Control

# Control with Intel Core i5-12400F + AMD Radeon RX 7700

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a solid Control experience across all tested resolutions, but the data reveals a system that is firmly GPU-limited at higher settings. At 1080p, the combo produces highly playable frame rates, with the average FPS ranging from 81 at Ultra to 148 at Low. Moving to 1440p sees a predictable drop, while 4K Ultra dips to an average of 41 FPS, which is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads boosting to 4.40 GHz, provides ample processing power to feed the RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, making this a balanced pairing for a game like Control that responds well to both CPU and GPU resources depending on the resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best overall preset for playing Control with this hardware combo?

A: The data shows that High settings at 1440p provides an excellent balance, delivering 71 FPS average. This is 10 FPS higher than Ultra at the same resolution, while the visual difference between High and Ultra is typically marginal in this title. For 1080p, High at 93 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a significant jump from Ultra's 81 FPS without sacrificing much visual fidelity.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High, the system averages 48 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. Dropping to Medium yields 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, which is smoother. For a truly consistent 4K experience, Low settings at 76 FPS average is the only preset that clears 60 FPS comfortably at 3840x2160.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, which is virtually identical with a delta of 0%. It also trades blows with the Intel Core 3 201E (19056, -0.1%) and the Intel Core i5-1335U (18982, +0.3%), showing it is competitively positioned in its segment.

Q: Is the RX 7700 a strong performer relative to other GPUs?

A: The Radeon RX 7700 ranks in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, scores 15862, a delta of -0.1%. It is slightly behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129 (-1.7%), but ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, +1.1%).

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the difference is substantial. Low settings produce an average of 148 FPS, while Ultra drops to 81 FPS. That is a 67 FPS difference, or roughly 45% lower performance at Ultra. Medium sits at 105 FPS and High at 93 FPS, showing that the scaling is not linear, with the largest single-step drop occurring between Medium and High.

Q: Does the system maintain playable frame rates in demanding scenarios?

A: The only preset with recorded minimum FPS data is Medium, across all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 89 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 68 FPS; and at 4K Medium, it is 46 FPS. These minimums suggest the system holds up well under load, with no severe stuttering indicated, though the 4K Medium minimum is close to the edge of smoothness.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data strongly points to High settings at 1440p as the optimal configuration for this combo. The 71 FPS average at 2560x1440 High is above the 60 FPS target, and it provides a markedly better visual experience than Medium (80 FPS) or Low (112 FPS), which require noticeable compromises in texture quality and effects. At 1440p, Ultra is not recommended, as the 61 FPS average is technically playable, but the 10 FPS penalty over High is not worth the marginal visual gains in a game like Control, where the difference between High and Ultra is often subtle.

At 1080p, High settings at 93 FPS is the recommended starting point. This gives you a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience that leverages the RX 7700's capabilities without pushing into the diminishing returns of Ultra. If you have a 144 Hz or higher monitor, dropping to Medium (105 FPS) or Low (148 FPS) will maximize smoothness, but the visual downgrade from High is significant. For those prioritizing frame rate above all else, Low at 148 FPS is the clear choice, but it sacrifices the game's atmospheric lighting and particle effects.

For 4K, the situation is more nuanced. The data indicates that Medium settings at 54 FPS average is the most sensible choice for a playable experience, as it keeps the minimum above 45 FPS. High at 48 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 41 FPS is too choppy for the game's action sequences. Low at 76 FPS is the only 4K preset that hits a comfortable frame rate, but it drastically reduces the visual fidelity that makes Control impressive. If you own a 4K display, Medium is the pragmatic compromise, accepting a slight dip below 60 FPS in exchange for retaining most of the game's visual identity.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, moving from 1080p (93 FPS) to 1440p (71 FPS) results in a 23.7% performance drop, while moving from 1440p to 4K (48 FPS) results in a 32.4% drop. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU that is increasingly stressed by pixel count, suggesting the RX 7700 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

At Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic: 1080p yields 148 FPS, 1440p yields 112 FPS (a 24.3% drop), and 4K yields 76 FPS (a 32.1% drop). The fact that even at Low settings the performance drops significantly with resolution indicates that the GPU is still the bottleneck, as a CPU-bound system would show less variation across resolutions. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with its 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and multi-thread score of 5912, is more than capable of keeping up with the RX 7700's output.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution. The jump from 1080p to 4K at the same settings consistently reduces FPS by roughly 48-49%, which aligns with the GPU's rendering load quadrupling in pixel count. This is a healthy sign for the pairing, as it means the i5-12400F is providing enough headroom for the GPU to work at its full potential, and any future GPU upgrade would yield immediate benefits without a CPU bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1294 out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 55.2nd percentile of all system configurations. This is a solid mid-pack result, indicating that while it is not a top-tier setup, it outperforms a majority of systems tested in this game.

The ranking is noteworthy given the individual component percentiles. The CPU sits in the 73rd percentile, while the GPU is in the 58th percentile, so the combo performs slightly below what the CPU alone might suggest. This is because Control is a game that can be heavily GPU-dependent at higher settings, and the RX 7700, while capable, is not a flagship card. The 55.2nd percentile combo ranking is a realistic reflection of the GPU's mid-range positioning.

Compared to other potential pairings, this combo offers a balanced profile. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 909) is well-suited for Control's physics and AI calculations, while the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM ensures that texture streaming is not an issue even at 4K. The result is a system that feels responsive and consistent, with no single component dragging the other down, as evidenced by the smooth minimum FPS figures at Medium settings across all resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the defining component in this system's Control performance, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured FPS. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This ample VRAM allocation means that texture and asset loading is never a bottleneck, even at 4K Ultra where the game's detailed environments demand significant memory resources.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a key factor. With a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz, the RX 7700 is capable of sustained high frequencies under load. The boost clock is particularly important in Control, as the game's action sequences can cause GPU utilization to spike, and the ability to maintain higher clocks translates directly to smoother frame rates. The 40 ray tracing cores and 2560 shading units provide the raw compute power necessary for the game's particle effects and physics simulations.

The GPU's 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in the benchmark data. Its PassMark G3D score of 20974 is respectable, while its DirectX 12 score of 96 indicates solid API efficiency. In Control, which utilizes DirectX 12 features, this translates to the measured performance. The GPU's 96 ROPs and 393.4 GTexel/s texture rate ensure that pixel fill and texture fetch operations are handled efficiently, contributing to the consistent minimum FPS observed at Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 148 FPS, which is exceptional for high-refresh-rate displays. Medium settings yield 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS, showing tight frame pacing. High settings average 93 FPS, while Ultra drops to 81 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 45.3% reduction in performance, with the largest single drop occurring between Medium (105 FPS) and High (93 FPS), an 11.4% decrease.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings average 112 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for competitive play. Medium settings deliver 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS, indicating stable performance. High settings average 71 FPS, which is the recommended preset for this resolution. Ultra settings produce 61 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at equivalent settings ranges from 23.7% (High) to 24.3% (Low), showing consistent scaling.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly pushed to its limits. Low settings average 76 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. Medium settings average 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, which is playable but with occasional dips. High settings average 48 FPS, while Ultra drops to 41 FPS, making it the only configuration that is not recommended for smooth gameplay. The transition from 1440p to 4K results in a 32.1% to 32.4% performance drop, indicating that the RX 7700's limitations are most pronounced at this resolution. The 16 GB VRAM is sufficient, but the GPU's raw compute power (25.18 TFLOPS FP32) is the governing factor in these results.