Control

Control with the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B390 combination presents a clear study in hardware pairing, where the discrete-class CPU is paired with an integrated-class GPU. The benchmark data for this Action Adventure title shows that the experience is dictated almost entirely by the graphics solution, with the processor providing a stable but secondary foundation. The measured results indicate that this combo operates in a narrow performance band, struggling to maintain smooth frame rates at higher settings and resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process node. It operates at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and can boost up to 4.30 GHz, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. As a desktop part with a 58 W TDP, it is designed for mainstream use, and its benchmark scores reflect a competent, if not exceptional, level of performance. The data shows a single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark and 1674 in Cinebench R23, while multi-thread scores reach 4023 in 3DMark and 11860 in Cinebench R23. This places the CPU in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494, putting it in a tight cluster with rivals like the Intel Core 3 N355 and Intel Core i5-9500, which have average scores of 13492 and 13452, respectively.

In the context of Control’s measured FPS, the CPU’s role is largely supportive. The game’s performance is not bottlenecked by this processor; rather, the frame rates are constrained by the GPU. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 65 FPS, which is the highest average recorded across all tested configurations. This suggests that the i3-12100F has ample headroom to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data, as even at this resolution and settings, the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 8 threads are sufficient for the game’s threading model, as the measured FPS scales consistently with GPU load rather than showing erratic dips that would indicate a CPU bottleneck. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 4051 and the 3dmark_8_threads score of 4026 are nearly identical, indicating that the processor’s performance saturates around 8 threads, which aligns with its physical core and thread count.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, with 12 ray tracing cores. Its clock speeds range from a base of 300 MHz to a boost of 2500 MHz, and it relies on system-shared memory, making its bandwidth system-dependent. The GPU’s raw compute is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS FP32, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a remarkably low ranking, and the nearest rivals are legacy parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, with scores of 1463 and 1443, respectively.

The GPU is the dominant factor in Control’s performance. The benchmark results show that frame rates plummet as settings and resolution increase, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 65 on Low to 41 on High, a 37% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is from 50 on Low to 31 on High, and at 4K, it falls from 33 on Low to 21 on High. The GPU’s shared memory architecture and low percentile ranking indicate that it is not designed for demanding titles like Control, which features complex particle effects and physics. The ray tracing cores are present, but the overall throughput is insufficient to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings. The GPU’s performance is such that even at 1080p Low, the 65 FPS average is only marginally acceptable, and any increase in quality settings pushes the experience into sub-30 FPS territory.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions clearly demonstrates where the bottleneck lies. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 65 to 50, a 23% decrease. From 1440p to 4K at Low, it drops from 50 to 33, a 34% decrease. This pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the averages are 41 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at High is roughly 49%, which is significant but not as steep as the drop seen in the GPU’s raw benchmark percentile.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the FPS scales inversely with the number of pixels rendered. The CPU’s performance is consistent, and the i3-12100F’s 3dmark_single_thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674 suggest it can handle the game’s logic without becoming a constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, where the GPU’s load is reduced. Instead, the FPS continues to rise as resolution drops, confirming that the Arc B390 is the limiting factor. The 1080p Low result of 65 FPS is the ceiling for this combo, and it is still below the 72+ FPS threshold that many consider smooth, indicating that the GPU’s shared memory and low fill rate are hindering performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings for this combo are at 1080p with Low quality. This configuration yields an average FPS of 65, which is the only setting and resolution combination that approaches a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 46 FPS, which is still technically playable but may feel less responsive. The High preset at 1080p yields 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 36 FPS, both of which are borderline for a fast-paced action game. At higher resolutions, the frame rates become unplayable, with the best 1440p result being 50 FPS on Low and the best 4K result being 33 FPS on Low.

The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution and settings to maintain a stable experience. The 1080p Low setting provides the best balance, as it offers the highest average FPS and avoids the more severe dips seen at Medium (min FPS 40) and other presets. The 1080p Medium preset, with an average of 46 FPS and a minimum of 40 FPS, is a viable alternative for those who want slightly better visuals, but the 1080p Low preset is the only configuration that consistently stays above 60 FPS on average. For any resolution above 1080p, the Low preset is the only option that yields an average above 30 FPS, but the 4K Low average of 33 FPS is still likely to feel choppy in combat sequences. Therefore, the recommendation is to run the game at 1080p with Low settings for the best measured experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this CPU and GPU combo in Control?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 65, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the GPU’s performance rank compared to other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, placing it slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463.

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

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The FPS scales directly with resolution and settings, while the CPU’s benchmark scores (e.g., 3dmark_single_thread of 893) indicate it has sufficient headroom, as shown by the 65 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 41 at 1920x1080 to 21 at 3840x2160, a decrease of 20 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K resolution at any setting?

A: At 4K, the highest average FPS is 33, achieved on Low settings. The Medium preset yields an average of 24 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 18 FPS, all of which are below playable thresholds.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, which is essentially tied with the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452).

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS varies significantly by settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 65 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 36 FPS. This shows a clear downward trend as visual fidelity increases.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. The Low preset averages 50 FPS. The Medium preset averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS. The High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 27 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with the Low preset losing 15 FPS and the High preset losing 10 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes largely unplayable. The Low preset averages 33 FPS. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS. The High preset averages 21 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steeper, with the Low preset losing 17 FPS and the High preset losing 10 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s fill rate is being overwhelmed by the pixel count.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2551 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations, which aligns with the GPU’s low 9th percentile ranking. The CPU’s 68th percentile ranking does little to boost the overall standing, as the GPU’s performance drags the entire system down. The data shows that this combo is not competitive for Control, as the vast majority of other tested hardware combinations achieve higher frame rates. The rank suggests that users with this setup will have a subpar experience, limited to the lowest settings and resolutions to achieve even marginal playability. The gap between the CPU’s performance and the GPU’s performance is stark, and the measured FPS data confirms that the Arc B390 is the primary reason for this low ranking.