Control

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

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. The chip features a 25 MB shared L3 cache, with 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core, and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory via a dual-channel memory bus. Its integrated graphics, UHD Graphics 770, are present but not relevant to this discrete GPU pairing.

In synthetic CPU benchmarks, the i7-12700K shows strong multi-threaded performance. It scores 19,784 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,850.5 in single-core. In Geekbench, it achieves 15,790 multi-core and 2,308 single-core. The 3DMark thread scaling tests reveal a clear progression: 2,065 with 2 threads, 4,011 with 4 threads, 7,202 with 8 threads, 9,276 with 16 threads, and 9,979 with max threads. This scaling pattern indicates the processor efficiently uses additional cores up to 16 threads, with diminishing returns beyond that point. The PassMark multi-thread score is 34,404, with single-thread at 4,013.

The i7-12700K sits at the 84th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35,287. Its nearest rivals are nearly identical in aggregate performance: the Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35,305 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35,365 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35,403 (0.3% ahead), and the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35,428 (0.4% ahead). These deltas are negligible, meaning the 12700K effectively trades blows with these parts in raw compute.

For Control, the measured FPS numbers suggest the CPU is not the primary constraint in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 65 FPS average, which is the highest measured value across all settings and resolutions. If the CPU were severely limiting, we would expect to see lower FPS even at low settings and low resolution, since the GPU would be less burdened. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 65 FPS indicates the processor can feed the GPU adequately at that level. However, the ranking data (position 2,551 out of 2,888 combos) shows this overall system performance is in the lower quartile, which points to the GPU as the bottleneck rather than the CPU. The i7-12700K's 12 cores and 20 threads provide ample headroom for Control's game logic and physics, which are typically not heavily multi-threaded but benefit from strong single-core performance. The 5.00 GHz boost clock helps ensure that frame times remain consistent, as evidenced by the 1080p Medium min FPS of 40 being only 6 FPS below the average of 46.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is a mobile/integrated-class GPU based on the Panther Lake chip, using the Xe3-LPG architecture on a 3 nm process node. It has 1,536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts up to 2500 MHz. Critically, its memory is "System Shared" — meaning it relies on system RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all marked as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," which is a significant limitation for a game like Control that has substantial texture and geometry data.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest: it delivers 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. The TDP is 80 W, and it uses an IGP slot width with no power connectors, confirming its integrated nature. In the only available GPU benchmark — 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 — the B390 scores 1,482, placing it at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. This is an extremely low ranking, and it shows in the measured game performance.

The nearest GPU rivals, based on average benchmark scores, are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX scores 1,463 (1.3% behind the B390), the GeForce 800M scores 1,460 (1.5% behind), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1,446 (2.5% behind), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1,443 (2.7% behind). The Arc B390 is barely ahead of these ancient parts, which contextualizes its performance ceiling. The deltaPct values are small (1.3% to 2.7%), meaning the B390 is only marginally faster than a GT 520MX or GT 710 in synthetic benchmarks.

In Control, the GPU's limitations are stark. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 65, but this drops to 41 at High settings — a 37% reduction. At 1440p, the Low preset yields 50 FPS, while High drops to 31 FPS. At 4K, Low produces 33 FPS, and High falls to 21 FPS. These numbers reveal that the B390's shared memory bandwidth and limited ROP count are the primary constraints. The game's visual effects — particularly particle physics and destructible environments — require significant memory throughput, and the system-shared memory cannot deliver dedicated VRAM bandwidth. The 12 ray tracing cores are present but effectively useless in this context, as enabling any RT-heavy workload would likely tank performance below playable levels. The data shows that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck across all tested configurations.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 65 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p (a 23% drop) to 33 at 4K (a 49% drop from 1080p). At High settings, the progression is 41 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p (24% drop), and 21 FPS at 4K (49% drop). Medium settings show 46 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p (24% drop), and 24 FPS at 4K (48% drop). Ultra settings go from 36 FPS at 1080p to 27 FPS at 1440p (25% drop) to 18 FPS at 4K (50% drop).

The consistent ~24% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~49% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets indicates that the scaling is resolution-bound in a predictable, linear fashion. This is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between resolutions, because the CPU's workload would remain constant regardless of pixel count. Instead, the halving of FPS at 4K relative to 1080p shows that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are overwhelmed by the increased pixel workload.

The fact that even at 1080p Low, the system only achieves 65 FPS — not a high refresh rate figure — further confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. A strong CPU like the i7-12700K is capable of far higher frame rates in most games, but the Arc B390 simply cannot push pixels fast enough. The min FPS data at Medium settings reinforces this: at 1080p Medium, the min FPS is 40 (against an average of 46), while at 1440p Medium it drops to 30 (against an average of 35), and at 4K Medium it falls to 20 (against an average of 24). The minimum frame rates scale proportionally with the averages, showing no unusual CPU-related hitches or stutters that would indicate processor bottlenecks. This is a smooth, GPU-bound degradation curve.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2,551 out of 2,888 tested combos in Control. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested, which is a poor result given the CPU's strength. The rank disparity between the CPU (84th percentile) and GPU (9th percentile) explains this outcome: the system is heavily unbalanced, with a high-end processor paired with a very weak graphics solution.

