Control

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a balanced 1080p and 1440p setup for Control, landing in the 57th percentile of tested combinations. With a combo rank of 931 out of 1636, this pairing sits slightly above the median, indicating that while it is not a top-tier enthusiast configuration, it delivers a solid, playable experience for the vast majority of users. The data shows a system that is capable of high frame rates at mainstream resolutions but will require careful settings management to maintain smooth performance at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Core i3-12100F and RTX 4060 achieves a rank of 931 out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This rank is a direct result of the CPU’s performance profile, which is strong for its class but not exceptional. The i3-12100F’s average benchmark score of 13516 puts it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which scores 13534, a negligible 0.1% difference. This indicates that the processor is performing essentially on par with a high-end workstation chip in synthetic tests, though its real-world gaming impact is more nuanced.

The RTX 4060, with an average benchmark score of 23181 and a 66th percentile ranking, is the primary driver of this combo’s position. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, scores 23321, which is only 0.6% higher, showing that the GPU is competitively positioned. The combination of a mid-range CPU and a solid mid-range GPU results in a system that is not bottlenecked by either component at 1080p, but the CPU’s 4-core, 8-thread architecture may limit maximum frame rates in less GPU-intensive scenes.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz and base clock of 1830 MHz are key to its performance, allowing it to handle Control’s demanding effects. The 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data suggests it becomes a limiting factor at 4K, where the average FPS drops significantly across all settings.

The GPU’s 3072 shading units and 24 RT cores are well-suited for Control’s use of ray tracing, though the measured data does not include ray tracing-specific results. The card’s FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS is substantial, and its PassMark G3D score of 19545 places it ahead of the Intel Arc B580, which scores 23021, a 0.7% difference. This indicates that the RTX 4060 is a capable performer for this title, delivering playable frame rates at high settings in 1440p, but its 8 GB VRAM is a constraint that becomes apparent at higher resolutions and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 137.5 FPS, which drops to 105.2 FPS at 1440p and further to 70.2 FPS at 4K. This represents a 23.5% performance drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 33.3% drop from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more pronounced. The 1080p Ultra score of 77.8 FPS falls to 58.7 FPS at 1440p, a 24.5% reduction, and then to 37.1 FPS at 4K, a 36.8% reduction from 1440p. This steeper decline at Ultra suggests that the 8 GB VRAM and the GPU’s memory bandwidth are struggling to keep up with the increased pixel count and texture detail. The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component at 4K, as the CPU’s performance remains relatively constant, while the GPU’s workload scales with resolution. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data shows that the most efficient settings for this combo are at Medium, which provides a significant FPS boost over High and Ultra without a substantial loss in visual quality. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 102.9 FPS, which is 13.2 FPS higher than High (89.7 FPS) and 25.1 FPS higher than Ultra (77.8 FPS). This makes Medium the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors at 1080p.

At 1440p, the Medium preset achieves 75 FPS, which is a solid 6.8 FPS improvement over High (68.2 FPS) and 16.3 FPS over Ultra (58.7 FPS). This suggests that Medium is the recommended setting for a 1440p 60Hz display, as it provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, delivering 70.2 FPS, while Medium drops to 49.8 FPS and High to 44.7 FPS. The data indicates that the Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it provides diminishing returns in visual fidelity for a significant FPS cost, particularly at 4K where it averages just 37.1 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 137.5, which is a high frame rate suitable for competitive play. The Medium preset yields 102.9 FPS, High yields 89.7 FPS, and Ultra drops to 77.8 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 43.4% reduction in FPS, which is a typical cost for maximum visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable. Low settings produce 105.2 FPS, Medium produces 75 FPS, High produces 68.2 FPS, and Ultra produces 58.7 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is 23.5%, which is significant but manageable. At 1440p Ultra, the system falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that users should avoid Ultra at this resolution for a consistently smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060’s limitations are fully exposed. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a playable frame rate at 70.2 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 49.8 FPS, High to 44.7 FPS, and Ultra to 37.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is a 47.2% FPS reduction, which is a steep price for visual fidelity. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming with this combo requires a significant compromise on settings, and even then, the frame rates are not ideal for fast-paced action.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?

A: The data indicates that 1080p is the best resolution for this combo, as it achieves over 77.8 FPS at all settings, with Low settings reaching 137.5 FPS. 1440p is also viable, with Medium settings providing 75 FPS, but 4K should be avoided unless Low settings are acceptable.

Q: How does the Core i3-12100F compare to its nearest rival?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score is 13516, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX’s score of 13534. This indicates they are statistically tied in synthetic performance, despite the vast difference in their market positioning.

Q: Is the RTX 4060 capable of 4K gaming in Control?

A: The measured data shows that 4K gaming is only possible with Low settings, which yields 70.2 FPS. Medium settings drop to 49.8 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 37.1 FPS, making the experience less than ideal for most players.

Q: What settings should I use for a 1440p 60Hz monitor?

A: The Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers 75 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings also work at 68.2 FPS, but Ultra drops below 60 FPS at 58.7 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the difference is 59.7 FPS, with Low settings achieving 137.5 FPS and Ultra achieving 77.8 FPS. This is a 43.4% reduction in performance when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data suggests that the system is primarily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, as the FPS scales down significantly from 1080p to 4K. The CPU’s performance is sufficient to keep up with the RTX 4060, particularly at 1440p and 4K where the GPU is the limiting factor.