Lockdown Protocol

This PC configuration, pairing the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, delivers an exceptional gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested. The data confirms that this hardware is overqualified for the game, with performance headroom so substantial that even the most demanding Ultra preset at 4K produces an average of 83.5 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data places this CPU and GPU combination in a unique performance tier. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X achieves an average benchmark score of 53,288, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs tested. The nearest rivals in terms of aggregate CPU performance include the AMD EPYC 7313P with an average score of 53,206, a mere 0.2% behind the 7900X. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53,469, which represents a 0.3% advantage, while the Intel Xeon 634 trails by 0.6% with a score of 52,974. The Intel Core i7-14700F is the closest consumer alternative at 53,620, outperforming the 7900X by 0.6%. In practical terms, all four rivals would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, though the 7900X stands out for its 12 cores and 24 threads, a configuration that shows strong scaling in multi-threaded workloads like the Cinebench R23 multicore test where it scores 29,300.

For the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 posts an average benchmark score of 60,347, sitting in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The similarity class here is more surprising, with the Intel Arc Pro A60 matching at 60,326 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60,140 (0.3% behind), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 at 58,657 (2.9% behind). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is the only rival that leads, scoring 61,896, a 2.5% advantage. In gaming scenarios, these aggregate scores suggest that the RTX 4090's vast memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory provide substantial headroom, but the nearest rivals would produce broadly comparable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

The combined hardware rank in this game is 88th out of 3,714 tested combinations, placing this system in the top 2.4% of all configurations analyzed. Users seeking similar behavior could consider any of the four CPU rivals paired with any of the four GPU rivals, though the minor performance deltas (all within 3%) mean that differences in frame rates would be negligible in most gameplay scenarios.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset remains fully playable with an average of 83.5 FPS, which is 39% above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes Ultra the best settings choice at 4K. The High preset runs at 105.6 FPS, while Medium reaches 124 FPS. The Low preset produces 176.8 FPS, but the Ultra preset's comfortable margin above 60 FPS means there is no reason to compromise on visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers 128.1 FPS average, which is more than double the playable threshold. This is the recommended settings level for 1440p gaming. High runs at 170 FPS, Medium at 190.4 FPS, and Low at 274 FPS. The scaling from 4K to 1440p shows a 53.4% performance gain at Ultra settings, confirming that this resolution is well within the GPU's comfort zone.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves 174.7 FPS average. This is the optimal choice, providing a 191% margin over the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset runs at 228 FPS, Medium at 260.9 FPS, and Low at 334.6 FPS. The 1080p results demonstrate that the RTX 4090 is severely underutilized, with even the Low preset producing frame rates that far exceed typical high-refresh-rate monitor capabilities.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals a clear pattern of GPU dominance in Lockdown Protocol. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra presets is 93.3 FPS (176.8 versus 83.5), a 53% reduction in performance when moving from lowest to highest settings. This substantial drop indicates that the GPU is heavily engaged at 4K, and its rendering workload dictates the frame rate. The CPU, with its 24 threads and strong single-thread score of 1,093 in 3DMark, is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

At 1440p, the same Low-to-Ultra comparison shows a drop of 145.9 FPS (274 versus 128.1), which is a 53% reduction, but the absolute frame rates are much higher. This suggests the CPU is beginning to play a more significant role, as the GPU can render frames quickly enough at lower settings that the CPU's processing speed becomes relevant. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 5.6 GHz boost clock, is well equipped for this task.

At 1080p, the Low-to-Ultra gap expands to 159.9 FPS (334.6 versus 174.7), a 52% reduction. The extremely high frame rates at Low settings indicate that the GPU is not fully utilized, and the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities (12,536 in 3DMark max threads) are being exercised more thoroughly. The scaling pattern shows that the CPU becomes more important as resolution decreases, but even at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate remains far above the playable threshold.

The data indicates that Lockdown Protocol is primarily GPU-bound at all tested settings, but the CPU's role grows at lower resolutions. The Ryzen 9 7900X provides sufficient processing power to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4090 in any scenario, as evidenced by the consistently high frame rates across all combinations.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol flawlessly at every resolution and preset tested. The verdict data confirms that all settings at all three resolutions — 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080 — are playable, meaning they all maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS. The best settings per resolution are Ultra at each one, with average FPS of 83.5 at 4K, 128.1 at 1440p, and 174.7 at 1080p.

The 4K Ultra result of 83.5 FPS is particularly notable, as it provides a 39% margin above the playable threshold while delivering maximum visual fidelity. At 1440p, the Ultra preset's 128.1 FPS makes this an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors in the 120-144 Hz range. At 1080p, the 174.7 FPS at Ultra opens the door for 165 Hz or even 175 Hz displays, though users with higher refresh rates would need to consider dropping to High (228 FPS) or Medium (260.9 FPS) settings.

The GPU's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU's 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs place this system at the top tier of hardware configurations. The measured data shows that there is no scenario in this game where this hardware will struggle, and the only limitation is the refresh rate of the user's display.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low preset runs at 176.8 FPS, Medium at 124 FPS, High at 105.6 FPS, and Ultra at 83.5 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent performance cost for increased visual quality, with the largest single drop occurring between Low and Medium at 52.8 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low at 274 FPS, Medium at 190.4 FPS, High at 170 FPS, and Ultra at 128.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium here is 83.6 FPS, which is larger than at 4K, reflecting the GPU's reduced workload at this resolution. The High preset at 170 FPS sits between Medium and Ultra in terms of both visual quality and performance.

At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are: Low at 334.6 FPS, Medium at 260.9 FPS, High at 228 FPS, and Ultra at 174.7 FPS. The Low preset's 334.6 FPS is the highest result in the entire dataset, demonstrating the system's capability for extremely high refresh rate gaming at 1080p.

The resolution scaling at Ultra settings shows a clear pattern: moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by 26.7% (174.7 to 128.1 FPS), and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces performance by an additional 34.8% (128.1 to 83.5 FPS). This 53% total reduction from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is consistent with the GPU being the primary performance driver.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 83.5 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is 23.5 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p for this hardware?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 128.1 FPS. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53,288 on average, which is 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P, 0.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon 634, and 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-14700F. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 leads by 0.3%.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The scaling data shows the CPU becomes more relevant at 1080p, but the GPU still dominates. The Low preset reaches 334.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 174.7 FPS, a 52% reduction that points to GPU rendering load as the main factor.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's performance compare to similar GPUs?

A: The RTX 4090 scores 60,347 on average, matching the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326) and trailing the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M by 2.5% (61,896). It leads the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 by 0.3% and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 by 2.9%.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 228 FPS at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which is 168 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold and suitable for high refresh rate displays.