Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents a clear performance picture for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination. The measured data, drawn from direct benchmarking, indicates a system that is comfortably capable at 1080p and 1440p, but which requires specific settings adjustments to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K. This analysis breaks down the exact frame rates, component roles, and optimal configurations based solely on the collected metrics.

Best Settings per Resolution

The goal is to identify the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data shows different ceilings for each resolution.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system cannot sustain 60 FPS on the High or Ultra presets. The High preset delivers an average of 59 FPS, just below the threshold, while Ultra drops to 44 FPS. The Medium preset is the highest playable option, achieving an average of 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS. This makes Medium the definitive choice for 4K gaming, as it is the most visually demanding setting that stays above the 60 FPS average.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system has ample headroom. The Ultra preset, the most demanding option, produces an average of 68 FPS. All other presets—High at 91 FPS, Medium at 104 FPS, and Low at 147 FPS—exceed this. Therefore, Ultra is the best setting, allowing for maximum visual fidelity while still clearing the 60 FPS mark.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the CPU and GPU combination is overqualified. The Ultra preset runs at an average of 93 FPS, which is significantly above the playable threshold. The High preset reaches 124 FPS, Medium hits 142 FPS, and Low achieves 200 FPS. The Ultra setting is the clear winner here, providing the highest image quality without any performance concerns.

CPU and GPU Roles

Determining which component bottlenecks the system requires examining how frame rates scale with resolution and settings changes. The data indicates a typical pattern where the GPU becomes more critical at higher resolutions.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a moderate performance drop across all settings. For instance, the Ultra preset falls from 93 FPS at 1080p to 68 FPS at 1440p, a drop of 25 FPS. This suggests that while the GPU is being pushed harder, the Ryzen 5 5500, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is still providing enough data. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429, indicate it is not a limiting factor at these resolutions.

The jump from 1440p to 4K reveals a more significant strain on the GPU. The High preset drops from 91 FPS to 59 FPS, a 32 FPS decline. The Ultra preset falls from 68 FPS to 44 FPS, a 24 FPS drop. This sharper decline at 4K is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed heavily, while the CPU has more than enough headroom. The percentile data reinforces this: the RX 7700 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 5500 is at the 73rd percentile among CPUs. The CPU is relatively stronger, meaning the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, especially as resolution increases.

The difference between Low and Ultra presets also highlights the GPU's role. At 4K, the Low preset yields 95 FPS, while Ultra yields 44 FPS. This significant 51 FPS spread is almost entirely due to the increased graphical load on the GPU. At 1080p, the same spread is 107 FPS (200 vs. 93), showing that the GPU’s pixel-pushing power has a larger impact at lower resolutions where the CPU can easily keep up.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides the exact average, minimum, and maximum frame rates recorded for each resolution and settings combination.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 95 FPS.
• Medium: Average 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 77.
• High: Average 59 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 44 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 147 FPS.
• Medium: Average 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 and a maximum of 120.
• High: Average 91 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 68 FPS.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 200 FPS.
• Medium: Average 142 FPS, with a minimum of 121 and a maximum of 163.
• High: Average 124 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 93 FPS.

The minimum FPS data for the Medium preset is particularly useful. At 4K, the minimum of 57 FPS is only slightly below the 60 FPS target, indicating occasional dips. At 1440p, the minimum of 88 FPS is well above the threshold, and at 1080p, the minimum of 121 FPS ensures a consistently fluid experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only with settings adjustments. The data shows the Medium preset achieves an average of 67 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 68 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Will I get more than 60 FPS at 1080p with all settings maxed out?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 produces an average of 93 FPS, providing a significant margin over the playable threshold.

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

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU’s relative strength (73rd percentile) compared to the GPU (58th percentile) indicates that the Radeon RX 7700 is the component that dictates performance scaling.

Q: What kind of frame rate can I expect on the Low preset at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1080p yields an average of 200 FPS, ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the frame rate stay consistently above 60 FPS at 4K on Medium?

A: The average is 67 FPS, but the minimum recorded frame rate is 57 FPS. This suggests there are occasional dips below 60 FPS, but the overall experience remains close to the target.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users comparing this specific configuration to other hardware, the benchmark data for the CPU and GPU provides a list of near-equivalent components.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 19593. Its closest rival is the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, which scores 19617, a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19499, making it 0.5% slower. The Intel Core i5-12500 is 0.4% faster with a score of 19668, and the Intel Core i5-11600KF leads this group with a score of 19723, a 0.7% advantage. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU.

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rivals are closely matched. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, just 0.1% higher. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.1% slower at 15679, while the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 1% faster at 16014. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the fastest in this group, scoring 16129, which is 1.7% higher than the RX 7700. Users with any of these GPUs should expect performance that is within a few percentage points of what is measured here.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination is a capable system for Lockdown Protocol, with clear performance tiers by resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system is partially playable. The verdict confirms that only Low and Medium settings clear the 60 FPS average threshold. The best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 67 FPS. Gamers with a 4K display will need to compromise on visual fidelity to play smoothly.

At 2560x1440, the system is fully playable on all presets. The verdict lists High, Low, Medium, and Ultra as playable, with Ultra being the best setting at 68 FPS. This resolution provides the ideal balance of visual quality and performance for this hardware.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable on all presets, with Ultra as the best setting at 93 FPS. This configuration offers excellent performance and is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming. The overall rank of this combo is 1709 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of systems. The data confirms that this PC can run the game, with the primary caveat being the need to use Medium settings for a stable 4K experience.