Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the data showing playable frame rates at maximum settings. The measured performance indicates this pairing is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p, though 4K gaming requires some settings compromises to maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 delivers an average of 89 FPS, making it the best playable option. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Can this PC handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset achieves 64 FPS average, while the High preset drops to 56 FPS. The Low preset reaches 90 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 42 FPS.

Q: Which resolution provides the highest frame rate?

A: The 1920x1080 Low preset produces the highest measured average at 191 FPS. This is followed by 2560x1440 Low at 140 FPS and 3840x2160 Low at 90 FPS.

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

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X has an average benchmark score of 53288, placing it 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P and 0.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon 634, but 0.3% behind the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 and 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-14700F.

Q: How does the GPU rank in terms of overall performance?

A: The RX 6700 XT has a percentile ranking of 72 among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 27425 puts it essentially neck-and-neck with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, which scores 27435.

Q: Is there a significant frame rate difference between Medium and Ultra settings?

A: Yes. At 1440p, the drop from Medium (99 FPS) to Ultra (65 FPS) is 34 FPS, representing a substantial 34% reduction. At 1080p, the drop from Medium (135 FPS) to Ultra (89 FPS) is 46 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

3840x2160 (4K): The Medium preset is the most demanding setting that maintains 60 FPS, averaging 64 FPS. This preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, with the High preset falling short at 56 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p): The Ultra preset is fully playable, averaging 65 FPS. This allows for maximum visual fidelity while staying above the 60 FPS threshold, though the margin is relatively slim.

1920x1080 (1080p): The Ultra preset averages 89 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. This provides the best possible visual experience while still delivering smooth, high-refresh-rate gameplay.

The performance scaling across resolutions shows a clear pattern. At 4K, the system struggles to maintain high settings, requiring a medium preset. At 1440p, the system handles the maximum preset but with less headroom. At 1080p, the system has substantial performance reserves, making it ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data shows how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts across resolutions. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 191 FPS, which is 35% higher than the 140 FPS at 1440p Low and 112% higher than the 90 FPS at 4K Low. This scaling pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU (AMD Ryzen 9 7900X) plays a more significant role in determining frame rates, as the GPU is less likely to be the bottleneck.

At 4K resolution, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The RX 6700 XT's performance limits are clearly visible, with the Ultra preset dropping to 42 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K on the Ultra preset shows a 35% reduction (from 65 FPS to 42 FPS), while the scaling from 1080p to 1440p on the same preset shows a 27% reduction (from 89 FPS to 65 FPS). This suggests that the GPU's rendering workload increases disproportionately with resolution.

The CPU's strength is evident in the high frame rates at lower resolutions. With a multi-threaded benchmark score of 51406 in PassMark and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29300, the Ryzen 9 7900X provides ample processing power. The GPU's role becomes more critical at higher resolutions, where the 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth become more relevant.

Between Medium and Ultra settings at each resolution, the frame rate drops are consistent: at 1080p, a 34% reduction; at 1440p, a 34% reduction; and at 4K, a 34% reduction. This uniformity suggests that the settings scaling is consistent across all resolutions, with the GPU handling the increased visual workload similarly regardless of resolution.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol effectively at all three tested resolutions, though the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance with the Ultra preset averaging 89 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Low preset reaches 191 FPS, making this ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming.

At 2560x1440, the system also clears the 60 FPS threshold on all presets, with the Ultra preset averaging 65 FPS. This provides a smooth experience at maximum settings, though there is less headroom compared to 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the system is limited to Medium settings for a 60 FPS experience, averaging 64 FPS. The High preset falls below the threshold at 56 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops significantly to 42 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended choice.

The verdict by resolution confirms that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can run the game at maximum settings with solid frame rates. 4K gaming is possible but requires accepting lower visual settings to maintain playable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: 42 FPS average
• High: 56 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 74 FPS
• Low: 90 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: 65 FPS average
• High: 87 FPS average
• Medium: 99 FPS average, with a minimum of 84 FPS and maximum of 114 FPS
• Low: 140 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: 89 FPS average
• High: 118 FPS average
• Medium: 135 FPS average, with a minimum of 115 FPS and maximum of 156 FPS
• Low: 191 FPS average

The data shows that the Medium preset provides the most stable frame times, with the narrowest spread between minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p, the Medium preset ranges from 115 to 156 FPS, while at 1440p, it ranges from 84 to 114 FPS, and at 4K, from 54 to 74 FPS. This consistency makes Medium a reliable choice for players who prioritize smooth gameplay over maximum visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination ranks 1950 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the top 52% of all tested setups, indicating a solidly mid-range performance tier for this specific game.

The CPU's performance is a strong contributor to this ranking. With a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs, the Ryzen 9 7900X provides top-tier processing power. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7313P, is virtually identical in average score (53206 vs 53288), while the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620, just 0.6% higher.

The GPU's contribution is more moderate. The RX 6700 XT ranks in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, placing it in the upper-mid range. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, scores 27435, essentially matching the RX 6700 XT's 27425. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 scores 27565, which is 0.5% higher, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 scores 27839, 1.5% higher.

The combination's rank of 1950 suggests that while the CPU is exceptionally strong, the GPU holds the system back from achieving higher overall performance in this title. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. For players seeking higher frame rates at 4K or maximum settings, a more powerful GPU would be the logical upgrade path.