Control

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a dataset for Control that clearly illustrates the shifting balance between CPU and GPU workload as resolution increases. The measured frames per second (FPS) values show a classic pattern: at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiter, while at 4K, the GPU takes over as the dominant constraint. This analysis walks through the raw numbers to explain what they mean for this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, which is typical for a game like Control that is heavily reliant on the graphics processor. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 156 at 1920x1080 to 118 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 38 FPS. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average drops to 79 FPS, representing a 77 FPS total decrease from the 1080p baseline. This translates to roughly a 49% performance loss when moving from Full HD to 4K at High settings.

The pattern repeats at every preset. At Low settings, the average goes from 233 FPS at 1080p down to 186 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 126 FPS at 4K. That is a 107 FPS difference between the lowest and highest resolutions tested. Medium settings show a similar trend: 175 FPS at 1080p, 132 FPS at 1440p, and 89 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings, which are the most demanding, yield 135 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 69 FPS at 4K.

The scaling pattern reveals that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller than the drop from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the RTX 4080 has enough headroom to handle the intermediate resolution comfortably but begins to saturate its rendering capabilities at the higher pixel count. At 1080p, the relatively modest FPS gains when lowering settings from High to Low (233 vs 156 FPS) suggest that the CPU is preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential, as the graphics card is not the bottleneck at that resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end card with specifications that directly influence these results. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. For Control, a game that renders complex environments and physics effects, this memory capacity is more than sufficient at all tested resolutions, meaning the frame rates are not likely hampered by VRAM limitations.

The GPU’s clock speeds are listed with a base of 2205 MHz and a boost of 2505 MHz. The boost clock is the more relevant figure for gaming, as it represents the sustained speed under load. The data suggests that the RTX 4080’s raw compute power, measured at 48.74 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, is the primary driver of the 4K performance. At 4K Ultra, the average of 69 FPS is a solid result for a demanding preset, and the card’s capability is evident in the fact that it can push past 100 FPS at 1440p on most settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores corroborate its position in the market. Its PassMark G3D score is 34457, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 6567. The RTX 4080 sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54247. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has a deltaPct of 0.1, indicating near-identical performance, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6 percent behind. This context shows that the 4080 is a top-tier card, and the Control results align with that expectation.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Core i5-12400F and RTX 4080 holds a rank of 307 out of 3720 total combos. This places it within the top 8.3 percent of all tested systems, which is an impressive standing. The high rank is largely attributable to the GPU’s strength, as the CPU is a mid-range part that does not top the charts on its own.

To put the CPU’s contribution in perspective, the i5-12400F has a percentile rank of 73 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which is virtually identical with a deltaPct of 0, and the Intel Core 3 201E, which is 0.1 percent slower. This indicates that the CPU is a competent performer, but it is not in the same league as the GPU, which ranks in the 86th percentile. The combo’s rank of 307 suggests that while the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, the CPU is not holding it back enough to prevent a top-tier overall result.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured averages are as follows: Low settings produce 233 FPS, Medium produces 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 and a maximum of 201, High produces 156 FPS, and Ultra produces 135 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 98 FPS, which is substantial. The Medium preset’s minimum of 149 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays well above the refresh rate of most monitors, ensuring a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop: Low yields 186 FPS, Medium yields 132 FPS with a minimum of 113 and a maximum of 152, High yields 118 FPS, and Ultra yields 102 FPS. At this resolution, all presets remain playable, with even Ultra maintaining an average above 100 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 113 FPS is still high, suggesting that the GPU has enough headroom to handle this resolution without significant frame dips.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more strained. Low settings average 126 FPS, Medium averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103, High averages 79 FPS, and Ultra averages 69 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 76 FPS is the only sub-80 FPS minimum recorded in the dataset, indicating that 4K is where the GPU begins to feel the load. Ultra at 69 FPS is still playable, but it is close to the threshold where frame pacing issues can become noticeable on high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has 18 MB of L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For Control, which is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance, the boost clock of 4.40 GHz is crucial.

The CPU’s benchmark scores show a mixed profile. Its single-thread performance is solid, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680. The multi-thread scores are also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 9472. However, the data indicates that the CPU is not the primary driver of the high frame rates seen at 1080p.

At 1080p, the FPS difference between Low (233) and High (156) is significant, but the fact that the RTX 4080 cannot reach its maximum potential suggests a CPU bottleneck. If the GPU were fully utilized, we would expect to see a smaller gap between these settings, as the graphics card would be the limiting factor. The i5-12400F’s 6 cores are sufficient for Control, but the game’s engine likely relies on a few primary threads, making the boost clock more important than the core count. The CPU’s percentile rank of 73 among all CPUs, with nearest rivals like the Ryzen 5 7535HS, confirms that it is a capable mid-range part, but it is not a top-tier processor that can feed a flagship GPU at low resolutions without some limitation.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays with a 144 Hz refresh rate, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 156 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate and provides a smooth experience. While the Medium preset offers a higher average of 175 FPS, the difference is less noticeable than the visual quality gain from High. The Ultra preset at 135 FPS is also viable, but the marginal visual improvement over High may not justify the 21 FPS drop.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It averages 132 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely dips below the refresh rate of a 144 Hz monitor. The High preset at 118 FPS is also acceptable, but the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin. The Ultra preset at 102 FPS is playable, but it is closer to the threshold where drops might become noticeable.

For 4K, the Low preset is the only option that guarantees a high refresh rate experience, averaging 126 FPS. The Medium preset at 89 FPS is the best balance for visual quality and performance, as it maintains an average above 60 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS. The High and Ultra presets, at 79 and 69 FPS respectively, are playable for slower-paced exploration but may show frame dips during intense combat sequences. Given the data, Medium at 4K is the recommended preset for a consistent experience, while Low is preferred for competitive play.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 118, with no minimum or maximum values recorded in the dataset.

Q: Does the RTX 4080 have enough VRAM for 4K in this game?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory, and the data shows that the 4K results are not limited by memory capacity, as the FPS drops are consistent with rendering load rather than memory allocation.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: The i5-12400F’s single-thread performance is relatively strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680, while its multi-core score is 12380. The single-thread score is more relevant for Control, which is reflected in the 1080p results.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank in the database for Control?*

A: This combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 307 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the top 8.3 percent.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, as evidenced by the significant FPS drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings. The CPU has enough headroom to keep up with the GPU’s rendering demands at that resolution.

Q: Which settings preset gives the highest FPS at 1080p?

A: The Low preset yields the highest average FPS at 1920x1080, with a measured average of 233 FPS. This is followed by Medium at 175 FPS, High at 156 FPS, and Ultra at 135 FPS.