Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT presents a classic mid-range 1080p and 1440p configuration in Control. The measured data shows a system that delivers smooth, playable frame rates at high settings in Full HD, but which begins to strain under the load of 4K resolutions and maximum graphical presets. The benchmark results indicate a pairing where the GPU is the primary scaling factor, while the 6-core, 12-thread processor provides sufficient headroom to avoid becoming the main bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is substantial and tells a clear story about the system's performance limits. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 122 at 1080p to 93 at 1440p, and finally to 63 at 4K. This represents a 48.4% reduction in average frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K, a steep decline that points directly at the Radeon RX 6650 XT as the limiting component. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus width, while adequate for lower resolutions, are forced to work much harder to fill the 8.3 million pixels of a 4K display.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 77 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p, then to 39 at 4K. This 49.4% drop from 1080p to 4K mirrors the Low-setting trend, confirming that resolution scaling is the dominant factor. The Ultra preset shows the most severe degradation, falling from 67 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p and 34 FPS at 4K. The 49.3% performance loss from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is consistently saturated as pixel count increases.

The Medium preset provides the only min/max FPS data points in the measured set, offering insight into frame time consistency. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100, a 26 FPS spread. At 2560x1440, the average drops to 66 FPS with a 56-76 range. At 3840x2160, the average falls to 44 FPS with a 38-51 range. The proportional spread remains relatively stable across resolutions, suggesting that the frame pacing is consistent and that the performance ceiling is primarily dictated by the GPU's raw throughput rather than any memory or bandwidth cliff.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 6650 XT plays the decisive role in this combo's gaming performance. Its specifications include a base clock of 2055 MHz, a boost clock of 2635 MHz, and a game clock of 2410 MHz. The memory operates at 2190 MHz with 17.5 Gbps effective speed, delivering 280.3 GB/s of bandwidth across a 128-bit bus. This bandwidth figure is crucial for understanding the 4K performance, where the GPU's 64 ROPs and 128 TMUs must process significantly more texture and pixel data.

The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is a defining constraint at higher resolutions. In Control, a game known for its physics-heavy environments and detailed textures, the 4K results suggest the GPU is hitting memory capacity limits or bandwidth saturation. The difference between Low and High settings at 4K is 24 FPS (63 vs 39), while the same comparison at 1080p yields a 45 FPS difference (122 vs 77). This narrowing gap at 4K indicates that the GPU's compute and memory resources are being exhausted regardless of the quality preset, making the resolution the primary bottleneck rather than the visual fidelity settings.

The GPU's raw compute capability is rated at 10.79 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, with a pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s. These figures support strong 1080p performance, as evidenced by the 122 FPS average at Low settings. However, the 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay, highlighting that this GPU is not designed for 4K gaming without significant compromises. The card's position in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19765, reinforces its mid-range positioning.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience in Control. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 77 FPS on average, which is a solid baseline for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 67 FPS, still playable but with diminishing returns in visual quality. The Low preset at 122 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as the High preset already exceeds the 60 FPS target comfortably. The Medium preset at 87 FPS offers a balance, but the High preset's 77 FPS is the recommended choice for 1080p, providing the best visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance picture shifts. High settings produce 58 FPS on average, which is close to but slightly below the 60 FPS ideal. Medium settings at 66 FPS provide a better experience for those prioritizing frame rate smoothness, while Low settings at 93 FPS offer headroom for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 51 FPS is playable but dips into a range where frame pacing inconsistencies may become noticeable. The data suggests that Medium is the optimal preset for 1440p, as it maintains an average above 60 FPS while retaining a reasonable level of visual fidelity.

For 3840x2160, the options are more limited. The High preset at 39 FPS and Ultra at 34 FPS are both below the 60 FPS threshold, making them less desirable for action-oriented gameplay. The Medium preset at 44 FPS is similarly constrained, though its min FPS of 38 shows the frame rate holds relatively steady. The Low preset at 63 FPS is the only 4K option that exceeds 60 FPS, but it requires significant visual compromises. For 4K, the Low preset is the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth experience, while users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate may accept the Medium preset's 44 FPS average.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT ranks 2438 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. This places it in approximately the 34.5th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it sits comfortably above the bottom third of systems. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU's own performance metrics suggest it is not the limiting factor.

The CPU's nearest rivals provide context for its role in this combo. The Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683, with its closest competitor being the AMD EPYC 7643 at 18697, a difference of -0.1%. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811 (-0.7%). The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, which is 0.9% lower. These tight margins indicate that the i5-12400 is well within the expected performance band for its class, and the CPU is unlikely to bottleneck the GPU in most gaming scenarios.

The GPU's nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The Radeon RX 6650 XT has an average benchmark score of 19765, with the NVIDIA Tesla K40m at 19885 (-0.6%), the AMD FirePro W7000 at 19905 (-0.7%), and the AMD FirePro D300 at 19637 (0.7%). The NVIDIA Quadro K5200 at 19602 (0.8%) rounds out the comparison. These are professional or workstation-class cards, which highlights the RX 6650 XT's positioning in the consumer gaming segment. The combo's rank in Control specifically reflects the game's demanding nature, where the GPU's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are tested more severely than in less graphically intensive titles.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the strongest resolution, with the High preset delivering 77 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, the High preset drops to 58 FPS, while 3840x2160 at High produces only 39 FPS.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 122 FPS while the Ultra preset averages 67 FPS. This represents a 55 FPS difference, or a 45.1% reduction in average frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this system?

A: The scaling data indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The frame rate drops proportionally with resolution increases across all settings, with the 4K results showing the GPU saturated regardless of preset. The CPU's nearest rival performance scores are all within 0.9% of each other, suggesting it provides consistent support.

Q: What settings provide the smoothest 4K experience?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, averaging 63 FPS. The Medium preset averages 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS, while High and Ultra averages are 39 FPS and 34 FPS respectively.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems in Control?

A: This combination ranks 2438 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the lower-mid range of the database. The rank reflects the GPU's 8 GB memory capacity and 128-bit bus width, which limit performance at higher resolutions.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at Medium settings across all resolutions?

A: The Medium preset yields 87 FPS at 1920x1080, 66 FPS at 2560x1440, and 44 FPS at 3840x2160. The 1440p result is the only one above the 60 FPS threshold, making Medium a viable option for 1440p gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed picture of this combo's performance in Control. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 122 FPS on average, the Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a range of 74 to 100 FPS, the High preset averages 77 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 67 FPS. The 55 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at this resolution shows the GPU has substantial headroom at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 93 FPS, the Medium preset averages 66 FPS with a range of 56 to 76 FPS, the High preset averages 58 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 51 FPS. The 42 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p indicates the GPU is starting to feel the resolution pressure, though all presets remain above 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 63 FPS, the Medium preset averages 44 FPS with a range of 38 to 51 FPS, the High preset averages 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 34 FPS. The 29 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is the narrowest of the three resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at this resolution and that preset choices have diminishing returns as pixel count increases.