Control

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1462 out of 1636 tested combinations in Control. That places this build in the bottom 11 percent of all tested combos, a position that reflects a significant performance deficit for a game that demands more from the GPU than this 2019 mid-range card can consistently deliver. The combo rank is not a reflection of the CPU, which sits in the 84th percentile among all processors, but rather of the graphics card, which lands in the 55th percentile among all GPUs. The data shows a system that will run the game, but only at settings and resolutions that respect the GPU's limitations.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF brings substantial processing headroom to this pairing. With 10 cores and 16 threads, it offers more than enough parallelism for Control's physics-heavy combat sequences and destructible environments. The base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which matters for the game's core logic and AI routines. Benchmark results confirm this: the CPU scores 1016 in 3dmark single-thread and 3309 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the multi-threaded Cinebench R23 result reaches 23444. These numbers place the i5-12600KF in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27827.

The nearest rivals in the benchmark database show how tight the competition is at this level. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27829, a delta of 0 percent, meaning the i5-12600KF matches a previous-generation flagship in overall CPU performance. The Intel Core i5-12600K scores 27851, just 0.1 percent higher, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H scores 27872, 0.2 percent higher. The Intel Core i7-13700H trails by 0.4 percent at 27716. This CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo; even at 1080p with Low settings where the GPU produces 89 FPS, the processor has ample headroom to feed frames.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting component in this combination. Built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip on a 12 nm process, this card offers 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock runs at 1530 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and the card provides 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. Peak FP32 throughput is 5.027 TFLOPS, and the memory operates at 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective speed.

The GPU's benchmark profile tells a mixed story. In Passmark G3D, it scores 12699, and in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, it manages only 1278. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 62664 and Vulkan score of 59933 show moderate compute capability. The GPU sits in the 55th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 14286. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.7 percent: the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 scores 14314 (0.2 percent higher), the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics scores 14315 (0.2 percent higher), the AMD Radeon Vega 11 scores 14352 (0.5 percent higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT scores 14389 (0.7 percent higher). This places the GTX 1660 SUPER at the edge of playable performance for Control at 1080p, but the card's 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit bus limit its ability to handle higher resolutions and Ultra presets.

# FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where this combo consistently achieves playable frame rates. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 89, while at 2560x1440 with Low settings, it drops to 66.9 FPS, and at 3840x2160 with Low settings, it falls to 45.3 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27827, which is identical to the Intel Core i9-10900K at 27829 (0 percent delta). It trails the Intel Core i5-12600K by 0.1 percent and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H by 0.2 percent, while beating the Intel Core i7-13700H by 0.4 percent.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor in this combo?

A: Yes. The GPU ranks in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU ranks in the 84th percentile among all CPUs. The measured FPS drops dramatically when resolution increases, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER cannot sustain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

Q: What setting preset provides the smoothest experience at 1080p?

A: Low settings at 1920x1080 deliver 89 FPS, which is the highest measured result. Medium settings at 1080p produce 64 FPS, High settings produce 57.8 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 48.6 FPS.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the highest measured average FPS is 45.3 on Low settings. High settings yield 28.8 FPS, Medium yields 33.2 FPS, and Ultra yields 26.7 FPS. These results indicate that 4K is only marginally playable on the lowest preset.

Q: How does the GPU's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 14286. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 scores 14314 (0.2 percent higher), the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics scores 14315 (0.2 percent higher), the AMD Radeon Vega 11 scores 14352 (0.5 percent higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT scores 14389 (0.7 percent higher).

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 89 FPS. Moving to 1440p at Low settings, the frame rate drops to 66.9 FPS, a reduction of approximately 25 percent. At 4K with Low settings, the average FPS falls to 45.3, which is roughly half of the 1080p result. This pattern holds across all settings presets. For High settings, 1080p yields 57.8 FPS, 1440p yields 43.5 FPS, and 4K yields 28.8 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is about 50 percent, while at Low settings it is about 49 percent.

The scaling behavior points squarely at the GPU as the limiting component. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23444, does not compensate for the GPU's limited memory bandwidth and raw throughput. The GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth become increasingly strained as pixel count rises. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p playable only on Low settings, and 4K reserved for those who accept sub-30 FPS on higher presets.

# Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the data supports using Medium settings at 1920x1080. This preset delivers 64 FPS, which is smooth for action-adventure gameplay, while offering a visual upgrade over the Low preset's 89 FPS. High settings at 1080p drop to 57.8 FPS, still playable, but the margin narrows. Ultra settings at 1080p produce 48.6 FPS, which is playable but sacrifices the smoothness that the lower presets provide.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. Low settings yield 66.9 FPS, Medium yields 49.6 FPS, and High yields 43.5 FPS. Ultra drops to 35.8 FPS. The recommendation here is to use Low settings if frame rate is the priority, or Medium if visual fidelity matters more. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS. Low settings produce 45.3 FPS, Medium produces 33.2 FPS, High produces 28.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 26.7 FPS. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo is only viable on Low settings, and even then, the experience will feel less fluid.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS table for this combo in Control is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 89 FPS
• Medium: 64 FPS
• High: 57.8 FPS
• Ultra: 48.6 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 66.9 FPS
• Medium: 49.6 FPS
• High: 43.5 FPS
• Ultra: 35.8 FPS

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 45.3 FPS
• Medium: 33.2 FPS
• High: 28.8 FPS
• Ultra: 26.7 FPS

The pattern is consistent: each step down in resolution provides a substantial frame rate boost, and each step down in settings provides a similar improvement. The largest single jump is from 4K High (28.8 FPS) to 4K Low (45.3 FPS), a gain of 16.5 FPS. The smallest improvement is from 4K High to 4K Ultra, which only drops from 28.8 to 26.7 FPS, showing diminishing returns at the top end. For this combo, the data clearly indicates that 1080p Low or Medium settings offer the most playable experience, with the GPU's capabilities dictating the ceiling.