Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 presents a stark imbalance in Lockdown Protocol. The data shows a top-tier CPU constrained by an entry-level GPU, resulting in a combination that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the recorded measurements, component roles, and viable settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the combination produces consistently low frame rates across all presets. The High preset averages 22 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings improve slightly to an average of 26 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 29 FPS. Dropping to Low yields an average of 36 FPS, while Ultra is the most demanding, averaging just 17 FPS. None of these figures approach playable levels.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results improve but remain insufficient. The High preset averages 35 FPS. Medium settings deliver 40 FPS on average, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. Low settings reach an average of 56 FPS, which is close to but still below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings drop to an average of 26 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the combination finally finds a playable configuration. The Low preset averages 76 FPS, exceeding the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, indicating that while the average is below the threshold, the frame rate can occasionally peak above it. High settings average 47 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS. The data clearly shows that only the Low preset at 1080p meets the playability criterion.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its high multi-threaded scores such as 42018 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 70255 in Passmark multithread, provides ample processing headroom. However, the GTX 1650, with a Passmark G3D score of 7880 and a percentile ranking of 40 among all GPUs, limits the overall frame output.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this. Dropping from 3840x2160 to 1920x1080 at Low settings increases the average frame rate from 36 FPS to 76 FPS, a substantial jump that reflects the reduced pixel load on the GPU. Similarly, at Medium settings, the average rises from 26 FPS at 4K to 54 FPS at 1080p. This resolution scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has more than enough capability to feed the graphics card, but the GPU cannot process frames fast enough at higher resolutions.

The CPU's role is largely secondary in this game at these settings. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D's single-thread score of 4737 in Passmark and 1292 in 3DMark single-thread ensures that it will not be a limiting factor. The data does not indicate any CPU-related frame drops or stuttering; the frame rate caps and averages are consistently tied to the GPU's performance ceiling. For this specific pairing, the recorded performance is entirely dictated by the GTX 1650's capabilities.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the GPU, the database lists several alternatives with nearly identical average benchmark scores. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447, which is 0.3% lower than the GTX 1650. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 7441, also 0.4% lower. The AMD Radeon R7 350 scores 7425, a 0.6% deficit. On the higher side, the Intel Arc A310 scores 7550, which is 1% higher. In Lockdown Protocol, these GPUs would produce frame rates very close to those recorded for the GTX 1650, meaning all would struggle to exceed 60 FPS at 1440p or higher resolutions.

On the CPU side, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, which scores 75738, a 0.1% difference, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, scoring 75716, also a 0.1% difference. The AMD EPYC 8224P scores 75582, a 0.3% difference, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488, a 0.4% difference. Since the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration, swapping to any of these alternatives would result in virtually identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the GPU would remain the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on 1080p with High settings?

A: No. The recorded average at 1920x1080 with High settings is 47 FPS. Only the Low preset at this resolution achieves an average above 60 FPS, with 76 FPS.

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

A: The database does not list any playable settings at 2560x1440. The closest is Low, which averages 56 FPS, but it falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the low frame rates at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only averages 36 FPS, and the frame rates scale heavily with resolution, which is a sign of GPU limitation. The CPU has ample performance headroom.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to the Intel Arc A310 in this game?

A: The Intel Arc A310 has an average benchmark score 1% higher than the GTX 1650. In practice, the frame rates would be nearly identical, so the Arc A310 would also fail to reach 60 FPS at 1440p or 4K.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The recorded average is 35 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's high benchmark score translate into better gaming performance here?

A: No. While the CPU scores 42018 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and ranks in the 95th percentile, the gaming performance is capped by the GPU. The GTX 1650's lower scores, such as 7880 in Passmark G3D, dictate the final frame rates.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS. The highest average is 36 FPS on Low settings, but this is still far below the playable threshold. The database lists no playable settings for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. No settings are playable. The best average is 56 FPS on Low, which misses the 60 FPS target. The database confirms no playable settings here.

At 1920x1080, the only playable setting is Low, which produces an average of 76 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 54 FPS and are not considered playable according to the 60 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3580 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested combos. The ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the low-end GPU. While the CPU is in the 95th percentile for all CPUs, the GPU is only in the 40th percentile for all GPUs. The result is a system that cannot utilize its processor's potential in this game, leading to a very low overall ranking due to the GPU's inability to deliver playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The recorded data indicates that this pairing is only suitable for 1080p gaming on the lowest settings.