Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title, and the data for the Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combo shows a system that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at lower resolutions but begins to buckle under the load of 4K Ultra settings. This pairing represents a balanced mid-range build from the 12th Gen Intel and 40-series NVIDIA lineup, where the GPU is the primary driver of performance scaling as resolution increases. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the three resolutions and four presets reveal distinct bottlenecks and practical limits for this hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and clearly indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate plummets from 190.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 145.8 FPS at 2560x1440, and further down to 99 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 48% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K on the lowest preset, highlighting how pixel count directly strains the RTX 4070's rendering pipeline. The scaling is consistent across all presets, with High settings dropping from 122.5 FPS at 1080p to 92.4 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 63.3 FPS at 4K.

The pattern of diminishing returns is most visible when moving from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the gap between 1080p (138.5 FPS) and 1440p (105.2 FPS) is 33.3 FPS, but the gap between 1440p and 4K (69.6 FPS) is 35.6 FPS, showing that the cost of 4K is nearly equal to the cost of moving up from 1080p to 1440p. This behavior is typical of a GPU that has a fixed memory bandwidth and compute capacity, where the sheer number of pixels at 3840x2160 overwhelms the shading units and ROPs. The data suggests that for smooth 4K gameplay, users must be willing to accept lower presets, as the gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 44 FPS, while at 1080p the same preset gap is 85.1 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the star of this combo, and its specifications directly explain the observed performance. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has ample headroom for texture data at 1440p, but the 4K Ultra results suggest that bandwidth and pixel throughput become strained. The boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz allow the 5888 shading units to work efficiently, yet the 64 ROPs are a finite resource that gets saturated at higher resolutions. The card's 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (55 FPS) shows that raw compute is not the sole arbiter of performance in this title.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 81st percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 37283. Comparing it to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4070 is 0.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, and 1.9% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A, which are odd comparisons given the generational gap. More tellingly, it is 2.2% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, indicating that desktop and mobile variants are closer in raw compute than one might expect. The 200 W TDP and 16-pin power connector are standard for this class, and the 5 nm process from TSMC keeps thermals manageable, but the data shows that the GPU is the clear bottleneck at 4K, as frame rates scale almost linearly with resolution. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854 and Passmark G3D score of 26927 confirm that this is a strong GPU, yet Control's engine appears to be particularly sensitive to fill-rate and memory bandwidth, which are the exact areas where the 192-bit bus shows its limits.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides a solid foundation for this GPU, and its specifications are sufficient to avoid becoming a major bottleneck at most settings. With 6 cores and 12 threads running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, this Alder Lake-S processor has a single-thread performance that is critical for game logic. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep data close to the cores, and the 10 nm process node ensures efficient power delivery with a 65 W TDP. The benchmark results show a strong showing in single-threaded tests, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3456, which are excellent for a mid-range CPU.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15935 and a Passmark multithread score of 18747. This places the i5-12400 in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-9700 (0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (0.2% slower), showing that this CPU trades blows with older high-end parts. The data suggests that at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU is still able to feed the RTX 4070 enough frames to reach 190.8 FPS, indicating that the 4.40 GHz boost clock is effective. However, at 4K Ultra, the CPU is likely idle waiting for the GPU, as the 55 FPS result is far below what the CPU can handle. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 3012 and 8-thread score of 4745 show that the CPU scales well with additional threads, but Control does not appear to be a CPU-intensive title at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the consistent FPS drops across all presets when resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, this combo is exceptionally fast. Low settings produce 190.8 FPS, Medium yields 138.5 FPS, High delivers 122.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 105.7 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is not a challenge for the RTX 4070, and even at Ultra, the frame rate is well above the 100 FPS threshold for high-refresh monitors. The difference between Low and Ultra is 85.1 FPS, which shows that the GPU has enough headroom to run the game at maximum detail without sacrificing playability.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings hit 145.8 FPS, Medium drops to 105.2 FPS, High averages 92.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 80.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 65.3 FPS, indicating that the GPU is starting to feel the pressure of additional pixels. For 1440p gaming, High settings offer a good balance, staying above 90 FPS, while Ultra remains playable at 80.5 FPS, which is acceptable for most users.

At 3840x2160, the limits of this combo are exposed. Low settings produce 99 FPS, Medium drops to 69.6 FPS, High averages 63.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 55 FPS. The 44 FPS difference between Low and Ultra is the smallest of the three resolutions, showing that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck. While 4K Low is smooth, 4K Ultra is borderline, with 55 FPS being just above the console standard of 30 FPS but below the 60 FPS target for PC enthusiasts. The data clearly shows that for 4K, users must choose between visual fidelity and frame rate, as even High settings struggle to maintain a locked 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Control, this pairing ranks 411th out of 1636 total combinations, placing it in the top 25% of all systems tested. This rank confirms the balance between the i5-12400 and RTX 4070, as the combo outperforms many other pairings that might have a stronger CPU but a weaker GPU, or vice versa. The rank reflects the average performance across all resolutions and settings, and the data shows that this combo is particularly strong at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU can stretch its legs. The 411th rank out of 1636 is respectable, but it is not a top-tier result, as the 4K Ultra performance holds the overall score down. The combo's percentile ranking suggests that it is better than 75% of all tested systems, which is a strong result for a mid-range build, but it also indicates that there are many combos that can push higher frame rates at 4K, likely with more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090. The data implies that this combo is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it achieves high frame rates without the heavy compromise seen at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience for this combo is at 2560x1440 with High settings, which yields 92.4 FPS. This provides a smooth, immersive experience with good visual quality, and the frame rate is high enough for most monitors. For users with 1080p displays, Ultra settings at 105.7 FPS are the clear choice, as the GPU has enough headroom to handle maximum detail without dipping below 100 FPS. At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced: Low settings at 99 FPS offer the best playability, but Medium at 69.6 FPS or High at 63.3 FPS provide a more visually pleasing experience if the user can tolerate slightly lower frame rates. Ultra at 4K should be avoided, as the 55 FPS average is too close to the edge of playability for a fast-paced action game. The data shows that the sweet spot for this combo is 1440p High, as it balances the GPU's capabilities with the CPU's strengths, delivering a consistently high frame rate without the need for aggressive compromises. For those prioritizing frame rate over fidelity, 1080p Ultra is the best option, while 4K users should stick to Low or Medium presets to maintain a playable experience.