Control

Control, Remedy's action-adventure title from 2019, remains a demanding showcase, and the pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT produces a data set that clearly illustrates where the bottlenecks lie. The measured frames per second across resolutions and presets reveal a system that is consistently capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p but begins to show strain as the pixel count climbs, with the GPU taking on an increasingly dominant role. The following analysis breaks down the performance characteristics of this specific hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K has a pronounced and predictable effect on the average frame rates, with the most significant drops occurring at higher detail settings. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 174 FPS at 1920x1080 to 132 FPS at 2560x1440, a 24% reduction, and then to 89 FPS at 3840x2160, a further 33% drop from the 1440p result. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the resolution scaling is heavily taxing the graphics card, as the workload scales with the total number of pixels rendered.

Moving to High settings, the pattern continues, albeit with lower absolute numbers. The system delivers 110 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 83 FPS at 1440p, a 25% decrease, and then to 56 FPS at 4K, a 32% fall from the 1440p figure. The consistency of these percentage drops across different presets suggests a linear scaling behavior with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in these higher resolution tests, as the relative performance loss is directly tied to the increased rendering load.

The most demanding tests, Ultra settings, show the system at its limits. At 1080p, the average is 96 FPS, but this falls to 72 FPS at 1440p and further to 49 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, highlighting that this combination is not suited for maximum fidelity at the highest resolution. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra represents a 32% performance loss, very similar to the other presets, reinforcing that the graphics card's rendering throughput is the primary constraint across all settings once the resolution increases past 1080p.

This data indicates that the limiting component in this system is almost exclusively the GPU, especially at 1440p and 4K. The CPU's performance headroom, while sufficient for 1080p, becomes irrelevant as the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities are saturated. The benchmark results suggest that users targeting 4K will need to make significant compromises in visual quality, while 1440p offers a robust experience with High settings, and 1080p allows for maximum frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy of performance versus visual fidelity, and the optimal preset depends heavily on the target resolution. For 4K displays, the data shows that High settings are the most viable option for a smooth experience, with an average of 56 FPS. The Medium preset offers a slight improvement to 63 FPS, but the High setting provides a better balance of visual quality and performance, staying close to the 60 FPS target. Low settings at 4K boost the average to 89 FPS, but this represents a significant visual downgrade that may not be necessary given the playable frame rate at High.

At 1440p, the system truly shines, and the data suggests High settings as the sweet spot. The 83 FPS average at High is well above the smooth gameplay threshold, and it offers a substantial visual upgrade over the Medium preset's 94 FPS and the Low preset's 132 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p still manages a respectable 72 FPS, making it a viable choice for users who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rates. The frame time data for Medium settings shows a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 108 FPS, indicating a consistent performance window.

For 1080p gaming, the focus shifts to maximizing refresh rates, and the Low preset delivers the highest average at 174 FPS. However, the High and Ultra presets, at 110 FPS and 96 FPS respectively, are more than adequate for high refresh rate monitors and provide a much richer visual experience. The Ultra preset's 96 FPS average is particularly compelling, as it offers the highest fidelity with a frame rate that is still exceptionally smooth. The Medium preset provides a middle ground at 124 FPS, but the performance gain over High does not justify the loss in visual quality.

Overall, the benchmark results indicate that High settings are the recommended starting point for all resolutions. It offers a playable 56 FPS at 4K, a highly smooth 83 FPS at 1440p, and a fast 110 FPS at 1080p. Users with 1440p or 1080p monitors have the headroom to experiment with Ultra settings, while 4K users should stick to High or consider Medium for a more comfortable frame rate buffer.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the defining component in this system's gaming performance, and its specifications align closely with the observed scaling behavior. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s, which is sufficient for the asset streaming demands of a title like Control at high resolutions. The large frame buffer ensures that the game's textures do not cause stuttering or texture pop-in, even at the 4K resolution where memory pressure is highest.

