Control

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a robust Control experience, with benchmark results showing a clear progression of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and remains capable at 4K, though the demands of Ultra settings at that resolution will test the GPU's limits. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the role of each component and provide actionable settings guidance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that decline varies significantly depending on the quality preset. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 206.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 155.2 FPS, a 25% reduction, and then to 4K Low at 104.6 FPS, a further 33% reduction from 1440p. This pattern is consistent with a system that is heavily GPU-limited at lower resolutions; the CPU has ample headroom, and the graphics card becomes the primary constraint as pixel count rises.

The scaling behavior changes character at higher settings. At the High preset, the frame rate goes from 129.8 FPS at 1080p to 102 FPS at 1440p (a 21.4% drop) and then to 64.8 FPS at 4K (a 36.5% drop from 1440p). The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the RTX 5070's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being taxed more heavily by the 4K pixel count combined with High preset effects.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest overall curve. The average FPS falls from 114.8 at 1080p to 88.5 at 1440p, a 22.9% loss, and then plummets to 56.8 at 4K, a 35.8% loss from 1440p. This suggests that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is operating near its practical ceiling for this game, as the 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and the 672.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely saturated by the combination of high-resolution textures and advanced rendering features.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings also widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (206.8 FPS) and Ultra (114.8 FPS) is 92 FPS. At 4K, that gap narrows to 47.8 FPS (104.6 vs 56.8). This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to leverage the setting changes fully, while at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput becomes the limiting factor, reducing the relative impact of settings adjustments.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores position it well for gaming, particularly in multi-threaded scenarios. In Cinebench R23, it scores 29241 in multi-core and 4128 in single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score of 34404 and single-thread score of 4013 further corroborate its strong performance.

In Control, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain a high minimum frame rate and ensure that the GPU is not starved of draw calls. The data suggests that this processor is more than adequate for the task. At 1080p Low, where the GPU load is relatively light, the system still achieves 206.8 FPS, indicating that the CPU can handle the game's physics and logic at very high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck.

The benchmark results show that the i7-12700K outperforms several close rivals in aggregate CPU benchmarks. Its average benchmark score of 35684 is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 and 0.6% higher than the Intel Core i7-13700T. This marginal lead in synthetic tests translates to a comfortable margin in real-world gaming, where the CPU rarely becomes the limiting factor at the resolutions tested.

The processor's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide a solid foundation for feeding the RTX 5070. The 3DMark scores, particularly the 9979 in the max threads test and 9276 in the 16-thread test, show that the CPU scales well with thread count, which helps in games that utilize multiple cores for background tasks. Overall, the data indicates that the i7-12700K is not a weak link in this pairing; it provides sufficient headroom for the GPU to operate at its full potential.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 102 FPS. This represents a solid playable experience, well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra compared to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 56.8, which is a 50.5% reduction from the 114.8 FPS achieved at 1080p Ultra. This indicates that 4K Ultra is demanding, but the frame rate remains playable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 206.8 FPS, which is likely close to the CPU's maximum output. However, the frame rate drops significantly at higher resolutions, indicating that the GPU is being pushed to its limit.

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

A: The combo ranks 354th out of 1636 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 22% of all configurations tested.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to the RTX 3090 in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 41687, which is 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090's score of 41441. This suggests comparable raw performance in synthetic tests.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is exactly 150. This is a high frame rate suitable for fast-paced action, and it shows the system's strength at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players with a 1080p display, the High preset is an excellent choice, delivering 129.8 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 1080p brings the frame rate down to 114.8 FPS, which is still very playable and offers the highest visual quality. Given the high performance at this resolution, the Ultra preset is recommended for those who prioritize image quality above all else.

At 1440p, the High preset offers the best balance of performance and visuals, with an average of 102 FPS. This is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset yields 111.2 FPS, which is slightly faster but comes with a noticeable reduction in graphical effects. The Ultra preset at 88.5 FPS is still smooth, but the drop from High is only 13.5 FPS, making High the more efficient choice for a minimal visual sacrifice.

For 4K gaming, the data shows that the High preset is the most viable option for a playable experience, with an average of 64.8 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS target and provides a good balance of detail and performance. The Medium preset at 73.9 FPS is also a strong contender, offering a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 56.8 FPS falls below the 60 FPS target and may result in occasional stutter, so it is only recommended for players who prioritize absolute visual fidelity over frame rate smoothness. The Low preset at 104.6 FPS is overkill for 4K and sacrifices too much visual quality for the performance gain.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination ranks 354th out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 78th percentile of all configurations. This is a strong showing, indicating that this pairing is well above average for this game. The rank reflects the high performance of both components, with the CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs contributing to the overall result.

The GPU's ranking is particularly notable. The RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 41687 puts it slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (41441) and AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (41610), though the differences are minimal. This indicates that the RTX 5070 is a modern, high-performance GPU that competes with previous generation flagships. The CPU's ranking is similarly solid, with the i7-12700K's 35684 average score being competitive with the Intel Core i7-13700T and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845.

The high combo rank in Control reflects the balance of this pairing. The CPU provides enough processing power to avoid bottlenecks, while the GPU delivers the raw graphics performance needed for high resolutions. The data shows that this combo is particularly well-suited for 1440p gaming, where it achieves excellent frame rates at High and Ultra settings. At 4K, it remains capable, though users may need to adjust settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS. Overall, the 354th rank out of 1636 combos indicates a top-tier system for this title.