Control

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, with the data showing a clear transition from CPU-bound territory at lower settings to GPU-bound territory as resolution and quality increase. This pairing ranks in the 67th percentile of all tested combos, placing it in the upper third of the database. The i5-12400, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, holds its own against rivals like the Intel Core i7-9700, while the RX 9070’s 16 GB of VRAM ensures memory capacity is never a bottleneck, even at 4K Ultra settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo?*

A: The data shows 2560x1440 at High settings provides the sweet spot, delivering 88.8 FPS. This offers a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS, and it avoids the significant performance drop seen at 3840x2160.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 57. To get a smoother experience, dropping to Medium settings yields 64 FPS, while Low settings jump to 94.8 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K are the most demanding, producing 49.2 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. This places it nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831, 0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771, 0.4% higher). It is slightly behind the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894) by 0.2%.

*Q: Is the RX 9070's 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for Control?*

A: Yes. The data indicates that memory capacity is not a limiting factor. The RX 9070 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, which is more than enough for the highest settings tested in this game.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The benchmark results show an average of 97.5 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is a very playable frame rate for a single-player action-adventure game, ensuring smooth gameplay with all visual features enabled.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate increases from 76 FPS on Ultra to 139 FPS on Low. This represents a significant 82.9% performance uplift for users who prioritize maximum frame rates over visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the primary driver of performance in this pairing for Control. Its RDNA 4.0 architecture, built on a 4 nm process, operates with a boost clock of 2520 MHz and a game clock of 2070 MHz. The GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, paired with a 256-bit bus, provides 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient to handle the game's textures and effects at all tested resolutions.

The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial, with 3584 shading units and a peak FP32 throughput of 36.13 TFLOPS. This raw power translates directly into the high frame rates observed at 1080p and 1440p. The data shows that even at 4K with High settings, the RX 9070 manages 57 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining performance. The GPU's benchmark scores support this, with a Passmark G3D score of 25381 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290. Its percentile rank of 79 vs all GPUs indicates it is a high-end part, and its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (0.3% higher score), are professional-class cards, highlighting its gaming strength.

The 16 GB of VRAM is a critical asset here. In Control, a game known for its physics-heavy environments and detailed textures, having a large memory pool prevents stuttering and texture pop-in. The data shows a consistent performance scaling across settings, which would not be the case if the GPU were running out of memory. The GPU is clearly the component that scales with resolution changes, as seen in the FPS drops from 1080p to 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p, the combo is often CPU-limited, especially at lower settings. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 181.4 FPS to 97.5 FPS, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU enough frames at lower settings, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck as quality settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a more significant role. The frame rates are still high, with Low settings hitting 139 FPS and Ultra settings at 76 FPS. The 45.3% drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows the increasing load on the GPU. This is the resolution where the balance between CPU and GPU is most favorable, as the i5-12400 is still capable of keeping up with the RX 9070's output.

The transition to 3840x2160 is stark. At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component. The frame rate at High settings drops to 57 FPS, which is a 35.8% reduction compared to the same settings at 1440p. At Ultra settings, the 4K performance falls to 49.2 FPS. This significant drop indicates that the RX 9070 is working at its limits with 4K resolution, and the CPU's role is diminished. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is not linear, suggesting the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute units are being saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance. Low settings yield an average of 181.4 FPS. Medium settings produce 128.6 FPS. High settings average 116.6 FPS, and Ultra settings are still very playable at 97.5 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 19.1 FPS, suggesting that Ultra is a viable option for those wanting maximum visual quality at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings hit 139 FPS, while Medium settings achieve 98.2 FPS. High settings are very smooth at 88.8 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain a solid 76 FPS. The step from High to Ultra costs 12.8 FPS, a reasonable trade-off for the extra visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops become more pronounced. Low settings manage a playable 94.8 FPS. Medium settings average 64 FPS, which is still smooth. High settings produce 57 FPS, right at the edge of the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding an average of 49.2 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 48.1% performance reduction, highlighting the GPU's workload at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination is ranked 540th out of 1636 tested combos in Control. This places it in the top 33% of all systems in the database, a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU.

The CPU's individual performance is solid. The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19850 puts it at the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, scores 19831, which is a 0.1% difference, showing that the newer i5-12400 is essentially on par with the older i7. The data indicates that the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing, as its performance is sufficient to support the RX 9070 in most scenarios.

The GPU's individual performance is also strong. The RX 9070's average benchmark score of 34780 places it at the 79th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA A2, scores 34866, a 0.2% difference, showing the RX 9070 is competitive with other high-end cards. The combination of a top-quartile CPU and a top-quartile GPU results in a system that ranks well in the game-specific database, confirming that this is a well-balanced pair for Control.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience, the data recommends 2560x1440 with High settings. This configuration achieves 88.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, and it offers a significant visual improvement over 1080p. The performance headroom also allows for potential future driver optimizations or background tasks without impacting frame rates.

For players with 1080p monitors, Ultra settings are strongly recommended. The 97.5 FPS average ensures a fluid experience, and the visual enhancements are noticeable. There is little reason to lower settings at this resolution unless targeting very high refresh rates, in which case High settings at 116.6 FPS is the better choice.

For 4K displays, the data suggests Medium settings as the optimal balance. At 64 FPS, it provides a consistently smooth experience, whereas High settings dip to 57 FPS. Low settings at 4K do offer a high frame rate of 94.8 FPS, but the visual compromise is substantial. Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as the 49.2 FPS average will result in noticeable stuttering in a fast-paced action game.