Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a playable experience in Lockdown Protocol, but the margin of comfort depends heavily on the resolution you choose. At 1080p, this combination is excellent, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every preset. At 1440p, it remains highly capable, though the Ultra preset dips below the playable line. At 4K, the system is limited to Low settings for a smooth experience, as higher presets fall short of 60 FPS. The data is clear: this is a 1080p and 1440p machine for this title, not a 4K powerhouse.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded measurements provide a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data shows a consistent pattern where frame rates scale predictably with both resolution and graphical fidelity.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system's limits are immediately apparent. The Low preset delivers an average of 74 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium follows at 52 FPS average, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. The High preset drops further to 46 FPS average, and Ultra bottoms out at 34 FPS average. The lack of min/max data for High and Ultra suggests the frame pacing is less consistent, but the averages alone indicate these presets are not suitable for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the picture improves significantly. Low settings produce an average of 114 FPS, a massive jump from the 4K Low result. Medium comes in at 81 FPS average, with a solid minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. High settings achieve 71 FPS average, which is playable but closer to the threshold. Ultra falls to 53 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target and thus not recommended for a consistent experience.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system performs at its best. Low settings reach an average of 156 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Medium averages 111 FPS with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS, showing stable frame delivery. High settings yield 97 FPS average, and Ultra still manages 72 FPS average. Every single preset at 1080p stays comfortably above the 60 FPS line, making this the ideal resolution for this hardware combination.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a classic pattern where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases, while the CPU has less influence on the frame rate differences. The Ryzen 9 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is a high-end processor that ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its multicore performance is substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26017 and a Geekbench multicore score of 15233. This CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor in Lockdown Protocol, which is an FPS title that typically relies more heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and physics, though the CPU's 3dmark single-thread score of 944 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1614 are respectable.

The RX 5700 XT, on the other hand, ranks in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 16277. This is a mid-range graphics card relative to the CPU's high-end standing. The evidence for GPU dominance comes from the frame rate drops when moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at the same settings. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 97 at 1080p to 71 at 1440p, and then to 46 at 4K. This is a reduction of roughly 27% from 1080p to 1440p, and then another 35% from 1440p to 4K. The GPU is clearly struggling to fill the increasing pixel count.

Similarly, at Low settings, the average FPS goes from 156 at 1080p to 114 at 1440p and 74 at 4K. The consistent and large drops at each resolution step, regardless of the CPU's capability, indicate that the RX 5700 XT is the performance ceiling. The CPU's role is less visible in these measurements, but its strength ensures that it does not introduce a separate bottleneck, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of frame rates. The data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield significant gains, while the CPU has ample headroom for future graphics card upgrades.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database's verdict identifies the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at each resolution. These are the settings that maximize visual quality while preserving smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Low, which achieves an average of 74 FPS. Medium, with its 52 FPS average, falls short of the 60 FPS target, and High and Ultra are even further behind. This means users at 4K must sacrifice significant visual detail to play comfortably.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, which delivers an average of 71 FPS. This is a strong result, as it allows for high-quality visuals while staying above the threshold. Medium (81 FPS) and Low (114 FPS) are also playable, but High is the optimal choice for balancing fidelity and performance. Ultra, at 53 FPS, is not recommended.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, which achieves an average of 72 FPS. This is the full experience, with all graphical options maxed out while maintaining a playable frame rate. High (97 FPS), Medium (111 FPS), and Low (156 FPS) are all playable, but Ultra is the clear winner for the best visual presentation.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users looking at the CPU, the Ryzen 9 5950X's nearest rivals in the database are all within a very narrow performance band. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has an average benchmark score of 52073, which is 0.2% lower than the Ryzen's score. The AMD EPYC 8124P scores 52121, also 0.3% lower. The Intel Core i9-13900F scores 51730, which is 0.4% higher. Finally, the Intel Core i7-14700 scores 52301, which is 0.7% lower. These delta percentages are minimal, meaning that in synthetic benchmarks, all four of these CPUs would behave nearly identically to the Ryzen 9 5950X. In a game like Lockdown Protocol, the practical performance difference would be negligible, and any of these processors would likely deliver similar frame rates when paired with the same GPU.

On the GPU side, the RX 5700 XT's nearest rivals are similarly close. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M has an average score of 16351, just 0.1% higher. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408, which is 0.3% lower. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415, also 0.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 scores 16504, which is 0.9% lower. Despite the professional or newer branding of some of these cards, their average benchmark scores are almost identical to the RX 5700 XT. This indicates that in Lockdown Protocol, users could expect very similar frame rates from any of these GPUs, as the underlying performance is effectively the same.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The data shows the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 achieves an average of 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting to use at 1440p for a smooth experience?

A: High is the best playable setting at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 71 FPS. Ultra falls to 53 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings. The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 74 FPS. Medium drops to 52 FPS, High to 46 FPS, and Ultra to 34 FPS, all of which are not playable.

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

A: The Ryzen 9 5950X's performance is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, AMD EPYC 8124P, Intel Core i9-13900F, and Intel Core i7-14700. The performance deltas range from -0.7% to 0.4%, meaning there is no practical difference in gaming performance.

Q: Are there GPUs that perform like the RX 5700 XT?

A: Yes. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell, AMD Radeon PRO W7500, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 all have average benchmark scores within 0.9% of the RX 5700 XT, indicating similar real-world performance.

Q: What is the frame rate range at Medium settings in 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 111, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience is defined by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with the Ultra preset achieving 72 FPS and every other setting clearing the 60 FPS mark with room to spare. This is the resolution where the hardware shines and provides the complete visual experience.

At 2560x1440, the system remains solid, but users must cap their expectations at High settings, which delivers 71 FPS. The Ultra preset is not playable at 53 FPS, so visual purists will need to compromise. At 3840x2160, the system is only playable on Low settings, which yields 74 FPS. Any higher preset results in sub-60 FPS averages, making 4K gaming a compromised experience. The data supports a clear verdict: this PC is an excellent 1080p machine, a good 1440p machine, and a limited 4K machine for Lockdown Protocol.