Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that stresses both CPU and GPU, and this pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 lands in the upper third of tested configurations. With a combo rank of 536 out of 1636 measured combinations, this setup sits comfortably ahead of the majority of systems in the database, but it is not at the absolute top tier. The data suggests a balanced platform where the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides enough headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck in most scenarios. The measured performance is genuinely strong, though users targeting the highest refresh rates at 4K will need to make some settings compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 536 out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in roughly the 67th percentile of all systems evaluated. This is a solid position that reflects a well-matched pair, but it also indicates that there are many faster combinations available. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance ceiling; while the Core i7-12700KF is a capable processor, it is the Radeon RX 9070 that dictates the upper limits of what this system can achieve in this title. Compared to other combos in the database, this one delivers high average frame rates across all settings, but it does not dominate the leaderboard. The data indicates that this combination is best suited for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being playable but not at maximum settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12th Gen Alder Lake-S desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its cache layout includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Control, which is not a heavily threaded title, the CPU’s single-thread performance is more critical than its multi-core muscle. The benchmark data shows a 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4091, both of which are respectable and indicate the processor can keep up with the game’s logic and physics calculations without holding back the GPU. The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are shown in a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979, which is more than sufficient for any background tasks. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 89 versus all CPUs confirms that it is a high-end part, but its nearest rivals—the Intel Core i5-14400 (0.1% faster), Intel Core i7-13800H (0.2% slower), and Intel Core i9-12900HX (0.2% slower)—show that the performance difference between it and other modern chips is minimal in synthetic tests. For Control, this means the 12700KF provides a stable foundation, ensuring that frame rates are dictated by the GPU rather than processor limits.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the star of this configuration, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 48 chip on a 4 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock is 2520 MHz, with a game clock of 2070 MHz. In Control, the GPU’s raw compute power and memory bandwidth are the main factors determining performance. The card has 3584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, and its FP32 performance is rated at 36.13 TFLOPS. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions; for example, at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 54.2 FPS, indicating the card is working near its limit. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 79 versus all GPUs is lower than the CPU’s, which aligns with the observed performance ceiling. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—the NVIDIA A2 (0.2% slower), NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (0.3% faster), AMD Radeon HD 7970 (0.7% faster), and AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (0.8% faster)—are not typical gaming cards, which highlights that the RX 9070’s real-world gaming performance is better than these synthetic scores suggest. In Control, the GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM is more than enough for the game’s textures, and the high bandwidth ensures smooth data streaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Core i7-12700KF and Radeon RX 9070 deliver excellent performance across all settings. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 183.2 FPS, which is exceptionally high and ideal for competitive play. Medium settings yield 128.3 FPS, High settings produce 113.5 FPS, and Ultra settings still manage a very playable 98.5 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is heavily GPU-bound, but the CPU is still providing enough headroom to exceed 180 FPS at the lowest settings. Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a clear step down. Low settings average 136.4 FPS, Medium settings drop to 99.4 FPS, High settings hit 89 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 76.1 FPS. The 1440p results show that High settings are still very smooth, and even Ultra settings are above 60 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for a balanced experience. At 3840x2160, the GPU starts to show its limits. Low settings average 92 FPS, Medium settings drop to 66.7 FPS, High settings fall to 57 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 54.2 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K is significant, with the average frame rate at Ultra dropping by roughly 22 FPS, which is expected given the increased pixel count. The data shows that 4K gaming is feasible, but users will need to lower settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS or higher.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K with high settings?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average frame rate is 57 FPS. This is playable but not consistently above 60 FPS. For a smoother experience, dropping to Medium settings at 4K yields an average of 66.7 FPS, which is more comfortable.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 183.2 FPS, showing the CPU can handle the game’s demands. However, at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 54.2 FPS, which is a direct result of the GPU’s rendering limits.

Q: What is the best resolution for this setup?

A: Based on the measured results, 2560x1440 offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At High settings, the average frame rate is 89 FPS, which is smooth, and Ultra settings are still above 60 FPS at 76.1 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35355. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14400, scores 35336, which is 0.1% faster. The Intel Core i7-13800H is 0.2% slower, and the Intel Core i9-12900HX is 0.2% faster. The differences are negligible.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for Control?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. Control does not require anywhere near this amount, so there will be no VRAM-related stuttering or texture loading issues at any settings or resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 136.4 FPS, while Ultra settings average 76.1 FPS. This represents a drop of 60.3 FPS, or roughly 44%, when moving from the lowest to the highest quality presets.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience, the data suggests using the High preset at 2560x1440. This yields an average frame rate of 89 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. Users with high-refresh monitors will appreciate the 1440p High settings, as the frame rate is high enough to take advantage of a 144Hz display without needing to lower resolution. If you are playing on a 1080p monitor, the High preset at 113.5 FPS is excellent, and even Ultra at 98.5 FPS is perfectly playable. At 4K, the data recommends using Medium settings, which average 66.7 FPS, to ensure a smooth experience. High settings at 4K are borderline at 57 FPS and may cause noticeable dips in action-heavy scenes. For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 183.2 FPS, which is exceptionally responsive. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p or 1440p displays where the visual fidelity is worth the frame rate cost; at 4K, it drops to 54.2 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay.