Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 pairing in Control presents a stark case of GPU-limited performance, where the processor’s substantial headroom is largely irrelevant to the final frame rates. The CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake part with a 2.50 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost clock, sits in the 77th percentile of all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-9700, which scores 19831 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i7-8700 at 19894 (a -0.2% delta), placing the i5-12400 effectively in a dead heat with those older i7s in synthetic tests. The data suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck here; even at 1080p Low, where the game’s load on the processor is highest, the measured 60.6 FPS average is well within the i5-12400’s capabilities, as indicated by its strong multi-threaded results like 15935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

The i5-12400’s specifications point to a processor that should handle Control’s physics and logic without breaking a sweat. With 6 physical cores and 12 threads via Hyper-Threading, it offers a solid foundation for modern game engines. Its Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process, provides a 18 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, giving it flexibility in system design. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz is key for single-threaded performance, which remains critical in game logic and draw-call submission; this is reflected in its 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249.

However, the benchmark results in Control show that the CPU’s potential is not being taxed. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 60.6, which is the highest frame rate recorded across all settings and resolutions. This is a clear indicator that the CPU can feed the GPU enough data at this resolution, but the GPU is already at its limit. The fact that the FPS drops to 38.4 at 1080p High is not a sign of CPU weakness but rather a response to increased GPU workload. The i5-12400’s synthetic benchmarks place it in the 77th percentile, with an average score of 19850, which is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771) and 0.1% ahead of the Core i7-9700 (19831). This suggests the CPU is performing as expected, and the limiting factor in Control is clearly the graphics card, not the processor.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the decisive component in this pairing. This Polaris 20 chip, built on GlobalFoundries’ 14 nm process, is an older design with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1257 MHz with a boost of 1340 MHz, and it features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GPU’s raw compute is rated at 6.175 TFLOPS FP32, and it sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 13559. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which scores 13564 (a 0% delta), and the GTX 950 at 13549 (a 0.1% delta), indicating the RX 580 is performance-wise sandwiched between those older cards.

In Control, the RX 580’s limitations are evident. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 33.4, which is only slightly better than the 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS. This indicates that the GPU’s fill-rate and compute capabilities are being overwhelmed by the game’s visual effects, particularly at higher settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU’s raw processing power is insufficient to maintain high frame rates. The data shows a clear pattern: as settings increase from Low to Ultra at any resolution, the average FPS drops significantly, underscoring that the RX 580 is the primary constraint. For instance, at 1440p, the FPS drops from 47.8 on Low to 26.9 on Ultra, a 43.7% reduction, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s limited pixel and texture throughput.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a predictable, yet steep, decline as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p High, the average is 38.4 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 31.2 FPS; and at 4K High, it falls to 22.9 FPS. This scaling is not linear, and the drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, representing a 26.6% reduction in performance. The trend is similar for Ultra settings: 33.4 FPS at 1080p, 26.9 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. This pattern strongly suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck, because if the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would be more consistent across resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not increase proportionally with pixel count.

The most telling data point is the Low settings. At 1080p Low, the RX 580 achieves 60.6 FPS, but this drops to 47.8 FPS at 1440p and 29.9 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is particularly revealing: it is lower than the 1080p Ultra result (33.4 FPS), despite the significantly lower graphical fidelity. This indicates that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and shading units are saturated at 4K, even with reduced settings. The fact that the CPU is not the limiting factor is also supported by the i5-12400’s strong synthetic benchmarks, which show no signs of weakness in multi-threaded or single-threaded workloads. Therefore, the resolution scaling data confirms that the RX 580 is the primary constraint, and any attempts to improve frame rates must focus on reducing the GPU’s workload.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 1530 out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the bottom 6.5% of all systems tested. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is a modern, capable part that would likely rank much higher if paired with a more powerful graphics card. The combo’s rank of 1530 indicates that the average FPS across all tested settings is quite low, which is consistent with the RX 580’s performance profile. The GPU’s own percentile rank of 53% against all GPUs, combined with its average benchmark score of 13559, shows that it is a mid-range card from a previous generation, and it is not well-suited for a demanding title like Control at high resolutions.

