Control

Control with an Intel Core i7-12700KF and an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT presents a clear picture of a high-end pairing that scales predictably with resolution. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the three standard resolutions show a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises, while the CPU remains capable of feeding the graphics card at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured data to explain where the performance ceiling lies and how to get the best experience from this combination.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and tells a definitive story about component balance. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 179 FPS, which drops to 136 FPS at 1440p and further to 92 FPS at 4K. That represents a 24% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a further 32% decrease from 1440p to 4K, for a total 49% loss from 1080p to 4K. This steep decline confirms that the RX 6800 XT is the limiting factor at higher resolutions; the i7-12700KF has ample headroom to keep up with the GPU's output at 1080p but cannot compensate for the exponentially increasing pixel workload at 4K.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the FPS goes from 113 at 1080p to 86 at 1440p (a 24% drop) and then to 58 at 4K (a 33% drop from 1440p). At Ultra settings, the numbers shift from 98 at 1080p to 74 at 1440p (a 24.5% drop) and then to 50 at 4K (a 32% drop). This uniformity suggests that the game's rendering workload scales linearly with resolution, and the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the determining factors. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases because the frame time becomes dominated by pixel shading and rasterization rather than draw calls or physics calculations.

Interestingly, the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (179 FPS) and Ultra (98 FPS) is 81 FPS, or 45%. At 4K, the difference between Low (92 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) is 42 FPS, or 46%. The percentage gap remains roughly consistent, indicating that the settings presets affect both GPU load and CPU load proportionally. However, the absolute FPS loss from raising settings is more pronounced at 1080p because the GPU has spare capacity, whereas at 4K the GPU is already saturated and cannot hide the extra work from higher presets.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT holds a combo rank of 1183 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. That places it in the 68th percentile of all tested pairings, meaning roughly one-third of combinations tested faster in this game. The ranking reflects that while both components are individually strong, the pairing is not at the absolute top tier for Control's specific engine and rendering demands.

The CPU's percentile ranking is 85th among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 35365. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35403 (a delta of -0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-13600T, which scores 35305 (a delta of 0.2%). This puts the i7-12700KF in a very tight cluster where performance differences are negligible. The GPU's percentile ranking is also 85th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48477. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile at 47743 (a delta of 1.5%) and the Intel Arc A550M at 49737 (a delta of -2.5%). These small deltas indicate that the RX 6800 XT sits in a crowded performance band where minor architectural differences determine the order.

The combo rank of 1183 out of 3720 suggests that Control favors other pairings more heavily. Given that the CPU and GPU are both at the 85th percentile individually, the combined rank being near the 68th percentile implies that Control's workload does not perfectly scale with the strengths of this hardware. The game may be more sensitive to specific GPU features or CPU cache hierarchies that this combination does not fully exploit, resulting in a slightly lower relative standing when paired together.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the dominant performance driver in this system, and its specifications align closely with the measured FPS results. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is critical for Control, which uses high-resolution textures and complex lighting effects that consume significant video memory. The 16 GB capacity ensures that even at 4K Ultra settings, the GPU does not run out of memory, avoiding stutter or texture pop-in that would otherwise cap performance.

The GPU's clock speeds are 1825 MHz base, 2015 MHz game, and 2250 MHz boost. The boost clock of 2250 MHz is achieved under load, and the difference between base and boost (425 MHz) shows the thermal and power headroom the card has. The 4K Ultra result of 50 FPS suggests that the GPU is running at or near its boost clock for extended periods, as the frame times remain consistent enough to produce a stable average. The measured FPS at 4K High (58 FPS) and 4K Medium (65 FPS) show that the GPU's compute throughput, rated at 20.74 TFLOPS FP32, is the limiting factor rather than memory bandwidth.

The GPU's pixel rate of 288.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 648.0 GTexel/s are directly relevant to Control's visual effects. The game features heavy use of particle effects and dynamic lighting, which stress the ROPs and TMUs. The 128 ROPs and 288 TMUs on this GPU provide sufficient throughput for 1440p gaming, but at 4K the pixel fill rate becomes a bottleneck. The measured 4K performance, where even Low settings only achieve 92 FPS, indicates that the GPU's raw rasterization capacity is the ceiling for this resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest measured average FPS at 1080p is 179 FPS, achieved with Low settings. The lowest at that resolution is 98 FPS with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average FPS of 50. This is below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth for action games, indicating that 4K Ultra is not a comfortable experience.