To contextualize the rank, consider that the GPU's benchmark score (1,482) puts it at the 9th percentile, with nearest rivals being GT 710-class parts. The combo rank of 2,551 out of 2,888 means that 337 tested combinations performed worse. These would likely be systems with even older or weaker GPUs, or potentially CPU-limited configurations with similarly weak graphics. However, the i7-12700K's presence in this combo does not boost the ranking because the GPU is so severely constrained that CPU power cannot compensate.

The measured FPS data supports this ranking. At 1080p Low, 65 FPS is playable but not impressive by modern standards. At any higher preset or resolution, the system falls below 60 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it bottoms out at 18 FPS — effectively unplayable. The combo's rank suggests that for Control specifically, many other pairings of mid-range CPUs with entry-level discrete GPUs would outperform this setup, because they would have dedicated VRAM and higher fill rates. The i7-12700K's 12 cores and 20 threads are wasted in this configuration, as the GPU cannot utilize the CPU's full potential. The nearestRivals data for the CPU shows it is essentially tied with several other processors, so the CPU choice is not the differentiator here — the GPU is.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based strictly on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and the acceptable frame rate threshold. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 65 FPS average, which is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset yields 46 FPS average with a 40 FPS minimum, which is still reasonably smooth for a game like Control that benefits from higher visual fidelity. The High preset offers 41 FPS, and Ultra drops to 36 FPS. For a 60 FPS target at 1080p, Low is the only viable option. For a 30 FPS minimum threshold, Medium (min 40) and High (no min data but average 41) are both playable, with Medium offering better frame pacing due to the documented 40 FPS minimum.

At 1440p, the situation is more constrained. Low preset achieves 50 FPS average, which is the best available. Medium yields 35 FPS average (30 FPS minimum), and High drops to 31 FPS. Ultra is at 27 FPS. For 1440p, Low is the recommended preset if aiming for 50 FPS, while Medium is acceptable if 30 FPS is the floor. The High and Ultra presets fall below 32 FPS, which is generally considered the minimum for playable action games. At 4K, no preset achieves 60 FPS. Low delivers 33 FPS, Medium 24 FPS, High 21 FPS, and Ultra 18 FPS. The 4K Low preset is the only one that stays above 30 FPS, making it the sole playable option at that resolution, and even then it's marginal.

The best overall experience per the data is 1080p with the Low preset, as it is the only measured configuration that hits 65 FPS average, providing smooth gameplay. If visual quality is prioritized over raw frame rate, 1080p Medium at 46 FPS (with a 40 FPS minimum) offers a balanced trade-off — the minimum FPS of 40 ensures no major stutters, and the visual uplift from Low to Medium in Control is notable. The 1080p High preset at 41 FPS is also viable, but the lack of min FPS data means frame pacing is unverified. It is recommended to avoid 1440p and 4K entirely unless the user accepts sub-50 FPS averages, as the GPU's shared memory and low fill rate cannot sustain higher resolutions with acceptable performance.

FAQ

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

A: The best measured configuration is 1080p with the Low preset, achieving 65 FPS average. If visual quality is preferred, 1080p Medium yields 46 FPS average with a 40 FPS minimum, which is also playable.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 9th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the GeForce GT 520MX (1,463, 1.3% behind), GeForce 800M (1,460, 1.5% behind), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1,446, 2.5% behind), and GeForce GT 710 (1,443, 2.7% behind). It is only marginally faster than these legacy parts.

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which achieves 33 FPS average. At Medium, it drops to 24 FPS, High to 21 FPS, and Ultra to 18 FPS. The 4K Low preset is the only playable option, and even that is below 60 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K the bottleneck in this combo?

A: No. The data shows the GPU is the limiting component. The 1080p Low result of 65 FPS and the proportional FPS drops with resolution increases indicate GPU-bound performance. The CPU ranks at the 84th percentile, while the GPU ranks at the 9th percentile.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Control?

A: It ranks 2,551 out of 2,888 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12%. This poor ranking is due to the weak GPU, not the CPU, which is in the 84th percentile of all processors.

Q: What are the CPU's thread scaling characteristics?

A: The 3DMark results show scores of 2,065 with 2 threads, 4,011 with 4 threads, 7,202 with 8 threads, 9,276 with 16 threads, and 9,979 with max threads. This indicates effective scaling up to 16 threads, with only modest gains beyond that point, which is typical for a 12-core/20-thread processor in gaming workloads.