 20.6 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 17.5 FPS. The consistent reduction in performance as resolution scales up indicates that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary bottlenecks. The CPU's role becomes increasingly irrelevant at higher resolutions, as the GPU struggles to keep up with the pixel count.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database's collection of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing ranks 3310 out of 3720 combos for Control. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, specifically in the 11th percentile of all tested systems. This low ranking is not a reflection of the CPU, which is a strong performer, but rather a consequence of the GPU's age and performance class. The RX 580, with its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, is simply not powerful enough to deliver high frame rates in a visually intensive game like Control at modern resolutions. The data suggests that most other tested combinations, even those with slower CPUs but more capable GPUs, would outperform this pairing in this particular game.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 62.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. No other settings at any other resolution achieve this level of performance.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS, the only playable configuration is 1920x1080 with the Low preset. The average frame rate at this setting is 62.9 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is 0.4% faster with a score of 12986, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile is 0.1% faster with a score of 12940. The AMD Radeon 740M is 0.5% slower.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more important for this game?

A: The recorded data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p, dropping from Low to Medium settings reduces the average FPS from 62.9 to 47.3, a significant drop that points to GPU limitations. The CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

Q: What happens to performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the highest average frame rate achieved is 47.6 FPS on Low settings. Medium settings drop to 36.9 FPS, and High and Ultra settings fall to 30.9 and 26.6 FPS respectively. None of these are above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, High settings yield 40.3 FPS, while Ultra yields 37.9 FPS, a difference of 2.4 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 4.3 FPS (30.9 vs 26.6), and at 4K it is 3.1 FPS (20.6 vs 17.5).

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates recorded for this hardware combination at every tested resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 20.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 33.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 25.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 17.5 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 30.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 47.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 36.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 26.6 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 40.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 62.9 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 47.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 37.9 |

The data shows a clear and consistent trend: performance scales down as resolution and visual fidelity increase. The most significant drop occurs when moving from Low to Medium settings at any resolution, indicating that the RX 580's shading units and texture units are heavily taxed by the additional effects.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users targeting a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data offers only one viable option. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 62.9 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most demanding preset that remains playable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The highest average frame rate is 47.6 FPS on Low settings, which is below the playable threshold. Similarly, at 3840x2160, the Low preset only manages 33.3 FPS, which is far from a smooth experience. Therefore, there are no recommended settings for these resolutions if the goal is 60 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, but only under very specific conditions. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160 and 2560x1440, there are no playable settings that achieve an average of 60 FPS or higher. The game is effectively unplayable at these resolutions with this hardware for a smooth experience.

The only playable configuration is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, where the average frame rate is 62.9 FPS. This means the system is technically capable of running the game, but users must be willing to accept the lowest visual quality and a standard 1080p resolution. The Intel Core i7-12700K provides ample CPU headroom, but the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the definitive bottleneck, limiting the experience to entry-level performance. For a more visually rich experience at higher resolutions, a more powerful GPU would be required.