Q: Is there a significant difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is measurable. At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield 96 FPS average, while High settings yield 86 FPS. That is a 10 FPS or approximately 10.4% difference in favor of Medium.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of visual quality and frame rate?

A: The data suggests 2560x1440 with High settings is the sweet spot, producing 86 FPS average. This is well above the 60 FPS standard and the visual jump from 1080p is substantial.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: The data shows the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 179 FPS, which is near the practical limit for many games, and the FPS scales down consistently as resolution increases, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the lowest FPS recorded in any configuration?

A: The lowest average FPS is 50, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The lowest minimum FPS in the data is 55 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest performance. Low settings produce an average of 179 FPS, Medium settings produce 127 FPS with a minimum of 108 and maximum of 146, High settings produce 113 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 98 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 81 FPS, showing that the GPU has enough headroom to absorb higher settings without dropping below playable frame rates. Even the Ultra preset at 98 FPS is comfortably above 60 FPS, making 1080p a resolution where this combo can run anything without compromise.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the scaling becomes more pronounced. Low settings average 136 FPS, Medium settings average 96 FPS with a minimum of 82 and maximum of 111, High settings average 86 FPS, and Ultra settings average 74 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 62 FPS, and every preset stays above 60 FPS. The minimum FPS of 82 at Medium settings indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate does not dip uncomfortably low. This resolution is where the combo shows its best balance of speed and visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low settings average 92 FPS, Medium settings average 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 and maximum of 75, High settings average 58 FPS, and Ultra settings average 50 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 42 FPS, but the absolute numbers tell the story: only Low settings achieve a smooth 60+ FPS average. Medium settings come close at 65 FPS but with a minimum of 55 FPS, meaning there will be noticeable dips during heavy action. High and Ultra settings fall below 60 FPS, making them less ideal for competitive or fast-paced play.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF provides the computational foundation for this combo, and its specifications are more than adequate for Control. The CPU has 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for single-thread performance, which many game engines still rely on for main game logic. The benchmark data supports this: the CPU scores 1043 in 3dmark_single_thread and 4071 in cinebench_r23_singlecore, placing it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs.

The multi-threaded performance is equally strong, with a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 28838 and a 3dmark_max_threads score of 9983. Control does not use all 20 threads efficiently, but the CPU's 12 physical cores handle the game's background tasks, physics, and AI without becoming a bottleneck. The L3 cache of 25 MB shared across all cores helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the open-world and destructible environments that Control features.

The data confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 179 FPS, which is significantly higher than what most games can achieve, suggesting the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently. Even at 4K, where the GPU is heavily loaded, the CPU does not cause frame drops or stutters beyond what the GPU's rendering time dictates. The CPU's 5.00 GHz boost clock ensures that frame pacing remains consistent, as the measured minimum FPS values at Medium settings (108 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, 55 FPS at 4K) are all proportionally close to the averages, indicating no CPU-induced stalls.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at 1920x1080, Ultra settings are recommended as the default. The combo produces 98 FPS average at Ultra, which is well above the 60 FPS standard and leaves headroom for competitive play. The visual improvement from High to Ultra is worth the 15 FPS cost, and the minimum FPS is not recorded for Ultra, but the average suggests it stays high enough. If a higher refresh rate monitor is used, scaling down to High (113 FPS) or Medium (127 FPS) provides a significant boost while maintaining good visual quality.

At 2560x1440, High settings provide the best balance. The 86 FPS average is smooth, and the visual quality is nearly indistinguishable from Ultra for most players. Medium settings at 96 FPS are a viable alternative for those who prioritize frame rate over the highest textures, and the measured minimum of 82 FPS ensures consistent performance. Ultra at 74 FPS is still playable, but the 12 FPS loss from High may not justify the incremental visual gains.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is to use Medium settings with the understanding that 65 FPS average is the best balance of quality and speed. The minimum of 55 FPS means there will be dips, but the average is above 60 FPS. High settings at 58 FPS are acceptable for slower-paced exploration but may feel less responsive in combat. Low settings at 92 FPS offer the smoothest 4K experience but sacrifice significant visual fidelity. Ultra at 50 FPS should be avoided unless the player prioritizes maximum visuals over frame rate and is willing to tolerate sub-60 FPS performance. The data indicates that Medium at 4K is the pragmatic choice for this combo, as it stays closest to the 60 FPS target while preserving the game's atmospheric lighting and texture detail.