Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers a robust experience in Lockdown Protocol, with measured frame rates that comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold across most settings and resolutions. The data indicates a system that scales predictably from 1080p to 4K, with the most demanding preset at the highest resolution being the only configuration that dips below the target. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and how this combination stacks up against other tested hardware.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, which achieves an average of 79.1 FPS. While the Low and Medium presets also clear the threshold with 121.6 FPS and 86.2 FPS respectively, the Ultra preset falls short at 55.6 FPS, making High the optimal choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing smooth gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system can handle the Ultra preset at an average of 90.8 FPS, which is the best visual quality available. All four presets—Low at 187.8 FPS, Medium at 135.6 FPS, High at 119 FPS, and Ultra at 90.8 FPS—remain well above the 60 FPS threshold, so there is no reason to compromise on settings at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is also the best choice, delivering an average of 120.2 FPS. The lower presets provide even higher frame rates—Medium at 185.9 FPS, High at 162.3 FPS, and Low at 261.2 FPS—but the headroom at Ultra is so substantial that it is the clear pick for the most demanding preset that still stays above 60 FPS. Across all three resolutions, the data shows that the combo only fails the playability test at 4K with the Ultra preset.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals a system that is primarily GPU-bound at higher settings, with the CPU showing its strength at lower resolutions and less demanding presets. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 261.2 FPS, which is 75.3 FPS higher than the 4K Low result of 121.6 FPS. This gap narrows significantly at higher presets: the 1080p Ultra average of 120.2 FPS is only 41.1 FPS above the 4K High average of 79.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and detail increase.

The 2560x1440 results sit neatly between the two extremes, with Low at 187.8 FPS and Ultra at 90.8 FPS. The difference between 1080p Low and 1440p Low is 73.4 FPS, while the difference between 1080p Ultra and 1440p Ultra is only 29.4 FPS. This pattern suggests that at Low settings, the Ryzen 5 7500F's single-thread performance—evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 974 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3218—is sufficient to push frame rates higher, but the RX 9070 XT's workload at Ultra settings and higher resolutions becomes the dominant constraint.

The CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 5.00 GHz boost clock appears well-matched to the GPU's capabilities in this title. At 4K Ultra, the drop to 55.6 FPS is a clear sign that the GPU is saturated, as the same preset at 1440p yields 90.8 FPS and at 1080p yields 120.2 FPS. The data does not show any scenario where the CPU holds back performance at lower settings, given that the 1080p Low figure of 261.2 FPS is the highest recorded across all configurations. For players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the CPU is doing the heavy lifting; for 4K gaming, the GPU is the primary determinant of playability.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 55.6 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is High, with an average of 79.1 FPS.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Ultra at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 90.8 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that clears the threshold. All lower presets also exceed 60 FPS, with Medium at 135.6 FPS and Low at 187.8 FPS.

Q: How does the 1080p performance compare to 1440p performance?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 120.2 FPS, which is 29.4 FPS higher than the 1440p Ultra average of 90.8 FPS. The gap widens at Low settings, where 1080p reaches 261.2 FPS versus 187.8 FPS at 1440p, a difference of 73.4 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and presets. At 4K Ultra, frame rates drop to 55.6 FPS, while at 1080p Low, the CPU pushes the average to 261.2 FPS, showing that the Ryzen 5 7500F has ample headroom when the GPU is less stressed.

Q: Which settings should be avoided at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset should be avoided at 3840x2160, as it is the only configuration in the measured data that falls below 60 FPS. High, Medium, and Low all remain playable, with averages of 79.1, 86.2, and 121.6 FPS respectively.

Q: Does the system maintain high frame rates at 1080p with all presets?

A: Yes. Every preset at 1920x1080 exceeds 120 FPS on average, from Low at 261.2 FPS to Ultra at 120.2 FPS, with Medium at 185.9 FPS and High at 162.3 FPS in between.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3,714 tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds the 860th position. This places it in the top 23.2% of all tested combos, indicating a strong performer that sits well above the median. The rank reflects the measured frame rates across all resolutions and presets, with the system demonstrating particular strength at 1440p and 1080p where it maintains 60 FPS at every setting.

The percentile data for the individual components supports this ranking. The CPU sits in the 77th percentile among all tested CPUs, while the GPU is in the 55th percentile among all GPUs. The combination of a high-percentile CPU with a mid-range GPU percentile suggests that the system's overall rank is driven by the processor's ability to feed the graphics card efficiently at lower resolutions, while the GPU's performance at higher resolutions prevents the combo from climbing higher. The 4K Ultra result of 55.6 FPS is the primary drag on the ranking, as every other configuration measured exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Ryzen 5 7500F's average benchmark score of 24,964 is closely matched by several other processors. The Intel Core i7-11850H scores 24,935, a delta of just 0.1% lower, making it a near-identical substitute in terms of overall processing power. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F scores 25,005, which is 0.2% higher, while the Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24,911, also 0.2% lower. The Intel Core 5 210H rounds out the group with a score of 24,872, a 0.4% deficit. In Lockdown Protocol, any of these CPUs would produce frame rates within a few percent of the Ryzen 5 7500F, assuming the same GPU is used.

For the GPU, the RX 9070 XT's average benchmark score of 13,543 is flanked by a set of much older or lower-tier cards. The AMD Radeon HD 7770M scores 13,536, a 0.1% difference, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 scores 13,515, a 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA P106-090 is 0.5% lower at 13,470, and the AMD Radeon Pro 555 is 1% lower at 13,407. These rivals are not direct performance equivalents in modern titles, given their age and architecture, but the benchmark data suggests they occupy a similar score range. In practice, the RX 9070 XT's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and RDNA 4.0 architecture provide capabilities that these older cards lack, so the measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol would likely favor the RX 9070 XT despite the close average scores.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear: this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or higher in nearly all tested configurations. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Medium, and Low, with High providing the best visual experience at an average of 79.1 FPS. The Ultra preset fails at 55.6 FPS, so 4K gamers should stick to High or below. At 2560x1440, every preset is playable, with Ultra delivering 90.8 FPS and providing the best quality. At 1920x1080, the system excels across the board, with Ultra achieving 120.2 FPS and Low reaching 261.2 FPS.

The only configuration that misses the 60 FPS target is 4K Ultra, which means the system is fully capable of handling the game at high settings on 4K displays and at maximum settings on 1440p and 1080p displays. The data shows a well-balanced pairing where the CPU's strong single-thread performance supports high frame rates at lower resolutions, while the GPU's capabilities are sufficient for demanding 4K workloads up to High settings. Players with a 4K monitor should be aware of the Ultra preset's limitation, but those on 1440p or 1080p can confidently max out the game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 121.6 FPS, Medium produces 86.2 FPS, High produces 79.1 FPS, and Ultra produces 55.6 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 66 FPS, with the largest drop occurring between Low and Medium at 35.4 FPS. The difference between Medium and High is 7.1 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 23.5 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load on the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low at 187.8 FPS, Medium at 135.6 FPS, High at 119 FPS, and Ultra at 90.8 FPS. The gap from Low to Medium is 52.2 FPS, while Medium to High is 16.6 FPS, and High to Ultra is 28.2 FPS. This resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with even the most demanding preset staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are: Low at 261.2 FPS, Medium at 185.9 FPS, High at 162.3 FPS, and Ultra at 120.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 75.3 FPS, from Medium to High is 23.6 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 42.1 FPS. The 1080p results show that the CPU and GPU combination has substantial headroom, with even the Ultra preset nearly doubling the 60 FPS target. Across all resolutions, the data consistently shows that the system delivers smooth performance for competitive play, with the only caveat being the 4K Ultra setting.