Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a fascinating test for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination. The data indicates a system with substantial headroom, but the performance curve across resolutions reveals where its strengths truly lie. The benchmark results show that this pairing is not merely adequate but is capable of delivering high refresh rate experiences at lower resolutions while still maintaining smooth gameplay at 4K, though with some necessary compromises in visual fidelity.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured frame rates establish a clear hierarchy of playable settings, with the playable threshold defined as 60 FPS or higher. The data shows that this combo can push beyond that threshold at every resolution, but the "best" setting—the most demanding preset that still clears 60 FPS—varies significantly.

At 3840x2160, the system achieves its highest playable fidelity at the High preset, producing an average of 76 FPS. While the Ultra preset is technically available, it drops to 57 FPS average, which falls below the 60 FPS minimum requirement. The jump from Medium to High at this resolution is notable, with the High preset delivering 76 FPS compared to Medium's 87 FPS, but it remains comfortably above the playable threshold. The data suggests that High is the optimal balance for 4K, as it offers superior visual quality while maintaining a 16 FPS buffer over the playability limit.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system can handle the most demanding Ultra preset without issue, achieving an average of 89 FPS. This represents a significant 32 FPS improvement over the 4K Ultra result and demonstrates that the RTX 4070 has ample headroom at this resolution. The Ultra preset at 1440p is 13 FPS faster than the High preset at 4K, which highlights how resolution scaling impacts performance more than preset changes in this title.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is not only playable but delivers an impressive 121 FPS average. This is the clear "best" setting for 1080p, as it provides the full visual experience while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds the needs of most high refresh rate monitors. The data shows a 32 FPS difference between 1080p Ultra and 1440p Ultra, indicating that the system scales well with resolution reductions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark database places this CPU and GPU combination within specific performance tiers, and the nearest rivals provide useful context for what similar hardware would deliver. For the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, the closest matching processors in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, which scores 52073 against the Ryzen's 51947, a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 8124P is similarly close at 52121, just 0.3% ahead. The Intel Core i9-13900F trails by 0.4% with a score of 51730, while the Intel Core i7-14700 leads by 0.7% at 52301. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning any of these CPUs would produce virtually identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070's nearest rivals present an interesting mix. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37628, a mere 0.1% behind the RTX 4070's 37648 average. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% behind at 37507, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile leads by 1.3% at 38135. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 trails by 1.3% at 37157. These small deltas mean that a system pairing the Ryzen 9 5950X with any of these GPUs would likely produce nearly identical performance in this game. However, the RTX 4070's 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with the Ryzen's 91st percentile among CPUs, indicates that this combo sits well above the median hardware configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 3840x2160, the Low preset produces an average of 123 FPS, while Medium achieves 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS. High delivers 76 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 57 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 66 FPS drop, representing a 54% reduction in frame rate. The Medium preset's minimum of 74 FPS is particularly noteworthy, as it indicates consistent frame pacing even at 4K.

The 2560x1440 results show a different scaling pattern. Low produces 191 FPS, Medium achieves 135 FPS with a minimum of 115 FPS and maximum of 156 FPS, High delivers 118 FPS, and Ultra reaches 89 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 102 FPS, a 53% reduction that mirrors the 4K scaling. The Medium preset's 115 FPS minimum is well above the playable threshold, suggesting that even the lowest frames at 1440p are extremely smooth.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptional across all settings. Low produces 260 FPS, Medium achieves 185 FPS with a minimum of 157 FPS and maximum of 213 FPS, High delivers 161 FPS, and Ultra reaches 121 FPS. The Low to Ultra difference of 139 FPS represents a 53% reduction, consistent with the other resolutions. The Medium preset's 157 FPS minimum is higher than most systems' maximum frame rates at this resolution, indicating that this combo is substantially overqualified for 1080p gaming.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 57 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is High, which achieves 76 FPS average.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with Ultra settings provides the best balance, delivering 89 FPS average. This is the highest resolution where the most demanding preset stays well above the 60 FPS threshold, with a 29 FPS buffer.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X scores 51947 in average benchmarks, which is within 0.7% of its closest competitors. The Intel Core i7-14700 leads by 0.7%, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX trails by 0.2%. These differences are negligible for gaming performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 significantly faster than its nearest GPU rivals?

