Control

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti presents a compelling but imbalanced configuration for Control. The data shows a setup where the GPU is clearly the dominant performer, capable of delivering high frame rates, but the CPU’s four cores create a bottleneck that becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, placing the combo within the broader context of tested hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the classic signature of a CPU-limited system at lower resolutions and a GPU-limited one at higher ones. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 128.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 97.8 FPS, and then to 68.6 FPS at 4K Ultra. This represents a 24% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 30% decrease from 1440p to 4K. This steady decline is expected as the GPU takes on more rendering work.

However, the scaling pattern changes dramatically when looking at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 229.5 FPS, which is an enormous figure. At 1440p Low, it still delivers 180.7 FPS, and even at 4K Low, it manages 118.6 FPS. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 48%, which is significantly larger than the 47% drop seen at Ultra settings. This indicates that at low settings, the CPU is struggling to keep up with the GPU’s frame generation. The i3-12100F’s four cores are likely maxed out, preventing the RTX 5070 Ti from reaching its full potential at 1080p. The fact that the gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is only 21% further supports this, as the GPU is still not being fully utilized.

The limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU is the primary constraint, capping performance. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as the resolution demands more from the graphics card. The data suggests that for this specific combo, the sweet spot for balancing load is likely at 1440p, where both components are more evenly matched.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of how settings affect performance. At 4K, the difference between High and Ultra is 7.5 FPS (76.1 vs 68.6), while the jump from Medium to High is 11.9 FPS (88 vs 76.1). The most substantial gain comes from dropping from Medium to Low, which yields a 30.6 FPS increase (118.6 vs 88). For a smooth 4K experience, the High preset is the most practical choice, offering a 76.1 FPS average that is well within the playable range. Ultra is technically playable at 68.6 FPS, but the marginal visual improvement over High is not worth the 10% performance hit.

At 1440p, the situation is more forgiving. The High preset delivers 112.4 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience on a high-refresh-rate monitor. Ultra at 97.8 FPS is also highly playable, making it a viable option for those who prioritize visual fidelity. Low settings at 1440p produce 180.7 FPS, which is excessive for most displays and indicates the CPU is the limiting factor, not the GPU. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p, the data supports using the Ultra preset.

At 1080p, the CPU bottleneck is most evident. The Low preset achieves 229.5 FPS, but this is an unrealistic scenario for most players. The Ultra preset at 128.5 FPS is solid, and High at 146.6 FPS is also excellent. Given that the CPU is holding the GPU back, the recommendation is to use the Ultra preset at 1080p to extract the maximum visual quality without sacrificing a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz and it boosts to 4.30 GHz. The benchmark results show a processor that excels in single-threaded performance but is limited in multi-threaded workloads. Its 3DMark single-thread score is 893, while its max-thread score is 4023. This indicates that while it can handle a few demanding threads well, its overall throughput is constrained by its physical core count.

In Control, this translates to a noticeable ceiling on frame rates, especially when the GPU is not the limiting factor. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 229.5 FPS, but this is likely a CPU-bound figure. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4051 and the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 are respectable for a budget chip, but they are not in the same league as higher-core-count processors. The CPU’s percentile ranking among all CPUs is 72, and its average benchmark score is 13516, placing it just behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX in the nearest rivals list.

The game’s engine appears to scale with CPU frequency and single-thread performance, as the i3-12100F’s 4.30 GHz boost clock helps maintain competitive frame rates. However, the lack of additional cores means that when the GPU is capable of producing very high frame rates, the CPU becomes the bottleneck. This is a classic pairing of a strong GPU with a weaker CPU, and the results show that the CPU will limit performance in less demanding scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is ranked 149th out of 1636 tested combos in Control. This places it in the top 10% of all configurations tested, which is a strong result. The high ranking is primarily driven by the GPU’s immense power, as the RTX 5070 Ti is a top-tier card. The GPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Passmark G3D score of 32974 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6604.

The ranking also reflects the CPU’s ability to keep up at higher resolutions. At 4K, the combo’s performance is less CPU-bound, allowing the GPU to shine. The rank of 149 out of 1636 means that the vast majority of tested systems are slower, which reflects the RTX 5070 Ti’s capabilities. However, the rank also shows that there is headroom for improvement; pairing this GPU with a higher-end CPU would likely push the combo into a much higher percentile. The data suggests that this configuration is a high-performance one, but it is not optimized for maximum potential.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the star of this configuration. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2452 MHz, and it has 8960 shading units. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 32974 is close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, which is its nearest rival. In terms of raw compute, it delivers 43.94 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

In Control, the GPU is the primary driver of performance at 4K. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 68.6, which is a demanding load that the GPU handles well. The GPU’s 70 RT cores are relevant, as Control features ray tracing effects, though the measured data does not specify whether ray tracing was enabled. At 1440p, the GPU is still the main contributor, producing 97.8 FPS at Ultra settings. The GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K with high-resolution textures.

The data shows that the GPU is rarely the limiting factor at 1080p, as the CPU holds it back. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU’s performance scales as expected. The RTX 5070 Ti’s percentile ranking among all GPUs is 87, and its average benchmark score is 52086, which is nearly identical to the RTX 4080’s score. This indicates that the GPU is a top performer, and its capabilities are only partially utilized in this specific pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance across all tested settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 229.5 FPS on Low settings. This drops to 170.5 FPS on Medium, 146.6 FPS on High, and 128.5 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 44% reduction in frame rate, which is steep and indicates a CPU limitation at the lower settings.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are 180.7 FPS on Low, 124.7 FPS on Medium, 112.4 FPS on High, and 97.8 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 46%, which is similar to the 1080p scaling. The absolute numbers are lower than at 1080p, showing the GPU is becoming more involved.

At 3840x2160, the performance is 118.6 FPS on Low, 88 FPS on Medium, 76.1 FPS on High, and 68.6 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra is 42%, which is the smallest relative drop among the three resolutions. This confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 7.5 FPS, making High the more sensible choice for maintaining a higher frame rate.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: the system is capable of excellent performance at 1080p and 1440p, but the CPU limits the top-end frame rates. At 4K, the GPU’s power is fully utilized, and the combo delivers a solid experience.