Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination delivers strong performance in Lockdown Protocol, with measured data showing that this system can comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested resolution, though the demanding 4K Ultra preset falls short of that mark. The data, drawn from benchmark measurements, shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings that illustrates the balance between the 12-core Zen 5 CPU and the Ampere-based GPU.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, which delivers an average of 73.7 FPS. The data shows that Ultra settings at this resolution drop to 58.1 FPS, falling below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Low and Medium settings are also playable, averaging 125 FPS and 88.2 FPS respectively, but High offers the best visual fidelity while still clearing the threshold with a comfortable margin.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system can run the most demanding Ultra preset at an average of 86.9 FPS. This is a significant jump over the 4K Ultra result, representing a 49.6% improvement. All four settings presets are playable at this resolution, with High at 118.8 FPS, Medium at 138.9 FPS, and Low at 189.4 FPS, giving users the full range of options without any compromise on playability.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the most demanding Ultra preset achieves 118.5 FPS, which is well above the threshold. The data indicates that this resolution is where the combo performs best, with High at 161 FPS, Medium at 185.8 FPS, and Low at 262.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers over double the frame rate of the same preset at 4K, demonstrating the resolution scaling characteristics of this hardware combination.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a shifting balance between CPU and GPU influence as resolution changes. At 1080p, the frame rates are remarkably high, with Low settings reaching 262.9 FPS and Medium at 185.8 FPS. These figures suggest that the CPU, with its high single-thread performance of 2,253 in Cinebench R23 single-core and a 92nd percentile ranking among all CPUs, is providing enough headroom that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck even at lower resolutions.

As resolution increases to 1440p, the average frame rates drop by approximately 30-37% across all settings. For instance, Ultra drops from 118.5 FPS at 1080p to 86.9 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 26.7%. This scaling indicates that the GPU workload is increasing substantially, yet the RTX 3080 Ti, which sits in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs, still maintains high performance. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for the memory demands at this resolution.

The most telling evidence of GPU dominance comes at 4K. Here, the Ultra preset averages 58.1 FPS, which is a 51.0% drop from the 1080p Ultra result. The High preset at 4K averages 73.7 FPS compared to 161 FPS at 1080p, a 54.2% reduction. This substantial decline points to the GPU being the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU's performance requirements do not scale linearly with pixel count. The RTX 3080 Ti's compute capabilities, including its FP32 throughput of 34.10 TFLOPS, are being pushed to their limits at this resolution.

The data shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X is never the primary constraint in this game. Even at 1080p with Low settings, where frame rates reach 262.9 FPS, the CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads, backed by a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, provide sufficient processing power. The GPU role becomes progressively more important as resolution increases, with the most pronounced GPU bottleneck appearing at 4K Ultra where the system falls below the playable threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: Average 58.1 FPS — below the 60 FPS threshold, making this preset unplayable by the standard measure.
• High: Average 73.7 FPS — the best playable preset at 4K, offering a 26.9% improvement over Ultra.
• Medium: Average 88.2 FPS — a 51.8% improvement over Ultra, showing diminishing returns on visual quality versus performance.
• Low: Average 125 FPS — more than double the Ultra frame rate, indicating that the Low preset removes a substantial rendering load.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: Average 86.9 FPS — comfortably playable and the recommended preset for this resolution.
• High: Average 118.8 FPS — a 36.7% improvement over Ultra, making it a strong choice for higher refresh rate displays.
• Medium: Average 138.9 FPS — a 59.8% improvement over Ultra.
• Low: Average 189.4 FPS — a 118.0% improvement over Ultra, showing the full performance envelope of this combo.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: Average 118.5 FPS — the best preset at this resolution, delivering high frame rates for competitive play.
• High: Average 161 FPS — a 35.9% improvement over Ultra.
• Medium: Average 185.8 FPS — a 56.8% improvement over Ultra.
• Low: Average 262.9 FPS — the highest frame rate recorded in this data set, ideal for extreme refresh rate monitors.

The min and max FPS values are not recorded in the measured data, so only average FPS figures are available for analysis. The average FPS figures provide a consistent basis for comparing settings and resolutions, and the scaling patterns are uniform across the board.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 848th out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the top 22.8% of all tested configurations, indicating that it performs well above the median for this game.

The CPU component, the Ryzen 9 9900X, has an average benchmark score of 57,498, which places it in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9015, which scores 57,555 and is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Core i9-14900, which scores 58,115 and is 1.1% faster. The EPYC 7313 scores 57,399, making the 9900X 0.2% faster, while the Xeon Platinum 8260M scores 58,323, making the 9900X 1.4% slower.

The GPU component, the RTX 3080 Ti, has an average benchmark score of 41,187, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which scores 40,870 and is 0.8% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, which scores 40,377 and is 2.0% slower. The Tesla M40 24 GB scores 41,707, making the 3080 Ti 1.2% slower, while the Tesla M40 scores 41,897, making the 3080 Ti 1.7% slower.

The ranking of 848 out of 3,714 reflects the combination of a top-tier CPU and a strong but not class-leading GPU. The high CPU percentile suggests that the processor is not a limiting factor in the game's performance, while the GPU's 83rd percentile is more indicative of the overall system ranking, as GPU load increases at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, at 4K the system achieves playable frame rates on High, Medium, and Low settings, with average FPS of 73.7, 88.2, and 125 respectively. The Ultra preset averages 58.1 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 86.9 FPS, making it the best visual quality option that still clears the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets are playable at this resolution, with High at 118.8 FPS, Medium at 138.9 FPS, and Low at 189.4 FPS.

Q: How does the system perform at 1080p?

A: The system delivers exceptional performance at 1080p, with all presets well above the playable threshold. Ultra averages 118.5 FPS, High averages 161 FPS, Medium averages 185.8 FPS, and Low reaches 262.9 FPS.

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

A: The data shows the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, frame rates are very high across all settings, suggesting CPU headroom. At 4K, the Ultra preset drops to 58.1 FPS, a 51.0% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 848th out of 3,714 tested combos, placing it in the top 22.8% of configurations. The CPU is in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs.

Q: What frame rate can I expect on High settings at 4K?

A: High settings at 4K average 73.7 FPS, which is the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at that resolution. This provides a comfortable margin above the playable threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at all three tested resolutions, with the caveat that the 4K Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance across all settings, with Ultra averaging 118.5 FPS — more than double the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, all presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 86.9 FPS and providing the best visual experience without compromise. At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding playable option, averaging 73.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 58.1 FPS and misses the threshold.

The data indicates that this combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and it remains capable at 4K with a modest reduction in settings. The CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 2,253 Cinebench R23 single-core score, ensures that it does not bottleneck the GPU at any resolution. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth handle the game's demands effectively, with the only shortfall appearing at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset. For users seeking maximum frame rates, the 1080p Low preset at 262.9 FPS demonstrates the full potential of this system, while the 1440p Ultra preset at 86.9 FPS represents the best balance of visual quality and performance.