Control

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a robust Control experience, with measured frame rates ranging from a high of 212.6 FPS at 1080p Low to a low of 57.3 FPS at 4K Ultra. This combination places 269th out of 1636 tested combos, putting it in the top 16.4% of all configurations. The data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet still capable of maintaining playable performance across all tested settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent drop as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited workload. At 1080p High, the combo produces 134.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces the average to 100.7 FPS, a decline of 33.8 FPS. Stepping up to 4K High yields 71.1 FPS, representing a further 29.6 FPS drop from the 1440p figure. From 1080p to 4K at High settings, the total frame rate loss is 63.4 FPS, or a 47.1% reduction.

This scaling pattern intensifies at lower settings. At Low, the system hits 212.6 FPS at 1080p, but this falls to 164.1 FPS at 1440p and 111.9 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low is 47.4%, nearly identical to the High setting. Interestingly, at Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (116.4 FPS) to 4K (57.3 FPS) is 50.7%, the steepest decline of all presets. This suggests that the most demanding visual features at Ultra scale heavily with pixel count, putting maximum stress on the GPU.

The data implies that the limiting component shifts depending on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU plays a more significant role, as the frame rates are high enough to potentially tax the processor. The i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, appears to be sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution, as the system still achieves over 200 FPS at Low. However, the consistent and large FPS drops at 1440p and 4K strongly indicate that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at these higher resolutions, with its 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth being fully utilized.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its benchmark scores show a strong single-threaded performance, with a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1016 and a cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 3309. This is critical for Control, as action-adventure games often rely heavily on a single primary thread for game logic and physics.

The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are also respectable, evidenced by a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 23444 and a passmark_multithread score of 27575. In the context of this game, the CPU’s job is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data. At 1080p Low, the 212.6 FPS result suggests the CPU is keeping pace effectively. However, the fact that the FPS scales down so predictably with resolution implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor once the GPU workload increases.

Comparing the i5-12600KF to its nearest rivals, its avgBenchmarkScore of 27827 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27829 with a deltaPct of 0. This indicates the 12th-gen chip provides comparable overall processing power to a previous-generation high-end desktop part. It is also essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-12600K (27851, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (27872, -0.2% delta). The data suggests that the CPU’s performance is well-balanced for this game, offering enough headroom to support the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions without becoming a bottleneck at higher ones.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i5-12600KF and RTX 4070 SUPER achieves a rank of 269 out of 1636 tested combos in Control. This places it in the 84th percentile of all configurations tested for this game, which is a strong showing. The data indicates that this pairing is well-suited for a high-refresh-rate 1440p experience, as it averages 100.7 FPS at High settings and 118.4 FPS at Medium.

The ranking suggests that while the combo is powerful, there are still 268 other configurations that deliver higher average frame rates. This is likely due to more expensive CPUs or GPUs that can push even higher numbers at 4K Ultra. However, given that the system can achieve 71.1 FPS at 4K High, it is capable of smooth gameplay at 4K with some settings adjustments. The rank also implies a good balance; the 10-core CPU does not hold back the GPU, and the 12 GB of VRAM on the graphics card is sufficient for the game’s demands at the tested resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Control?

A: The highest measured average is 212.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

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

A: Yes, it can. At 4K High, the average FPS is 71.1, and at 4K Medium it is 80.7. Even at 4K Ultra, it maintains an average of 57.3 FPS, which is still playable.

Q: How does the i5-12600KF compare to the i9-10900K in overall benchmark scores?

A: The i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27827, while the Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27829, resulting in a deltaPct of 0. They are effectively identical in performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER the main bottleneck at 4K resolutions?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests this. The FPS drops significantly from 1080p to 4K across all settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting component at higher pixel counts.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 164.1 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 86.4 FPS. This is a difference of 77.7 FPS.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combination ranks 269th out of 1636 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 16.4%.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, particularly at higher resolutions. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with a pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s.

The GPU’s performance in Control is clearly resolution-dependent. The 47.1% drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K at High settings is a direct consequence of the increased pixel count, which requires more memory bandwidth and processing power. The 12 GB VRAM capacity appears adequate, as no out-of-memory issues are indicated by the data. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s percentileVsAllGpus of 84 shows it is a top-tier card, and its avgBenchmarkScore of 42576 is only 0.2% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42653), a professional-grade card.

The GPU’s role is to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings. The numbers show it excels at 1080p, hitting 134.5 FPS on High. At 1440p, it still provides a comfortable 100+ FPS at High and Medium presets, making it an ideal choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, the card performs admirably but is pushed to its limits, with Ultra settings dropping to 57.3 FPS. The consistent scaling across all presets indicates the GPU’s architecture is efficient, but the data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is the only setting where the system dips below 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users, High settings at 134.5 FPS is an excellent choice, providing a great balance of visual quality and speed. For those with 1440p monitors, Medium settings yield 118.4 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays, while High settings at 100.7 FPS also offer a smooth experience.

At 4K, the choice is between High and Medium. High settings deliver 71.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings provide a more comfortable margin at 80.7 FPS. The Low preset at 4K offers 111.9 FPS, but the visual compromise is likely too significant for a game like Control, which has detailed environments. The Ultra preset at 4K, at 57.3 FPS, is the only setting that dips below 60 FPS, so it is only recommended for players who prioritize maximum visual quality over a perfectly smooth frame rate. The data suggests that High settings at 4K are the sweet spot, offering a solid 71.1 FPS without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete list of measured average frame rates for this combo in Control.

1920x1080:

• Low: 212.6 FPS
• Medium: 155.9 FPS
• High: 134.5 FPS
• Ultra: 116.4 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 164.1 FPS
• Medium: 118.4 FPS
• High: 100.7 FPS
• Ultra: 86.4 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 111.9 FPS
• Medium: 80.7 FPS
• High: 71.1 FPS
• Ultra: 57.3 FPS

The data shows a clear hierarchy, with frame rates decreasing as both resolution and settings quality increase. The largest single gap is between 1440p Low (164.1 FPS) and 4K Low (111.9 FPS), a 52.2 FPS drop. The smallest gap is between 1080p Ultra (116.4 FPS) and 1440p Ultra (86.4 FPS), a 30 FPS drop. This pattern reinforces the conclusion that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of performance, with its workload increasing disproportionately with pixel count.