Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 presents a clear performance profile for Lockdown Protocol: it is a capable 1080p and 1440p setup, but it cannot hold 60 FPS at 4K on higher presets. The data shows a combo rank of 2577 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower third of all tested systems for this specific FPS title. The CPU is a top-tier part, ranking in the 91st percentile among all tested CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 57th percentile, indicating that the graphics card is the primary limiting factor in this pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured frame rates define a clear hierarchy of playable settings across the three standard resolutions. The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and the goal is to find the most demanding preset that stays at or above that mark.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the situation is restrictive. The Ultra preset delivers only 35 FPS average, which is far below the playable threshold. High settings improve this to 47 FPS, still not enough. Medium settings reach 54 FPS average with a minimum of 46 FPS, which is close but technically below the 60 FPS target. The only playable option at this resolution is the Low preset, which achieves an average of 76 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that clears the threshold, but it represents a significant visual compromise. The data indicates that the RX 7600's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are simply overwhelmed at 4K resolution with this game's higher detail levels.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system finds a much better balance. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, which is not playable. However, the High preset delivers a solid 73 FPS average, making it the best playable option. The Medium preset runs at 83 FPS, and Low reaches 117 FPS, but High is the clear choice for visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. This resolution represents the sweet spot for this combination, offering a strong balance between image quality and performance.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system has enough headroom to run the game at its maximum settings. The Ultra preset achieves 74 FPS average, which is playable and the best visual option. The High preset runs at 99 FPS, Medium at 113 FPS, and Low at 160 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU's strength begins to show, as the system can push well beyond the 60 FPS target even at Ultra settings. For competitive play, the Low preset at 160 FPS would be the choice for maximum frame rate, but for general use, Ultra at 74 FPS is the recommended setting.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for what other hardware would behave similarly in this system. These alternatives are based on average benchmark scores and their percentage difference from the components in question.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762. The closest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which scores 55093, a difference of -0.6%. This means the Intel part is essentially equivalent in overall processing power. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 54053, which is 1.3% slower. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701, 2% slower, and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620, 2.1% slower. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the game is unlikely to be CPU-bound at the resolutions tested. The 9900X3D's 128 MB of L3 cache is a notable feature, but the benchmark data suggests its nearest rivals keep pace in overall throughput.

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 has an average benchmark score of 15171. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, scoring 15199, a difference of -0.2%. This is a statistical tie. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, which is -0.7% different, again effectively identical. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082, 0.6% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti scores 15063, 0.7% slower. For Lockdown Protocol, a system with an RTX 3050 OEM would produce nearly the same frame rates as the RX 7600 at every resolution and preset. The Radeon 680M is an integrated GPU, so its inclusion in this list is notable, but the benchmark scores indicate it performs at a similar level for this workload.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The data shows the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 achieves an average of 74 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset runs at 99 FPS, Medium at 113 FPS, and Low at 160 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that stays playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 73 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The Medium preset runs at 83 FPS and Low at 117 FPS.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Only at the Low preset. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 76 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, and the High preset averages 47 FPS, both below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages only 35 FPS.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck for this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The RX 7600 ranks in the 57th percentile among all GPUs, while the Ryzen 9 9900X3D ranks in the 91st percentile among CPUs. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and preset changes, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

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

A: This combination ranks 2577 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, indicating that while it is playable at 1080p and 1440p, many other configurations deliver higher performance.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The data shows a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with an average of 83 FPS. This indicates stable performance with no significant frame drops below the playable threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution. The verdict by resolution is clear and based on the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable. All four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable, with the Ultra preset achieving 74 FPS. This is the resolution where the system performs best, offering a smooth experience at maximum settings. The data shows this is the intended use case for this hardware combination.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable but with some limitations. The High preset is the best option at 73 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 54 FPS, which is below the threshold. Gamers who prioritize higher detail will need to stick with High settings. The Medium and Low presets are also playable, at 83 FPS and 117 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, the system is only playable at the Low preset, which achieves 76 FPS. Any higher preset — Medium at 54 FPS, High at 47 FPS, or Ultra at 35 FPS — fails to meet the 60 FPS target. This is a significant limitation for 4K displays, and the data suggests that the RX 7600 does not have the memory bandwidth or raw compute power for this game at higher detail levels in 4K.

The overall verdict is that this combo is a solid 1080p and capable 1440p machine for Lockdown Protocol, but it is not suited for high-detail 4K gaming.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU, with the graphics card being the dominant factor in determining frame rates. This conclusion is drawn from the scaling patterns across resolutions and presets.

The CPU, an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, is a high-end processor with 12 cores and 24 threads, a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and a 91st percentile ranking. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a Passmark multithread score of 56154. However, its influence on Lockdown Protocol's frame rates is minimal. The game's performance scales almost entirely with the GPU's workload, which is evident in the frame rate changes when moving between resolutions.

At 1080p, the system achieves 160 FPS at Low settings and 74 FPS at Ultra. This range shows that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is still the limiting factor, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 86 FPS, a significant drop that is attributable to the GPU's rendering workload.

At 1440p, the same pattern holds. Low settings produce 117 FPS, while Ultra drops to 54 FPS, a 63 FPS difference. The CPU's performance is consistent, but the GPU's workload increases with resolution, reducing frame rates. At 4K, the trend continues: Low settings yield 76 FPS, while Ultra drops to 35 FPS, a 41 FPS difference. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck at every resolution and preset combination.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent only in the context of ensuring the GPU is fully utilized. With a Passmark single-thread score of 4646 and a 3DMark single-thread score of 1269, the 9900X3D is more than capable of keeping up with the RX 7600's output. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the tested scenarios. For gamers, this means that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance improvement in Lockdown Protocol, while the CPU would not need to be changed.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2577 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the lower third of all tested configurations, a position that reflects the GPU's mid-range standing rather than the CPU's high-end performance.

The rank is a composite measure that accounts for the overall system's ability to run the game. A rank of 2577 out of 3714 means that roughly 69% of tested systems perform better than this combo. This is not a surprising result given the RX 7600's 57th percentile ranking among all GPUs. The GPU's average benchmark score of 15171 is modest compared to higher-tier cards, and this is reflected in the frame rates observed at higher resolutions and presets.

However, the rank also shows that this combo is far from the bottom. There are 1137 tested systems that perform worse. The system's strength at 1080p, where it can run Ultra settings at 74 FPS, demonstrates that it is a viable option for gamers on that resolution. The CPU's high ranking ensures that the system has headroom for other tasks, and the overall performance is consistent with what would be expected from a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

For context, the GPU's nearest rivals — the RTX 3050 OEM, Radeon 680M, Radeon Pro 560X, and GTX 660 Ti — would all produce similar rankings. The CPU's nearest rivals, including the Core Ultra 5 245KF and Core i7-14700F, would not change the system's rank meaningfully, as the GPU remains the limiting factor. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with acceptable 1440p performance at High settings, and it should not be considered for 4K gaming beyond Low presets.