Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 lands at rank 2504 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. That places this configuration in the lower third of all possible pairings, which is worth noting given the CPU’s strong standalone standing. The Ryzen 9 7900X sits in the 91st percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 53288, while the RX 7600 holds a more modest 57th percentile among GPUs with an average score of 15171. The combination’s ranking is therefore dragged down by the graphics card, not the processor. In practice, the data shows a system that is fully capable of running the game, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor once resolution and settings climb.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2504 out of 3714 tested combinations puts this pairing in the 67th percentile of all tested combos. That means roughly one in three tested systems performed worse, while two in three performed better. The ranking reflects the unbalanced nature of the pairing: a top-tier CPU paired with a mid-range GPU. The CPU’s percentile versus all CPUs is 91, which is excellent, but the GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is only 57, which is slightly above average. This discrepancy explains why the combo does not crack the top half of tested systems despite the processor’s strength.

Looking at the CPU’s benchmark data, the Ryzen 9 7900X delivers 29300 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2016.5 in single-core, with a PassMark multi-thread score of 51406. These are strong numbers that place it above the vast majority of processors. The GPU, however, manages a PassMark G3D score of 16634 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 88051. These figures are respectable for a 1080p-oriented card, but they do not compete with higher-tier offerings. The result is a system that ranks where it does primarily because of GPU limitations, not CPU headroom.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear pattern: the CPU’s influence on frame rates diminishes as resolution increases, while the GPU’s importance grows. At 1920x1080, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial, indicating that both components are being exercised. The average FPS drops from 161.2 at Low to 74.4 at Ultra, a difference of 86.8 FPS. This wide spread suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to push high frame rates, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the spread narrows. Low settings produce 115.7 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 57.6 FPS, a difference of 58.1 FPS. The reduction in the gap indicates that the GPU is now the primary constraint, as the higher resolution puts more pressure on the rendering pipeline. At 3840x2160, the trend continues: Low settings yield 76.6 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 38.6 FPS, a difference of only 38 FPS. Here, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for the performance ceiling, with the CPU providing ample headroom that goes unused.

This scaling behavior shows that the Ryzen 9 7900X is not the limiting factor at any resolution tested. Even at 1080p Ultra, where the CPU’s single-thread performance matters most, the processor’s 2016.5 Cinebench R23 single-core score is more than sufficient. The RX 7600, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus, is the component that determines whether the game stays above 60 FPS. The data indicates that the CPU’s role is to remove any potential bottleneck, which it does effectively, while the GPU’s role is to define the playable envelope.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 161.2 FPS, Medium drops to 114.1 FPS, High falls to 101.7 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 74.4 FPS. All four settings clear the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Ultra providing a comfortable margin of 14.4 FPS above that mark. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, but even the most demanding preset maintains a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts. Low settings yield 115.7 FPS average, Medium 86.1 FPS, High 71.7 FPS, and Ultra 57.6 FPS. Here, Ultra falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it unplayable by the standard used in this analysis. High remains playable with 71.7 FPS average, providing an 11.7 FPS margin. The drop from High to Ultra represents a 14.1 FPS loss, which is the largest single-step decline at this resolution, indicating that Ultra’s additional effects tax the GPU heavily.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates at most settings. Low produces 76.6 FPS average, Medium 54.3 FPS, High 46.1 FPS, and Ultra 38.6 FPS. Only Low clears the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so with a margin of 16.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 22.3 FPS, the largest single-step drop in the entire dataset, showing that the RX 7600’s 8 GB memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for higher settings at 4K. The minimum and maximum FPS values are not reported in the data, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 7313P with a delta of 0.2%, the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 at -0.3%, the Intel Xeon 634 at 0.6%, and the Intel Core i7-14700F at -0.6%. These processors all perform within 0.6% of the Ryzen 9 7900X, meaning that swapping to any of them would produce nearly identical CPU-bound behavior in Lockdown Protocol. The i7-14700F is the most relevant consumer alternative, and its performance delta is negligible for gaming purposes.

On the GPU side, the RX 7600’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM with a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Radeon Pro 560X at 0.6%, the AMD Radeon 680M at -0.7%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti at 0.7%. These deltas are all under 1%, meaning that any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in this game. The RTX 3050 OEM is the closest consumer equivalent, and the Radeon 680M is notable as an integrated solution that matches the RX 7600’s average score, though in practice the RX 7600’s dedicated memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s gives it an advantage in real-world gaming scenarios.

For users considering alternatives, the data suggests that replacing the CPU with an EPYC 7313P or i7-14700F would not change the gaming experience, as the GPU remains the bottleneck. Conversely, swapping the GPU for an RTX 3050 OEM or a Radeon Pro 560X would yield nearly identical results, as their average scores are within 0.7% of the RX 7600. The practical takeaway is that this combo sits in a performance band where the GPU dictates outcomes, and only a GPU upgrade would meaningfully alter the frame rates shown here.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 74.4, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by 14.4 FPS. This is the most demanding preset tested at this resolution, and it remains playable.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: High settings produce an average of 71.7 FPS, which is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS. Ultra drops to 57.6 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 7900X or the RX 7600 the bottleneck at 3840x2160?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. At 4K, the CPU’s performance is underutilized, as evidenced by the large frame rate drops when moving from Low to Medium settings. The RX 7600’s 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus limit its ability to handle higher presets at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2504 out of 3714 combos, placing it in the lower third. This is primarily due to the GPU’s 57th percentile standing, despite the CPU’s strong 91st percentile rank.

Q: What GPU would perform similarly to the RX 7600 in this game?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has an average score within 0.2% of the RX 7600, making it a near-identical performer. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X and GTX 660 Ti are also within 0.7%.

Q: Does the CPU matter at all for this game at 1080p?

A: Yes, but only up to a point. The Ryzen 9 7900X provides ample single-thread performance, as shown by its 2016.5 Cinebench R23 single-core score, which allows the GPU to reach its maximum potential. However, the GPU still determines the final frame rates, as seen in the 86.8 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset delivers 74.4 FPS average, providing a comfortable margin for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at Low, Medium, and High settings, with High producing 71.7 FPS average. Ultra falls to 57.6 FPS, just below the playable mark.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve a playable frame rate, with 76.6 FPS average. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra dropping to 38.6 FPS. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1080p is fully playable at all settings, 1440p is playable up to High, and 4K is playable only at Low. For users targeting 60 FPS or higher, the system’s sweet spot is 1080p Ultra or 1440p High, while 4K requires significant compromises.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 74.4 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while still exceeding the playable threshold by 14.4 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 71.7 FPS. This offers a balance of visual fidelity and performance, with an 11.7 FPS margin above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra is not viable here, as it drops to 57.6 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the only playable preset is Low, which produces an average of 76.6 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall short of 60 FPS, with Medium at 54.3 FPS, High at 46.1 FPS, and Ultra at 38.6 FPS. For 4K gaming, users must accept Low settings to maintain playability.