The clock speeds of the GPU are also relevant to the performance data. The card has a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2430 MHz, with a game clock of 2124 MHz. The benchmark results show that the card is able to sustain performance that scales with the rendering load, and the high boost clock is indicative of its capability to process the complex shading and effects in Control. The chip, built on a 5 nm process, contains 28,100 million transistors and achieves a 37.32 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, which directly translates to the raw compute power needed for the game's physics and particle effects.

The GPU's benchmark scores further contextualize its performance. Its Passmark G3D score is 24176, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 4157. These figures, combined with its 51st percentile ranking against all GPUs, show that it is a solid mid-to-high-range performer. However, its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with an average score of 11680 (a 0.5% difference) and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT with a score of 11842 (a 1.8% difference), are surprisingly lower-end parts. This data suggests that while the RX 7800 XT is powerful, the benchmark database's average score is skewed by its performance across a wide range of tests, not just gaming. The gaming-specific FPS data demonstrates that its practical performance is far superior to those rivals, as it is able to handle Control at 4K with playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the specific context of Control, this hardware combination achieves a rank of 1254 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the top third of all systems. This rank, while not elite, indicates that the pairing of the Core i7-12700KF and the Radeon RX 7800 XT is well-balanced and provides a strong gaming experience for this title. The percentile rank of 1254 suggests that the vast majority of the systems ranked above it likely feature more powerful graphics cards, as the game's performance is so heavily reliant on the GPU.

The rank is a holistic measure that considers the performance across all tested resolutions and settings. The system's ability to deliver over 60 FPS at 1440p High and nearly 100 FPS at 1080p Ultra solidifies its position within the upper echelon of the database. The fact that it sits at roughly the 34th percentile (1254/3720) confirms the high level of performance required to be in the top tier of modern gaming systems. It is not a top-tier combination, but it is a very capable one that will play the vast majority of games at high settings without issue.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU's ranking against all processors is at the 85th percentile, which is excellent. The GPU, however, is at the 51st percentile, which is average. This discrepancy confirms that the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing and is the primary reason the combo does not rank higher. The data implies that upgrading the GPU would yield a significant improvement in this game's performance, while upgrading the CPU would provide minimal gains in a GPU-limited scenario.

CPU Role

While the GPU takes the lead in this title, the Intel Core i7-12700KF provides a robust foundation that ensures the system never becomes CPU-bound, particularly at lower resolutions. With 12 cores and 20 threads, based on the Alder Lake architecture, the processor offers substantial multi-threaded capabilities. Its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 14367, indicate that it has ample headroom for modern game engines that utilize multiple threads for physics, AI, and streaming.

The CPU's single-thread performance is equally important for gaming, and its 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and Passmark single-thread score of 3984 are strong figures. This is crucial for Control, which has moments that are heavily reliant on a single thread for game logic and draw call submission. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz, up from a base clock of 3.60 GHz, ensures that the processor can rapidly respond to these single-threaded demands, preventing any potential stutters or frame hitches.

The data from the resolution scaling tests confirms that the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, where the CPU overhead is at its highest relative to the GPU work, the system achieves 174 FPS. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more data than it can process. The performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings is almost entirely due to the GPU's workload increasing, not the CPU's. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 and the max-thread score of 9983 further demonstrate the processor's ability to handle concurrent tasks without a significant performance penalty, making it a stable platform for this gaming workload. The CPU's performance is effectively a non-factor in this game's results, allowing the RX 7800 XT to be the sole determinant of frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average frame rate is 110 FPS, with the Ultra preset delivering 96 FPS and Low settings reaching 174 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K High settings, it achieves an average of 56 FPS, and at Medium settings, it reaches 63 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's high benchmark scores and the fact that it can produce 174 FPS at 1080p Low suggest it has plenty of headroom.

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

A: It ranks 1254 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use for a balance of quality and performance at 1440p?

A: The High preset is the recommended choice, offering an average of 83 FPS. It provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (94 FPS) and Low (132 FPS) while maintaining a very smooth frame rate. Ultra is also viable at 72 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's memory configuration affect performance?

A: The GPU has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 624.1 GB/s bandwidth. This large capacity and high bandwidth ensure that the game's textures and assets are loaded efficiently, preventing performance issues related to memory pressure, especially at the higher 4K resolution.