A: No, the differences are minimal. The RTX 4070 scores 37648, which is only 1.3% behind the RTX 4080 Mobile and 0.4% ahead of the Radeon RX Vega 56. All nearest rivals are within a 1.7% performance band.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system produces an average of 161 FPS. This is 100 FPS above the playable threshold and indicates that the system is well-suited for high refresh rate gaming at this resolution.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with Low settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the system achieves 123 FPS average. This demonstrates that even at the highest resolution, the combo can deliver frame rates suitable for fast-paced FPS gameplay when visual settings are reduced.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals which component is more influential in Lockdown Protocol. At 3840x2160, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 66 FPS (123 to 57), while at 1920x1080, the same settings span shows a 139 FPS difference (260 to 121). This 73 FPS increase in the gap at lower resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes less of a bottleneck as resolution decreases, allowing the CPU to push frame rates higher.

The resolution scaling itself tells a clearer story. At Ultra settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p results in a 32 FPS drop (121 to 89), and moving from 1440p to 4K results in another 32 FPS drop (89 to 57). This consistent 32 FPS reduction per resolution step suggests that the GPU is the primary limiter at Ultra settings, as the CPU's performance headroom is not being fully utilized at higher resolutions.

However, at Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic: 260 FPS at 1080p, 191 FPS at 1440p, and 123 FPS at 4K. The 69 FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p Low, compared to the 68 FPS difference between 1440p and 4K Low, shows that the CPU begins to play a larger role at lower settings. The Ryzen 9 5950X's 16-core, 32-thread configuration appears well-suited to handle the game's processing demands, as evidenced by the 260 FPS ceiling at 1080p Low.

The data implies that at 4K, the RTX 4070 is the limiting factor, while at 1080p, the CPU's capabilities become more apparent. The 123 FPS at 4K Low versus the 260 FPS at 1080p Low shows that the GPU's pixel throughput is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, even when settings are minimized.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 874th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 76th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all configurations. The ranking is particularly impressive given that the combo uses a CPU from 2020 and a GPU that is now end-of-life, yet it still sits in the top quartile.

The rank becomes more meaningful when considering the individual component percentiles. The CPU ranks in the 91st percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 81st percentile among all GPUs. The combo's 76th percentile ranking in-game is slightly lower than either component's individual percentile, suggesting that Lockdown Protocol may not fully utilize the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities, or that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings.

Compared to the nearest rival combos, the performance is tightly clustered. The CPU's nearest rivals are within 0.7% performance, and the GPU's nearest rivals are within 1.3%. This means that swapping either component for a direct competitor would likely result in a rank change of only a few positions, as the overall performance envelope is quite narrow.

The Verdict

The benchmark data provides a clear answer: this system can run Lockdown Protocol exceptionally well across all tested resolutions. At 3840x2160, the system is playable at High, Low, and Medium settings, with High being the best choice at 76 FPS average. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold, coming in at 57 FPS.

At 2560x1440, every preset is playable, with Ultra achieving 89 FPS average. This makes 1440p the sweet spot for this combo, offering the full visual experience without any performance compromises. The 29 FPS buffer above the playable threshold provides room for demanding scenes or extended play sessions without frame rate dips.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers outstanding performance, with Ultra settings reaching 121 FPS average and Low settings hitting 260 FPS. Even the most demanding preset at 1080p is more than twice the playable threshold, making this combination ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate displays. The data confirms that this PC is more than capable of running Lockdown Protocol, with only the 4K Ultra preset falling short of the 60 FPS standard.