Control

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers strong performance in Control, with benchmark data showing that this setup clears the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution, though the margin shrinks considerably at 4K Ultra settings. The measured frame rates indicate a system that is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU becoming the limiting factor only at the highest 4K preset, while the CPU maintains sufficient headroom across lower resolutions and presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-12700KF sits at the 85th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 35,365. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing are extremely close, with the Intel Core i7-13700T scoring 35,403 (just 0.1% higher), the Intel Core 5 213PE scoring 35,428 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i5-13600T scoring 35,305 (0.2% lower), and the Intel Core i7-12700K scoring 35,287 (0.2% lower). For practical purposes in Control, any of these four processors would deliver virtually identical frame rates, as the differences are within the margin of measurement error. The i7-12700K is particularly notable as it is the same Alder Lake architecture with matching core counts, making it a direct substitute if the KF variant’s lack of integrated graphics is a concern.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 achieves an average benchmark score of 37,648, placing it at the 81st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37,628 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 at 37,507 (0.4% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile at 38,135 (1.3% higher), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 at 37,157 (1.3% lower). The RTX 4080 Mobile is the closest performance neighbor, but its mobile nature means it would only be relevant in a laptop context. The RX Vega 56 is the most interesting comparison for desktop builders, as it offers nearly identical average scores despite being an older architecture, though it lacks the RTX 4070’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and Ada Lovelace-specific features like 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals that the RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance scaling in Control, particularly as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU delivers 193 FPS on Low settings, 137 FPS on Medium, 122 FPS on High, and 106 FPS on Ultra. Moving to 1440p, those numbers drop to 146 FPS, 104 FPS, 92 FPS, and 80 FPS respectively. At 4K, the frame rates fall further to 98 FPS, 70 FPS, 62 FPS, and 54 FPS. This pattern shows a consistent 25-30% performance penalty when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 30-35% penalty when moving from 1440p to 4K, which is characteristic of GPU-bound workloads.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent when examining the preset scaling at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 87 FPS (from 193 to 106), which is a 45% reduction. At 1440p, the same preset range shows a 66 FPS difference (from 146 to 80), a 45% reduction. At 4K, the difference narrows to 44 FPS (from 98 to 54), a 45% reduction. The fact that the percentage drop is nearly identical across all resolutions suggests that the CPU is not introducing a bottleneck at any resolution; the i7-12700KF’s 20 threads and 5.00 GHz boost clock provide ample headroom even at 1080p Low where the GPU is pushing nearly 200 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 54 FPS is the only point where the GPU’s raw throughput becomes the limiting factor, as the CPU still has performance to spare.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 106 FPS. This is the clear choice for 1080p gamers, as it provides a 76% margin above the 60 FPS threshold while offering the maximum visual quality. The Medium preset achieves 137 FPS and Low reaches 193 FPS, but neither is necessary given the Ultra headroom.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are again the best option, with an average of 80 FPS. This gives a 33% buffer above the 60 FPS playable threshold, which is comfortable for most displays. The High preset runs at 92 FPS and Medium at 104 FPS, but the visual fidelity gains from Ultra outweigh the frame rate sacrifice for most users, especially since 80 FPS is still well above the playable mark.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Ultra settings drop to 54 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making High the best playable preset at 62 FPS. This provides a slim 3.3% margin above the threshold, so users with variable refresh rate monitors may want to consider Medium at 70 FPS for additional headroom and smoother frame pacing. The Low preset runs at 98 FPS, but the visual downgrade is substantial compared to High.

The Verdict

This PC configuration can run Control at playable frame rates across all resolutions, but the settings ceiling varies significantly. At 1080p, the system clears 60 FPS at every preset, with Ultra delivering 106 FPS average. At 1440p, Ultra also remains playable at 80 FPS, giving users maximum visual quality without compromise. At 4K, the system falls short of 60 FPS only on Ultra settings, where it averages 54 FPS; High settings restore playability at 62 FPS, and Medium provides a more comfortable 70 FPS with a 59 FPS minimum frame rate.

The verdict by resolution is clear: for 1080p and 1440p, the i7-12700KF and RTX 4070 combination offers excellent performance with Ultra settings well above the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, the system is playable on High settings, but users who prioritize maximum visual fidelity will need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS on Ultra, or make the relatively minor visual compromise to High. The 4K Medium preset also shows a minimum FPS of 59, which is just at the edge of the playable threshold, so High remains the safer recommendation for consistent 60+ FPS gameplay at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: No, the benchmark data shows an average of 54 FPS at 4K Ultra, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable 4K option is High at 62 FPS average.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gameplay?

A: Ultra settings at 1440p achieve an average of 80 FPS, making it the highest preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. This provides maximum visual quality with a 33% frame rate buffer.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070’s average benchmark score of 37,648 is 0.1% higher than the Tesla P4, 0.4% higher than the RX Vega 56, 1.3% lower than the RTX 4080 Mobile, and 1.3% higher than the Radeon PRO W6400.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the data shows consistent 45% performance drops from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, indicating the GPU is the scaling factor. The CPU’s benchmark scores place it at the 85th percentile with a 5.00 GHz boost clock.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, providing a substantial margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Control?*

A: The combination ranks 904th out of 3,720 tested combos, placing it in the top 25% of all tested systems for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 904th out of 3,720 tested configurations for Control, placing it in the 76th percentile of all tested combos. This ranking reflects the system’s ability to handle the game at high settings across all resolutions, with only the 4K Ultra preset falling below the 60 FPS threshold. The CPU’s 85th percentile ranking among all processors and the GPU’s 81st percentile ranking among all graphics cards contribute to a balanced pairing that avoids significant bottlenecks. The measured frame rates show that the system performs consistently well, with the 4K High result of 62 FPS being the only playable setting with a narrow margin above the threshold. For users targeting 1080p or 1440p displays, this combo offers excellent performance with Ultra settings comfortably exceeding 60 FPS, while 4K users will need to choose between High settings for playable frame rates or Ultra for maximum visual quality at the cost of falling below the playable threshold.