Control

Control on this Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT pairing shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but surprisingly capable at 1080p, where the processor keeps pace. The data indicates a clear hierarchy: the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the CPU becomes a more significant factor only at lower resolutions and with reduced graphical settings. This combination ranks in the top 41% of tested configurations for this title, a strong result given the modest four-core processor at the heart of the system.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly demonstrates the GPU's workload scaling. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 105.1 FPS at 1920x1080 to 76.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a 27% reduction, and then to 52.5 FPS at 3840x2160, a 50% drop from the 1080p figure. This pattern holds across all settings presets, confirming that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The scaling behavior reveals the GPU's performance ceiling. At Low settings, the system produces 164.1 FPS at 1080p, but this falls to 120.7 FPS at 1440p and 81.7 FPS at 4K. The fact that 4K Low still cannot reach 90 FPS, while 1080p Ultra manages 90 FPS exactly, indicates that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the pixel throughput demands of 4K overwhelm the GPU. The gap between Low and Ultra settings also widens with resolution: at 1080p the difference is 74.1 FPS, but at 4K it shrinks to 34 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is so saturated at high resolutions that the settings overhead has less relative impact.

The 1440p results represent the most balanced operating point. The 86.6 FPS at Medium settings and 76.8 FPS at High show a system that can push beyond 60 FPS with quality intact, while 4K at Ultra drops to 47.7 FPS, which is below the smooth threshold. The data suggests that 4K gaming is possible but requires accepting Low settings for 81.7 FPS, while 1440p offers a much better quality-to-performance trade-off.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores show a strong single-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2224. These numbers are critical for a game like Control, which relies on solid per-core performance for game logic and physics.

The CPU's multi-threaded scores, while modest in absolute terms, are sufficient for this title. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 11912 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 14015 place the chip in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, but the nearest rivals in the data include the Intel Core i7-7700K with a 1.8% higher average score. This comparison shows that the i3-12100F trades blows with much older high-end processors, which is notable for a budget chip.

The core count is the limiting factor, not the clock speed. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 2859 versus the 8-thread score of 4026 shows that scaling beyond four threads yields only a 41% improvement, indicating diminishing returns. However, the benchmark results at 1080p Low (164.1 FPS) suggest that even with the CPU under load, it can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions. The 4.30 GHz boost clock is likely what keeps frame rates from collapsing in CPU-heavy scenes, as the single-core performance is competitive with far more expensive processors.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. The memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is substantial for this class, and the boost clock of 2544 MHz provides the raw compute throughput of 35.17 TFLOPS FP32. These specifications translate directly into the measured frame rates, which show the GPU scaling predictably with resolution and settings.

The GPU's 12 GB VRAM is a key asset for Control at high resolutions. The 47.7 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests the memory capacity is not being exhausted, as the frame rate is still limited by pixel throughput rather than texture swapping. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 22547 places it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 with an identical average score (0% delta). This parity indicates that the RX 7700 XT is a well-rounded performer that sits in a highly competitive performance tier.

The GPU compute capabilities further support the gaming results. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 127549 and Vulkan score of 132758 show strong asynchronous compute performance, which is relevant for Control's use of DirectX 12 features. The pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s are the physical limits that explain why 4K High (52.5 FPS) falls below 60 FPS, while 1440p High (76.8 FPS) remains fluid. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p, and even at 1080p Ultra (90 FPS), it is the component that determines the final number.

How This Combo Ranks

This CPU-GPU combination ranks 675th out of 1636 tested configurations for Control, placing it in the top 41% of all systems. This is a strong showing for a pairing that uses a four-core processor, as most high-ranking combinations typically feature higher-core-count CPUs. The rank suggests that Control is not particularly CPU-sensitive, allowing the RX 7700 XT to carry the system to a competitive position.

The percentile rankings of the individual components align with the combo's performance. The CPU's 72nd percentile rank and the GPU's 73rd percentile rank are nearly identical, indicating a balanced pairing where neither component is drastically underpowered relative to the other. The combo rank of 675 out of 1636 is lower than the individual percentiles would suggest, which implies that the 4-core CPU does hold back the system slightly in certain game scenarios, but the overall impact is minimal.

The data shows that this combo outperforms what the CPU's raw benchmark scores might predict. The i3-12100F's average benchmark score of 13516 is just 0.1% below the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, a 32-core monster, yet the gaming results here are far more modest due to the GPU's limits. This disconnect reinforces that Control is GPU-bound, and the combo rank reflects the GPU's strong position rather than the CPU's.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates across all presets. Low settings produce 164.1 FPS average, Medium 116.9 FPS, High 105.1 FPS, and Ultra 90 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is not a challenge for this hardware, with even the most demanding preset staying above 90 FPS.

The 2560x1440 results show a clear step down. Low settings yield 120.7 FPS, Medium drops to 86.6 FPS, High to 76.8 FPS, and Ultra to 64.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p remains above 60 FPS, making it a viable option for high-refresh-rate monitors, while High and Medium offer headroom for smoother gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. Low settings produce 81.7 FPS, but Medium falls to 59.8 FPS, High to 52.5 FPS, and Ultra to 47.7 FPS. The 4K Medium result is just below 60 FPS, while Ultra drops below 50 FPS, indicating that 4K gaming requires either Low settings for smooth performance or accepting sub-60 FPS for higher quality.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. At 1080p, the High preset (105.1 FPS) offers the best balance, providing a significant quality boost over Medium (116.9 FPS) with only a 11.8 FPS penalty, while Ultra (90 FPS) is also viable for those prioritizing visuals.

For 1440p, the Medium preset (86.6 FPS) is the recommended choice, as it delivers well above 60 FPS and provides a substantial improvement over Low (120.7 FPS) without the performance cost of High (76.8 FPS) or the 64.9 FPS floor of Ultra. The High preset is acceptable for players with 60 Hz monitors, but Medium gives more headroom for frame time consistency.

At 4K, the Low preset (81.7 FPS) is the only option that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Medium (59.8 FPS) is borderline, and High (52.5 FPS) and Ultra (47.7 FPS) will feel noticeably less smooth. The data suggests that 4K players should either use Low settings or drop to 1440p High for a superior experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce 81.7 FPS. Medium settings drop to 59.8 FPS, while High and Ultra fall to 52.5 and 47.7 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo?

A: 1440p at Medium settings delivers 86.6 FPS, offering the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p, all presets stay above 64.9 FPS, making it the most flexible resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p, the CPU is more involved, but even at Ultra settings the GPU still limits the 90 FPS result.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to its nearest competitor in raw benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 30097 is essentially identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, which scores 30109 with a 0% deltaPct.

Q: Does the 4-core CPU hold back gaming performance?

A: The CPU's performance is adequate for this title, as shown by the 164.1 FPS at 1080p Low. The combo ranks in the top 41% despite the 4-core design, indicating minimal CPU limitation.

Q: What are the frame rate differences between High and Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, High produces 105.1 FPS versus 90 FPS for Ultra, a 15.1 FPS gap. At 1440p, the gap is 11.9 FPS (76.8 vs 64.9), and at 4K it narrows to 4.8 FPS (52.5 vs 47.7).