Control

Control is a demanding Action Adventure title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, and the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER produces a distinct performance profile. The data indicates a configuration that is well-balanced at lower resolutions but becomes heavily GPU-bound at higher fidelity settings, with the CPU providing a solid foundation for the graphics card to operate.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, which is critical for gaming performance. In benchmark results, the processor achieves a single-thread score of 893 in 3dmark and 1681 in Cinebench R23, indicating robust per-core performance that allows for consistent frame pacing in a game like Control, which relies heavily on strong single-threaded execution for its physics and AI systems.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015. While Control does not scale perfectly with many cores, the 8 threads ensure that background tasks and the game's overall engine logic do not become a bottleneck. The processor's 12 MB of shared L3 cache is adequate, and its performance percentile of 72 places it above a significant portion of all CPUs, meaning it is far from a weak link. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, has an average score of 13534, which is only 0.1% higher, showing that the i3-12100F's overall benchmark average of 13516 is competitive even against high-end workstation parts in synthetic tests.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p with lower graphical settings. At 1920x1080 Low, the configuration achieves 127.6 FPS, which is a high frame rate that relies on the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with enough draw calls. However, as the resolution increases, the CPU's role diminishes, and the GPU becomes the primary factor. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the system still produces playable results, confirming that the i3-12100F does not cripple the RTX 2070 SUPER in this title, even under heavy multi-threaded loads from other applications.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. This memory configuration is sufficient for Control's high-resolution textures, and the data demonstrates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences across settings. The card's 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs are heavily utilized, as evidenced by the FPS scaling with quality presets.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 22206 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22307, a mere 0.5% higher, indicating that the 2070 SUPER is positioned firmly in the mid-to-high performance tier. In gaming, this translates to the ability to handle 1440p High settings effectively, achieving 59.7 FPS, which is just shy of the 60 FPS target. The 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor at these settings, as the game does not appear to exceed this capacity based on the performance stability.

The GPU's compute capabilities, such as its 9.062 TFLOPS FP32 performance, are also relevant for the game's physics and particle effects. The data shows that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component at higher resolutions. For instance, at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 37.3, which is a significant reduction from the 74.3 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This scaling pattern confirms that the GPU's raw fill rate and shader processing power are exhausted as the pixel count increases, while the CPU remains less stressed.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100F a bottleneck for the RTX 2070 SUPER in Control?

A: The data suggests it is not a significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 127.6 FPS, and at 1440p High, it achieves 59.7 FPS. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a 3dmark single-thread score of 893, indicate it can keep up with the GPU's demands, especially since the FPS drops are more closely tied to GPU load as resolution increases.

Q: How much of a performance difference does the GPU make compared to its rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 22206, which is 2.5% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5700's score of 21670. Conversely, it is 2.3% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile's score of 22729, showing that its performance is competitive with newer mid-range parts.

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 2560x1440 High is a strong choice, delivering 59.7 FPS. For those preferring higher fidelity, 1920x1080 Ultra provides 74.3 FPS, which is smoother. The data indicates that 4K High at 39.5 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

Q: Does the CPU's 4-core/8-thread configuration hold back performance in this game?

A: No, the data shows it is sufficient. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and Passmark multithread score of 14015 indicate strong multi-threaded performance. In the game, the system still achieves high frame rates, such as 95.8 FPS at 1440p Low, suggesting the game does not require more cores for this pairing.

Q: How does the GPU's VRAM capacity affect performance in Control?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is not a limiting factor based on the data. The performance degradation from 1080p Medium (93 FPS) to 4K Medium (47.2 FPS) indicates a compute-bound scenario rather than a memory capacity issue, as the game does not show signs of texture thrashing or stuttering.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER more powerful than the CPU in this configuration?

A: Yes, the GPU is the dominant component in this pairing. The GPU's percentile of 65 is lower than the CPU's percentile of 72, but the GPU's raw performance in gaming is more critical. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K High (79.6 to 39.5 FPS) demonstrates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the configuration delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 127.6, providing a highly responsive experience. Medium settings yield 93 FPS, while High settings produce 79.6 FPS. Ultra settings reduce the average to 74.3 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, performance remains solid. Low settings achieve 95.8 FPS, and Medium settings drop to 72.2 FPS. High settings average 59.7 FPS, which is playable but close to the edge of the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings result in 55.7 FPS, indicating a compromise between visual fidelity and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings average 64.5 FPS, which is surprisingly playable for 4K. Medium settings drop to 47.2 FPS, while High settings average 39.5 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 37.3 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience but still playable for slower-paced exploration.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the FPS decreases from 127.6 at 1080p to 64.5 at 4K, a reduction of roughly 49%. This halving of performance is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, as the number of pixels increases fourfold, but the computational load on the CPU remains relatively stable.

At High settings, the scaling is more severe in absolute terms, with FPS dropping from 79.6 at 1080p to 39.5 at 4K, a 50% reduction. The trend continues at Ultra settings, where the FPS falls from 74.3 to 37.3, a similar percentage drop. This pattern confirms that the RTX 2070 SUPER's raw processing power, not the CPU, is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

The data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i3-12100F provides enough headroom for the RTX 2070 SUPER to operate near its full potential, but the GPU's limits are quickly reached as resolution and settings increase. This makes the configuration ideal for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain high frame rates, while 4K gaming requires a reduction in settings to achieve playable performance. The consistent scaling across all settings indicates a well-matched pair, with the CPU not artificially capping the GPU's output.