Control

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end combination that places near the very top of the database for Control, ranking 283rd out of 3,720 tested combos. This places it in the top percentile of all systems tested for this title, indicating that the pairing is exceptionally well-suited to the game's demands. The data shows that this combo does not merely meet the 60 FPS threshold; it substantially exceeds it across all tested resolutions and presets, making it a formidable setup for anyone looking to experience Control with maximum visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 283 out of 3,720 tested configurations puts it in the top 7.6% of all systems tested, a strong indicator of its overall capability in this specific title. This ranking is not just about raw power; it reflects how well the CPU and GPU work together to feed the game engine. The i7-12700KF’s multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28,838, ensures that the game’s physics and AI systems have ample headroom, while the RTX 4080 SUPER’s raw graphics throughput, with a Passmark G3D score of 34,245, handles the heavy lifting of rendering.

Interpreting this rank in context, it means that only a small fraction of the tested systems can outperform this pairing in Control. The gap between this combo and the rest of the field is substantial, as the average FPS figures suggest. For example, at 4K Ultra, the combo achieves an average of 69 FPS, a figure that many lower-ranked systems would struggle to reach even at 1080p with lower settings. The rank is a composite measure, but the individual resolution and setting breakdowns confirm that this is a top-tier performer across the board, not just in a single favorable scenario. The percentile of 85 for the CPU and 86 for the GPU further corroborates this, showing that both components are individually in the upper echelon of their respective categories.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i7-13700T, Intel Core i5-13600T, Intel Core 5 213PE, and Intel Core i7-12700K all have average benchmark scores within a very tight margin of the i7-12700KF. The i7-13700T is effectively a statistical tie, with a score of 35,403 against the i7-12700KF’s 35,365, showing a delta of -0.1%. Similarly, the i7-12700K is only 0.2% slower, meaning that in a game like Control, which is not heavily CPU-bound at high resolutions, swapping to any of these processors would yield virtually imperceptible differences in frame rate. The i5-13600T, despite being a lower-tier part, also lands within 0.2% of the i7-12700KF’s score, which suggests that the game’s engine is not fully utilizing the extra cores and threads of the i7.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4080 SUPER’s nearest rival is the standard RTX 4080, with a negligible 0.1% performance delta. This means that for practical purposes, the two cards are interchangeable in Control. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB are also listed, but they show larger deltas of -1.1% and -2.7% respectively. While these are still close, the data suggests that the RTX 4080 SUPER has a slight edge. For a user considering alternatives, the data implies that choosing an RTX 4080 would result in nearly identical performance, whereas stepping down to one of the AMD options would introduce a small but measurable drop in frame rates, though likely still above the 60 FPS target at most settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear pattern regarding which component dominates at different resolutions. At 1080p, the system is more CPU-limited, as evidenced by the scaling of FPS with settings. Moving from Low to Ultra at 1920x1080 drops the average FPS from 245 to 134. This 111 FPS swing is significant, but the fact that even at Ultra the frame rate stays at 134 FPS indicates the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates. However, the relative performance difference between the CPU and GPU becomes more apparent when examining the 4K results. At 3840x2160, the average FPS at Low is 125, and at Ultra it drops to 69. The percentage reduction from Low to Ultra is larger at 4K (a 44.8% drop) compared to 1080p (a 45.3% drop), but the absolute numbers tell a different story.

The key insight is that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the pixel count quadruples compared to 1080p, placing an enormous load on the RTX 4080 SUPER. The CPU’s role diminishes because the frame rate is capped by how quickly the GPU can render each frame, not how fast the CPU can issue draw calls. This is why the frame rate at 4K Low (125 FPS) is much closer to the 1080p Low (245 FPS) than one might expect, yet the 4K Ultra (69 FPS) is less than half of the 1080p Ultra (134 FPS). The data suggests that for this combo, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the limiting factor at 4K, while the i7-12700KF provides ample headroom at lower resolutions, ensuring that the GPU is never starved of data.

The Verdict

The benchmark results are unambiguous: this PC can run Control exceptionally well at all tested resolutions and presets. The verdict data lists all settings—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—as playable at every resolution, from 1920x1080 up to 3840x2160. The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and this combo clears it with a wide margin in every scenario. At 3840x2160, the most demanding setting (Ultra) yields an average of 69 FPS, which is 15% above the threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 102 FPS, and at 1920x1080, it reaches 134 FPS.

This means that a user can enable the highest possible settings at any resolution and still experience a fluid, responsive game. The minimum FPS values, where available, also support this conclusion. For instance, at 4K Medium, the minimum recorded FPS is 76, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold. Even in the most demanding scenario measured—4K Ultra—the average of 69 FPS suggests that dips below 60 are unlikely, though the data does not provide a minimum value for that specific setting. Overall, the verdict is clear: this system does not just run Control; it runs it with headroom to spare, making it an ideal choice for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p or a smooth 4K experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K with the highest settings?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average FPS is 69, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. All other settings at 4K also exceed 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting to use at 1440p for the highest visual quality?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 provides an average of 102 FPS, making it the best choice for both visual fidelity and smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in this game?

A: The performance delta is minimal, with the RTX 4080 SUPER having an average benchmark score of 54,209 against the RTX 4080’s 54,247, a difference of -0.1%. In practical terms, they perform almost identically.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p, the frame rates are very high (245 FPS on Low, 134 FPS on Ultra), indicating that the i7-12700KF is more than sufficient. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 148. At 1440p Medium, it is 112, and at 4K Medium, it is 76. All are well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Does the system support ray tracing?

A: The FACT PACK does not include specific ray tracing performance data for this game. However, the RTX 4080 SUPER is equipped with 80 RT cores, indicating hardware support for the feature, but no measured FPS values with ray tracing enabled are provided.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the recommended setting is the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. According to the data, the Ultra preset is playable at every resolution, so it is always the best choice for maximum visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 69 FPS. This is the highest quality setting that remains above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the optimal choice for 4K. Moving down to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 102 FPS, providing a significant performance cushion while maintaining the best visuals. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset reaches an average of 134 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. In all cases, the data indicates that there is no need to compromise on settings, as the Ultra preset is not only playable but also provides a comfortable margin above the minimum playable frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 245 on Low to 134 on Ultra. The Medium preset yields an average of 174 FPS, with a minimum of 148 and a maximum of 200. High settings at 1080p produce an average of 155 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system has massive headroom, even on the most demanding settings.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 185 on Low, 132 on Medium, 117 on High, and 102 on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152 FPS. This scaling is consistent with the GPU becoming more stressed as resolution increases. Finally, at 3840x2160, the average FPS is 125 on Low, 89 on Medium, 79 on High, and 69 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K records a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 102 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a predictable decline, but the absolute values remain high enough to ensure a smooth experience. The data confirms that this combo is overqualified for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while still being very capable at 4K.