Control

# Control with Intel Core i5-12600KF + AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a mid-range experience in Control, ranking 2363rd out of 3720 tested combinations. This places the combo in the lower-middle portion of the database, with benchmark results showing a system that is capable of smooth 1080p play at most settings but begins to strain at higher resolutions. The measured data reveals a pairing where the GPU is the primary limiting factor as resolution increases, while the CPU provides consistent headroom across all tested configurations.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The chip features a hybrid design with performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the exact core configuration. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus, and it connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12600KF demonstrates strong multi-threaded capability. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score reaches 23391, while the single-core score is 3302. The Geekbench multicore result is 12137, and the single-core score is 2157. The PassMark multithread score comes in at 27575, with a single-thread score of 3925. The processor's 3DMark results scale from 1995 in the 2-thread test to 7956 in the 16-thread test, showing efficient thread scaling. The max-threads score of 7952 is nearly identical to the 16-thread result, indicating that the chip saturates its capabilities around 16 threads.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF sits within a tight band. It trails the Intel Core i9-10900K by 0.3% in average benchmark score, and it also trails the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D by 0.3%. Against the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, it leads by 0.3%, and it matches the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U within 0.3%. This places the CPU at the 79th percentile of all processors tested, with an average benchmark score of 27799.

For Control, the CPU's role is largely about maintaining frame pacing and avoiding bottlenecks at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 124 FPS average, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. This suggests that the i5-12600KF provides ample processing power to feed the GPU even at high frame rates. The 10-core, 16-thread design is more than sufficient for Control's workload, which is an Action Adventure title from 2019 and does not heavily stress multi-threaded performance. The processor's strong single-thread score of 3925 in PassMark and 3302 in Cinebench R23 ensures that game logic and physics calculations are handled efficiently.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, manufactured on a 6 nm process by TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1980 MHz, with a boost clock of 2755 MHz and a game clock of 2470 MHz. The memory operates at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed. The card has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, along with 32 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities include 22.57 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and an equal 22.57 TFLOPS of FP16 performance. The GPU has a TDP of 190 W and requires a 450 W suggested power supply.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7600 XT posts a PassMark G3D score of 17132, with a G2D score of 1030. Its DirectX 11 test score is 167, while DirectX 12 scores 65 and DirectX 10 scores 85. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 92426, and the Vulkan score is 48366. The GPU compute score in PassMark is 8987. These results place the card at the 60th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17083.

Against its nearest rivals, the RX 7600 XT leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 by 0.3% and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M by 0.4%. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 by 0.7% and leads the NVIDIA Tesla M4 by 0.9%. This indicates that the GPU is competitive with older high-end cards but sits below modern mid-range offerings in raw compute.

For Control, the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is a notable asset, though the game itself does not appear to require excessive memory at the tested settings. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU can push 124 FPS at Low settings, but this drops to 68 FPS at Ultra, a 45% reduction. At 1440p, the range is 94 FPS at Low to 51 FPS at Ultra, and at 4K it falls from 63 FPS at Low to 35 FPS at Ultra. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load outpaces the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth capabilities at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?

A: The measured data shows 1080p is the most comfortable resolution, with all settings achieving playable frame rates. At 1080p, even Ultra settings average 68 FPS, while Low settings reach 124 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D in average benchmark score. It leads the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE by 0.3% and matches the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U within 0.3%.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 by 0.7% in average benchmark score. This puts the two cards at virtually identical performance levels in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the highest average FPS measured for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 124, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 120 FPS in the measured data.

Q: Is the combo capable of 4K gaming in Control?

A: At 4K, the combo averages 40 FPS at High settings and 35 FPS at Ultra settings. Low settings reach 63 FPS, making 4K playable only at lower quality presets.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2363rd out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places it in the lower-middle range of the database, indicating mid-range performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2363 out of 3720 tested combinations places it in the 36th percentile of all systems tested for Control. This is a noteworthy position, as it suggests that while the system is fully capable of running the game, a substantial majority of tested combos deliver higher performance. The ranking reflects the GPU's 60th percentile standing among all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 79th percentile. This disparity indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck in this pairing, holding back the overall system performance relative to the CPU's capabilities.

The rank is consistent with the measured FPS data across resolutions. At 1080p, the combo delivers strong performance that would satisfy most players, with average FPS ranging from 68 at Ultra to 124 at Low. However, the drop to 4K reveals the GPU's limitations, with Ultra settings averaging only 35 FPS. The combination of a high-percentile CPU with a mid-range GPU creates a system that excels at lower resolutions but cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K.

The delta between the CPU and GPU percentiles—79th versus 60th—is significant. This suggests that the system could benefit from a more powerful GPU to better utilize the i5-12600KF's headroom. In Control, the game's demands scale primarily with resolution and settings, and the measured data shows that the GPU is the primary constraint at 1440p and above.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 78 FPS average, which is a strong balance between visual quality and smoothness. The Medium preset at 88 FPS offers a slight performance boost with minimal visual compromise, while Ultra at 68 FPS is still playable for those who prioritize graphics over frame rate. Low settings at 124 FPS are the best choice for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays, though the visual downgrade is significant.

At 1440p, the High preset averages 59 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 67 FPS provides a better experience, while Low at 94 FPS is the most fluid option. Ultra at 51 FPS dips below the 60 FPS threshold, making it less ideal for action sequences. For 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset, offering a good balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 4K, the options are more constrained. Low settings at 63 FPS are the only preset that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K play. Medium at 45 FPS and High at 40 FPS are playable but not consistently smooth, while Ultra at 35 FPS is best reserved for screenshots or non-action moments. For most players, 4K gaming with this combo requires accepting either lower settings or lower frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive view of the combo's performance in Control. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 124 at Low settings to 68 at Ultra settings. The Medium preset averages 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 and a maximum of 101, while High averages 78 FPS. This shows a clear progression where each increase in settings reduces performance by roughly 15-20 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 94 at Low, 67 at Medium, 59 at High, and 51 at Ultra. The Medium preset again provides the only min/max data, with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 76. This represents a 24% reduction from 1080p at Low settings (124 to 94 FPS) and a 25% reduction at Ultra (68 to 51 FPS). The consistency of this drop indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the scaling is uniform across settings.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS falls to 63 at Low, 45 at Medium, 40 at High, and 35 at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 52. The drop from 1440p is substantial: 33% at Low (94 to 63 FPS) and 31% at Ultra (51 to 35 FPS). At 4K, the GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and its 128-bit bus become clear bottlenecks, as the rendering load quadruples from 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 124 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p and 63 at 4K. This represents a 24% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 49% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the progression is from 68 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p and 35 at 4K, a 25% and 49% drop respectively. The consistency of these percentages across settings indicates that resolution scaling is uniform, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios.

The scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain more constant as resolution increases, since the CPU workload is largely resolution-independent. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally with the number of pixels, which is the expected behavior when the GPU is saturated. The i5-12600KF's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3925 PassMark single-thread score and 3302 Cinebench R23 single-core score, ensures that it can keep up with the GPU's demands even at high frame rates.

The 4K results highlight the GPU's limitations most clearly. The RX 7600 XT's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Control, but the 128-bit memory bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are not enough to sustain high frame rates at 4K. The 35 FPS average at Ultra settings is below the playable threshold for most gamers, and even Low settings at 63 FPS are only marginally acceptable. This data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with 1440p being playable at Medium or High settings, and 4K best reserved for Low settings or less demanding titles.