The data suggests that this combo is at the lower end of what could be considered playable for Control. At 1080p Low, the 60.6 FPS average is acceptable, but at higher settings or resolutions, the frame rates dip below 30 FPS, which is generally considered the minimum for a smooth experience. The ranking of 1530 out of 1636 indicates that most other tested combinations, even those with older CPUs, likely outperform this setup because they are paired with better GPUs. This is a clear case where the CPU’s potential is wasted, and the system’s overall performance is capped by the RX 580. For a user looking to play Control, this combo requires significant setting compromises to achieve playable frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo for a smooth experience?*

A: The only configuration that delivers an average FPS above 60 is 1080p with Low settings, which achieves 60.6 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 43.4 FPS, and at 1080p High, it falls to 38.4 FPS, so 1080p Low is the only viable option for a 60 FPS target.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 or the AMD Radeon RX 580 the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU is in the 77th percentile with an average benchmark score of 19850, while the GPU is in the 53rd percentile with a score of 13559. The frame rates scale heavily with resolution and settings, which is a sign of GPU limitation.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 13559, which is virtually identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 at 13564 (a 0% delta) and the GTX 950 at 13549 (a 0.1% delta). It is also 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 455, which scores 13416.

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

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 38.4. At 4K High, the average FPS drops to 22.9, representing a 40.4% reduction in performance. This steep drop is indicative of the GPU’s inability to handle the increased pixel count.

Q: Does the i5-12400’s performance exceed that of the Intel Core i7-9700?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700’s score of 19831. This makes the two processors effectively equal in synthetic performance, despite the i5 having more cores and threads.

Q: Can this combo achieve playable frame rates at 1440p?

A: At 1440p Low, the average FPS is 47.8, which is playable. However, at 1440p Medium, the average drops to 36 FPS, and at 1440p High, it falls to 31.2 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 26.9 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the best experience with this combo is achieved at 1080p with Low settings, which yields an average FPS of 60.6. This is the only configuration that hits the 60 FPS target, making it the most fluid option for gameplay. If a user prefers higher visual fidelity, 1080p Medium offers a reasonable compromise at 43.4 FPS, which is still above the 30 FPS minimum. However, any setting above Medium at 1080p, or any setting at 1440p or 4K, will result in frame rates that are either borderline or below playable thresholds. At 1440p, Low settings are the only viable option, delivering 47.8 FPS, while at 4K, even Low settings only achieve 29.9 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS line. Therefore, the recommendation is to prioritize frame rate over visual quality, using 1080p Low for a smooth experience, or 1080p Medium if slight dips to the mid-40s are acceptable. The data does not support using Ultra settings at any resolution, as the highest recorded Ultra FPS is 33.4 at 1080p, which is not a consistently smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is the complete set of measured average FPS data for this combo in Control:

1920x1080:

• Low: 60.6 FPS
• Medium: 43.4 FPS
• High: 38.4 FPS
• Ultra: 33.4 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 47.8 FPS
• Medium: 36 FPS
• High: 31.2 FPS
• Ultra: 26.9 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 29.9 FPS
• Medium: 21.7 FPS
• High: 22.9 FPS
• Ultra: 21 FPS

The data shows that the RX 580’s performance is heavily influenced by both resolution and settings. At 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 27.2 FPS, indicating a significant impact from graphical settings. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 20.9 FPS, and at 4K, it narrows further to 8.9 FPS. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is becoming fully saturated, and the differences between settings are less impactful because the GPU is already at its limit. The 4K results are particularly telling, with all settings yielding an average FPS below 30, and the difference between Low (29.9) and Ultra (21) being only 8.9 FPS. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the absolute bottleneck, and no amount of setting reduction can bring the frame rate up to a playable level. The 1080p Low result of 60.6 FPS is the only data point that exceeds 60 FPS, highlighting the extreme compromise required to achieve a smooth experience with this hardware.