Control

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination delivers a mid-range 1080p experience in Control, but struggles to maintain playable framerates at higher resolutions. The data shows a pairing where the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck as resolution scales, while the CPU provides ample headroom for the game's physics and logic demands.

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. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. This processor features a hybrid design with a shared 20 MB L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core, which contributes to its strong multi-threaded performance. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 23,391 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,302 points in single-core, placing it at the 79th percentile among all CPUs.

In Control, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics calculations, and draw call submissions. The benchmark results show that even at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU has the least work, the average FPS reaches 118. This suggests the CPU is not limiting performance at that setting, as the framerate is high enough to indicate the GPU is still the primary constraint. The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2,157, is adequate for the game's main thread, which typically benefits from high clock speeds. The 10 cores and 16 threads provide substantial headroom for background tasks and modern game engines that utilize multiple threads, though Control is not particularly known for heavy multi-threading.

Compared to its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks, the i5-12600KF is nearly identical in average score to the Intel Core i9-10900K, with a delta of -0.3%, and slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE by 0.3%. This indicates that the CPU's performance tier is well-established, and it should not be a limiting factor in most gaming scenarios. The benchmark data for Control confirms this: the FPS drop from 1080p Low (118 FPS) to 4K Low (60 FPS) is a 49% reduction, which aligns more with GPU scaling than CPU limitations. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect a more consistent framerate across resolutions, as the CPU workload does not change significantly with resolution.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It has a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs. The GPU includes 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, which are relevant for Control's ray tracing and DLSS features, though the measured FPS data does not specify whether these features were enabled. The GPU's FP32 performance is 7.181 TFLOPS, and it has a TDP of 175 W.

In Control, the GPU is the clear performance limiter at higher resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 65, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 33 FPS, a reduction of 49%. This steep decline is typical for a GPU with 8 GB of VRAM and mid-range compute capabilities. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but at 4K, the game's texture memory demands can approach the limit, potentially causing stuttering or reduced performance. The GPU's bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is adequate for 1080p but becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions where more data needs to be transferred per frame.

The GPU's benchmark percentile is 62, indicating it performs better than 62% of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, scores 0.4% higher on average, while the AMD Radeon RX 460 scores 1.5% higher, which is surprising given the RTX 2060 SUPER's higher tier. This suggests the RTX 2060 SUPER's performance in synthetic tests may not fully translate to gaming, but in Control, the measured FPS indicates it is a capable 1080p card. The data shows that at 1080p High, the combo achieves 74 FPS, which is smooth for most players, but at 1440p High, it drops to 56 FPS, indicating the GPU is struggling to maintain high framerates at that resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2650 out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 71st percentile. This means that roughly 29% of tested combinations perform better, which is expected given the mid-range GPU paired with a higher-end CPU. The rank suggests that while the CPU is capable, the GPU holds the combo back from higher positions.

The combo's ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance tier. The RTX 2060 SUPER's average benchmark score of 18,093 places it near the GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18,159) and AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18,189), with deltas of -0.4% and -0.5%, respectively. These rivals would likely produce similar FPS in Control at the same settings. The CPU's rank of 79th percentile means it is not the limiting factor; rather, the GPU's 62nd percentile is the primary constraint. This is evident in the FPS data, where the combo performs best at 1080p Low (118 FPS) but drops significantly at 4K Ultra (33 FPS), a pattern that is characteristic of a GPU-bound system.

In the context of all tested combos, this pairing is positioned for 1080p gaming. The data shows that at 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 84 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. However, at 1440p Ultra, the average FPS falls to 49, which is playable but not ideal for competitive or high-refresh-rate monitors. The combo rank of 2650 reflects that this is a mainstream setup, not a high-end one, and it is best suited for 1080p with some settings turned down at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results: Low settings produce 118 FPS average, Medium produces 84 FPS (with a min of 71 and max of 96), High produces 74 FPS, and Ultra produces 65 FPS. These numbers indicate that the combo is well-suited for 1080p gaming, with even Ultra settings maintaining a playable framerate above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings yield 89 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 63 FPS (min 54, max 73), High drops to 56 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. This shows that 1440p is playable, but only at Low or Medium settings for a consistent 60+ FPS experience. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is 18 FPS (from 74 to 56), a 24% reduction, which is significant but not as steep as the 4K drop.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings achieve 60 FPS, which is just at the playable threshold, but Medium drops to 43 FPS (min 36, max 49), High drops to 38 FPS, and Ultra drops to 33 FPS. These framerates are below the 60 FPS target and would result in noticeable stuttering, especially in action-heavy scenes. The 4K Low setting is the only 4K option that is consistently playable, and even then, it is at the minimum threshold. The data shows that this combo is not designed for 4K gaming, as the GPU lacks the raw compute power to maintain high framerates at that resolution.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. From 1080p Low (118 FPS) to 4K Low (60 FPS), the framerate drops by 49%. Similarly, from 1080p High (74 FPS) to 4K High (38 FPS), the drop is 49%. This consistent ~50% reduction from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, as the CPU workload does not change with resolution, while the GPU must render four times the pixels.

At 1080p, the combo is balanced, with the CPU able to feed the GPU enough frames to reach 118 FPS at Low settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's rendering time per frame grows, and the FPS drops proportionally. The data shows that at 1440p, the FPS is roughly 75% of the 1080p value (e.g., 56 FPS at High vs. 74 FPS at High), which is consistent with the increased pixel count. At 4K, the FPS is roughly 50% of the 1080p value, confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the CPU's work does not scale with pixel count. The fact that the FPS drops significantly with resolution indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint. This is further supported by the CPU's high benchmark scores, which suggest it has ample headroom. The i5-12600KF's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391 is more than sufficient for Control, and the game likely uses only a fraction of the CPU's 16 threads. Therefore, any performance issues at higher resolutions are directly attributable to the RTX 2060 SUPER's limited compute and memory bandwidth.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, with all settings achieving above 60 FPS. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 65, while at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 49 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 33 FPS.

*Q: Can this combo handle 1440p gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 1440p Medium, the average FPS is 63, which is playable, but High settings drop to 56 FPS and Ultra to 49 FPS. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, Medium settings are recommended at 1440p.

*Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo for Control?*

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS drops by approximately 50% from 1080p to 4K at the same settings, which is a clear sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's benchmark scores are in the 79th percentile, indicating it has sufficient headroom.

*Q: How does this combo compare to its nearest GPU rivals in Control?*

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER's average benchmark score is within 1.6% of its nearest rivals, including the RTX 3060 Mobile and AMD Radeon Pro 5700. In Control, these GPUs would likely produce similar FPS, meaning the combo's performance is representative of that GPU tier.

*Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo in Control?*

A: The only settings with recorded minimum FPS are Medium. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 71 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 54 FPS; and at 4K Medium, it is 36 FPS. These minimums indicate the framerate can dip during intense scenes.

*Q: Is this combo suitable for 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Not really. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 60, which is the minimum playable threshold, but all other settings fall below 43 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable option for this combo, as even Low settings are at the edge of playability.