Control

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT delivers a highly playable experience in Control, with performance scaling predictably as resolution increases. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, but which begins to show its limits at 4K Ultra settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, contextualizes the combo's rank against other tested configurations, and examines the specific roles of the GPU and CPU in shaping these results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 162 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 123 FPS, a reduction of 39 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 83 FPS, representing a 79 FPS loss from the 1080p baseline. This scaling behavior indicates that the rendering load is growing substantially with each pixel count increase.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. For High settings, the average FPS drops from 102 at 1080p to 77 at 1440p and then to 52 at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 115 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p, and 59 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings, which are the most demanding, yield 89 FPS at 1080p, 67 FPS at 1440p, and only 45 FPS at 4K. The consistent step-down in performance suggests that the limiting component is the GPU, as the CPU's workload does not typically scale with resolution in the same way.

The steepest drop occurs between 1440p and 4K. For example, at Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 87 to 59, a 32% reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 77 to 52, a 32% reduction as well. This indicates that the RX 7700 XT is being pushed to its limits at 4K, where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth demands become the primary bottlenecks. The data shows that 1080p and 1440p are well within the GPU's comfort zone, while 4K requires a compromise in settings to maintain smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT holds a rank of 1422 out of a total of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places the system in the top 38% of all tested configurations, indicating a solid but not top-tier performance level. The rank reflects the overall capability of the pairing, which is strong for mainstream gaming but not at the level of flagship CPU and GPU combinations.

The combo's rank is influenced by the individual performance of its components. The CPU has a percentile rank of 85 among all tested CPUs, meaning it outperforms 85% of the CPUs in the database. The GPU has a percentile rank of 67 among all tested GPUs, outperforming 67% of them. The combination of a high-percentile CPU with a slightly lower-percentile GPU results in a system that is CPU-heavy, which is beneficial for games that are not perfectly GPU-bound.

When compared to other combos, this setup's ranking suggests that it is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but it will struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K, especially at higher settings presets. The rank of 1422 out of 3720 is a strong showing, but it also indicates that there are over 1400 faster combinations, most of which likely feature more powerful GPUs. The data implies that for Control, the GPU is the primary factor limiting the combo's ranking, as the CPU has sufficient headroom to drive the game at high frame rates.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT plays the central role in determining the frame rates observed in Control. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is adequate for the game's textures and assets at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the 12 GB capacity and bandwidth may become limiting factors, particularly at higher settings presets.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 1435 MHz, a game clock of 2171 MHz, and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. The high boost clock allows the GPU to deliver strong performance in less demanding scenes, but the sustained load in Control at 4K will likely keep the card closer to its game clock or lower. The GPU also has 3456 shading units, 216 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation pipelines, which contribute to its pixel and texture processing capabilities. The measured pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K data shows these rates are not enough to maintain high frame rates.

The RX 7700 XT has a TDP of 245 W and requires a 550 W power supply, which is typical for a mid-range to upper-mid-range card. Its performance in Control is consistent with its percentile rank of 67 among all GPUs. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 45 is below the threshold for smooth gameplay on many displays, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that reducing settings to Low at 4K yields an average of 83 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU can handle the resolution if the graphical load is reduced. The GPU's role is therefore clear: it is the primary determinant of performance, and its capabilities define the playable settings at each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well. With Low settings, the average FPS is 162, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play. Medium settings produce an average of 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS, indicating smooth and consistent performance. High settings yield 102 FPS on average, while Ultra settings produce 89 FPS. All of these results are well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p an ideal resolution for this combo with any settings preset.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. Low settings produce an average of 123 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings yield an average of 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. High settings drop the average to 77 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of 67 FPS. These results indicate that 1440p is very playable, with even Ultra settings maintaining an average above 60 FPS. The minimum FPS of 74 at Medium settings suggests that there are occasional dips, but the overall experience is smooth.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly challenged. Low settings produce an average of 83 FPS, which is playable. Medium settings yield an average of 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, putting it just below the 60 FPS target. High settings drop the average to 52 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of 45 FPS. The 4K results show that this combo is not ideal for 4K gaming, as even Medium settings struggle to maintain 60 FPS. The data suggests that users with 4K displays should consider lowering settings to Low or accepting a lower frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 102.

Q: Can this combo handle 1440p at Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 67, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 45, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

*Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for Control?*

A: This combo ranks 1422 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 38% of systems.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 59, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 68.

Q: Is the performance better at 1440p Low or 1080p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Low is 123, which is higher than the 89 FPS at 1080p Ultra, indicating that lowering settings has a larger impact on performance than resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's resolution and frame rate targets. For 1080p display users, the Ultra preset is recommended, as it delivers an average of 89 FPS, providing a high level of visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS standard. The High preset is also a strong choice, offering 102 FPS on average, which is beneficial for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For 1440p users, the Ultra preset is still viable, with an average of 67 FPS. This provides an excellent balance between visual quality and performance. However, users who prefer a higher frame rate for competitive play should consider the High preset, which yields an average of 77 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 87 FPS, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the extra frames for most users.

For 4K users, the data suggests that the Ultra and High presets are not recommended, as they produce averages of 45 FPS and 52 FPS, respectively, which can result in a less smooth experience. The Medium preset, with an average of 59 FPS, is borderline, but the minimum FPS of 50 may be noticeable. The Low preset is the only 4K option that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 83 FPS. Users with 4K displays should prioritize the Low preset for the best balance of performance and playability, or consider lowering their resolution to 1440p to use higher settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF plays a supporting role in this combo, but its performance is crucial for ensuring that the GPU is not bottlenecked. The CPU features 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It has 25 MB of shared L3 cache and a TDP of 125 W. The high boost clock and core count are well-suited for modern games, which can utilize multiple threads.

The CPU's benchmark scores confirm its strong performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 28838 in multi-core and 4071 in single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 14367 in multi-core and 2255 in single-core. These scores indicate that the CPU has significant headroom for handling game logic, physics, and other CPU-bound tasks in Control. The single-thread performance, in particular, is important for maintaining high frame rates, as many game engines rely on a few primary threads.

The CPU has a percentile rank of 85 among all CPUs, indicating that it is faster than the vast majority of processors. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-13700T has an average score of 35403, which is -0.1% different from the 12700KF's average score of 35365. The Intel Core i5-13600T has an average score of 35305, a 0.2% difference, and the Intel Core i7-12700K has an average score of 35287, a 0.2% difference. This shows that the 12700KF is competitive with other high-end CPUs.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU's role is evident in the high frame rates at 1080p, where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 162 suggests that the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates, and the GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases, the CPU's workload remains relatively constant, and the GPU's performance becomes the dominant factor. The 12700KF provides more than enough processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck in Control, ensuring that the RX 7700 XT is the primary determinant of the frame rates observed.