Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title from Remedy Entertainment, is a demanding showcase of physics-based combat and destructible environments. The benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 reveals a system that is heavily optimized for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, while still providing a solid 4K experience. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all settings and resolutions indicate that this combination is well-balanced, though the performance scaling patterns point to specific bottlenecks that shift depending on the graphical load.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline is not uniform across all settings. This variance is the key to understanding which component—the CPU or the GPU—is the primary limiter under different conditions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 206 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that figure to 156 FPS, a reduction of 50 FPS, and then to 105 FPS at 4K Low, another 51 FPS drop. This steep, near-linear decline from 1080p to 4K indicates that the GPU is being progressively saturated, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed it frames at lower resolutions.

However, the scaling pattern changes dramatically when the preset is increased to High. At 1080p High, the system produces 130 FPS. At 1440p High, it falls to 98 FPS, a 32 FPS drop. At 4K High, it reaches 66 FPS, another 32 FPS drop. The percentage decline from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 25%, and from 1440p to 4K is roughly 33%. This is a more moderate scaling curve compared to the Low preset, suggesting that while the GPU is still the main driver of performance, the increased shading and texture work is starting to create a more balanced load. The transition from Medium to Ultra further confirms this, with 4K Ultra dropping to 58 FPS from the 4K Medium figure of 75 FPS, highlighting that the most demanding presets place an immense burden on the RTX 5070's rendering capabilities.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the Core i5-12400 is capable of pushing the RTX 5070 to very high frame rates, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution scales up. The gap between 1080p Low (206 FPS) and 4K Low (105 FPS) is a 101 FPS difference, which is a massive performance hit that cannot be attributed to the CPU. This indicates that for users targeting 4K, the graphics card is working at its absolute limit, while the CPU has significant performance in reserve. Conversely, at 1080p, the system is likely hitting a ceiling where the CPU's frame-pacing capabilities are being tested, as the GPU is able to render frames faster than the processor can consistently feed them.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a rank of 780 out of 3720 combos for Control. This places the system in the top 21% of all tested configurations, a strong showing that underscores its capability in this specific title. The percentile ranking indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems in the database, though it also means there is a significant cohort of more powerful (and likely more expensive) configurations that deliver higher average frame rates.

This rank is a holistic measure, reflecting the combined capability of the CPU and GPU. Given that the RTX 5070 has a percentile rank of 82 among all GPUs, and the i5-12400 sits at a 72 percentile among CPUs, the combo's overall rank of 780 out of 3720 is a logical outcome. It is not the absolute top-tier performance, but it is firmly in the upper echelon of systems, suggesting a well-matched pair where neither component is severely bottlenecking the other in a way that would drag the overall score down. The combination is clearly more capable than a system with a weaker GPU or a significantly older CPU, but it does not reach the heights of configs with flagship processors and top-tier graphics cards.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In Control, a game that is known to utilize multiple threads for its physics and AI systems, this configuration proves to be more than adequate. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. For instance, the difference between 4K Low (105 FPS) and 4K High (66 FPS) is a massive 39 FPS. This significant drop is almost entirely attributable to the increased GPU workload, demonstrating that the i5-12400 can comfortably maintain frame delivery even as the rendering demand skyrockets.

The processor's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3456, is crucial for maintaining high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 206 FPS, a figure that is heavily dependent on the CPU's ability to process game logic and issue draw calls rapidly. The multi-threaded capabilities are also solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, ensuring that background tasks and the game's multi-threaded physics engine do not cause stutters or frame drops. The data indicates that while the GPU is the workhorse for graphical output, the i5-12400 provides a stable and fast platform that allows the RTX 5070 to operate without being held back by processing delays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the experience is exceptionally fluid. Low settings yield an average of 206 FPS, Medium produces 146 FPS (with a minimum of 124 and maximum of 168), High reaches 130 FPS, and Ultra delivers 113 FPS. All of these figures are well above the threshold for smooth gameplay, and even the minimum FPS recorded at Medium settings is far beyond what is needed for a responsive experience. This resolution is clearly where the system excels, offering maximum headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains highly playable. The Low preset drops to 156 FPS, while Medium averages 111 FPS (min 94, max 127). High settings still produce a very respectable 98 FPS, and Ultra manages 85 FPS. The data shows a consistent performance tier at this resolution, with all presets delivering a smooth experience on standard 144Hz monitors, and even the most demanding Ultra setting staying comfortably above 60 FPS. This is likely the sweet spot for this hardware combination, balancing visual fidelity with high frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5070 begins to show its limits. Low settings average 105 FPS, which is still excellent for 4K. Medium settings drop to 75 FPS (min 63, max 86), providing a playable experience with better visuals. However, High settings fall to 66 FPS, and Ultra dips to 58 FPS. The drop from 75 FPS at Medium to 66 FPS at High is a significant 9 FPS loss, and the step to Ultra further reduces it to 58 FPS. For 4K gaming, users will need to make a conscious choice between visual fidelity and frame rate, as the Ultra preset will not consistently hold 60 FPS, while Medium offers a more stable experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with maximum settings?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 58. This is below the 60 FPS target many consider optimal for smooth gameplay, so while it is technically playable, it may not provide a consistently fluid experience at the highest visual quality.

