Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a capable 1080p and 1440p gaming combination for Lockdown Protocol, but it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K Ultra settings. The data shows a system that can handle the game smoothly at high refresh rates in most scenarios, with the primary bottleneck emerging only at the highest resolution and maximum preset. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, compares the combo to nearby hardware, and identifies the best configuration for each display resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong results across the board. The Low preset averages 189 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this combo. Medium settings drop to an average of 134 FPS, with a minimum of 114 FPS and a maximum of 154 FPS. High settings average 117 FPS, while the Ultra preset still maintains a solid 88 FPS average. All 1080p configurations clear the 60 FPS playable threshold with substantial headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains robust but shows a predictable decline. The Low preset averages 138 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings average 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. High settings average 86 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS. Every 1440p configuration remains above 60 FPS, though the Ultra preset at 64 FPS has only a slim margin above the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to struggle with the most demanding settings. The Low preset averages 89 FPS, which is playable. Medium settings average 63 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 55 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages just 42 FPS, representing the worst performance in the dataset. Only Low and Medium settings at 4K are playable, and the Medium preset's minimum of 54 FPS indicates that frame pacing may occasionally dip below the target.

The scaling pattern shows that the RTX 4060 handles lower resolutions with ease. The jump from 1080p Low at 189 FPS to 1440p Low at 138 FPS represents a 27% reduction, while the jump from 1440p Low to 4K Low at 89 FPS is a 35% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor as resolution increases, with the CPU maintaining sufficient throughput to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearestRivals data provides context for how this CPU and GPU stack against similar hardware. The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an average benchmark score of 58386, placing it at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs. Its closest rival is the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, which scores 58323, a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Xeon w5-2545 scores 58504, which is 0.2% higher than the 9850X3D. The Intel Core i9-14900 scores 58115, putting it 0.5% behind. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 scores 58826, which is 0.7% ahead. These deltaPct values indicate that the 9850X3D is in a very tight performance cluster, with all four rivals within 0.7% of its average score. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, placing it at the 61st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666, a 0.2% difference. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, which is 0.3% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17551, 0.5% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro 460 scores 17509, 0.7% behind. The RTX 4060 sits at the top of this small cluster, but the margins are extremely narrow. A user with any of these GPUs would experience nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol, assuming the CPU is not a limiting factor.

The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU means the system's gaming performance is heavily dictated by the GPU. The CPU's 92nd percentile standing ensures it will not hold back the RTX 4060 in this game, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data indicates that the GPU is the dominant component for Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions. The evidence for this lies in the performance scaling between resolutions and presets. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 101 FPS (189 to 88), which is a 54% reduction. At 1440p, the difference is 74 FPS (138 to 64), a 54% reduction. At 4K, the difference is 47 FPS (89 to 42), a 53% reduction. This consistent proportional drop across resolutions suggests that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the primary factors determining frame rate.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the system hits 189 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that requires strong CPU throughput to feed the GPU. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is well-suited for this task. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock of 5.60 GHz contribute to maintaining high minimum frame rates, though the data does not include min FPS for the Low preset at 1080p.

The scaling between resolutions at the same settings also points to GPU dominance. For Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 134 at 1080p to 98 at 1440p (a 27% reduction) and then to 63 at 4K (a 36% reduction from 1440p). This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where pixel count and memory bandwidth become increasingly important. The RTX 4060's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but become strained at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS of 42 indicates the GPU is overwhelmed.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable resolutions depend on the desired settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset averaging 88 FPS. This resolution provides the most comfortable experience, with even the most demanding settings leaving 28 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. The data shows that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo.

At 2560x1440, all four presets also remain playable, but the Ultra preset at 64 FPS is only 4 FPS above the threshold. The High preset at 86 FPS offers a more comfortable margin, and the Medium preset at 98 FPS provides ample headroom. For users with 1440p displays, the system can handle the game well, but Ultra settings are right at the edge of playability.

At 3840x2160, only the Low and Medium presets are playable. Low averages 89 FPS, while Medium averages 63 FPS. The High preset at 55 FPS and Ultra at 42 FPS both fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset's minimum of 54 FPS is concerning, as it indicates that some frames will dip below the playable threshold even though the average is above it. Users with 4K displays should stick to Low settings for a consistently smooth experience, or accept occasional frame drops with Medium.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which averages 63 FPS. This is the best settings choice for 4K, though the minimum of 54 FPS suggests that highly demanding scenes may cause noticeable stutter. The Low preset at 89 FPS provides a much safer margin and is recommended for users who prioritize consistent frame rates over visual quality.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, making it the best settings choice while still clearing the 60 FPS threshold. This allows users to experience the game at maximum visual fidelity with a playable frame rate. The High preset at 86 FPS is a more conservative option that provides substantial headroom, but the data shows that Ultra is viable.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 88 FPS, which is the best settings choice. This configuration delivers maximum visual quality with a frame rate that is 28 FPS above the playable threshold. The High preset at 117 FPS and Medium at 134 FPS are also excellent options for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as they provide the frame rates needed for 120 Hz or 144 Hz displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 2009 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 54th percentile of all systems. This mid-pack ranking reflects the balanced nature of the hardware: the CPU is near the top of the performance charts, but the GPU is closer to the middle of the pack. The ranking indicates that most systems with stronger GPUs would outperform this combo at 4K, while the strong CPU helps at lower resolutions where frame rates are higher.

The combo's rank of 2009 out of 3714 means that roughly 46% of tested systems perform worse, and 54% perform better. This positions the system as a solid mid-range gaming PC that can handle Lockdown Protocol well at 1080p and 1440p, but it is not a top-tier performer for 4K gaming. The RTX 4060's 61st percentile GPU ranking is the primary factor limiting the combo's overall position, as the CPU's 92nd percentile ranking is not enough to compensate at higher resolutions. Users considering this combo for Lockdown Protocol should target 1080p or 1440p displays to get the most out of the hardware.