Q: What is the best resolution to use for a high-refresh-rate monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, the system produces an average of 156 FPS on Low, 111 FPS on Medium, and 98 FPS on High. These frame rates are well-suited for 144Hz monitors, making 1440p the ideal resolution to take advantage of high refresh rates without sacrificing visual quality.

Q: How much of a performance hit is there when going from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance hit is substantial and depends on settings. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 206 at 1080p to 105 at 4K, a 101 FPS reduction. At High settings, it drops from 130 FPS to 66 FPS, a 64 FPS reduction.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system hits 206 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the GPU is capable of rendering very quickly, and the CPU's frame delivery becomes the ceiling. The i5-12400's performance is sufficient for very high frame rates, but it is the likely limiting factor preventing even higher scores.

Q: What kind of frame rates can I expect with Medium settings at 1440p?

A: The benchmark data shows an average of 111 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS. This indicates a stable and highly playable experience.

Q: How does the system perform in terms of minimum FPS at higher resolutions?

A: The only preset with a recorded minimum FPS is Medium. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 124 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 94 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 63 FPS. This suggests that at 4K Medium, the system can still maintain a playable frame rate, though it is approaching the lower threshold for smooth performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For users with a 1080p 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, the High preset at 130 FPS offers a superior visual experience over Medium's 146 FPS with only a modest performance cost, but Ultra at 113 FPS is also viable. However, for the absolute smoothest experience, the Low preset's 206 FPS is the clear choice, even if it sacrifices visual quality. For 1440p, the High preset at 98 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it provides a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance that is well-suited for most monitors. Ultra at 85 FPS is also a great option if you prefer maximum detail, as it remains above the 60 FPS threshold.

The most critical decision comes at 4K. The Medium preset, with an average of 75 FPS and a minimum of 63 FPS, is the safest choice for a consistently smooth experience. The High preset at 66 FPS is also playable, but the close proximity to the 60 FPS line means it is more susceptible to noticeable dips. The Ultra preset, at 58 FPS, should generally be avoided if you prioritize frame rate stability, as it falls below the 60 FPS mark. Therefore, for a 4K experience, selecting Medium settings is the most balanced recommendation, ensuring a stable frame rate while still offering a significant upgrade over Low settings. The data suggests that the jump from Medium to High at 4K costs 9 FPS, a trade-off that may not be worth it for the marginal visual gains.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its role is clearly defined by the performance scaling. With 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has sufficient memory resources for Control at all tested settings, even at 4K Ultra. The GPU's raw compute power is significant, with an FP32 performance of 30.87 TFLOPS and a boost clock of 2512 MHz. These specifications translate directly into the high frame rates seen in the benchmark, particularly at lower resolutions.

The GPU's influence is most apparent when examining the performance drop from Low to Ultra at a fixed resolution. At 4K, the difference between Low (105 FPS) and Ultra (58 FPS) is a 47 FPS gap. This 45% reduction in performance is a direct result of the increased shading, texture filtering, and post-processing demands placed on the RTX 5070's 6144 shading units and 192 texture mapping units. The card's 80 ROPs are responsible for the final pixel output, and at 4K Ultra, they are clearly being pushed to their limit, resulting in the 58 FPS average. The data conclusively shows that the RTX 5070 is the primary determinant of frame rate in this game, with the CPU providing a stable foundation that allows the GPU to be fully utilized.