Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT presents a compelling mid-range analysis case for Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title released in March 2024. The measured data provides a clear picture of how this combination scales across resolutions and settings, with a notable pattern emerging: the system’s ability to maintain fluid gameplay is highly dependent on the resolution target. Benchmark results indicate that while 1080p and 1440p offer multiple playable presets, the 4K experience is severely constrained, suggesting a hardware limit that users should understand before committing to this configuration.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS varies significantly by resolution, according to the measured FPS data. At 1920x1080, the system achieves this threshold at the highest possible preset, with Ultra settings delivering an average of 72.2 FPS. This is a positive outcome, as it allows users to experience the full visual fidelity of the game without compromising on smoothness. The data shows a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that the CPU and GPU combination has headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the best playable preset drops to High, which produces an average of 72.3 FPS. Interestingly, this is nearly identical to the 1080p Ultra average, suggesting that the GPU is still capable of delivering strong performance at this higher resolution, but only when settings are not maxed out. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 55.9 FPS, which is below the threshold, confirming that High is the optimal choice for a smooth experience here.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes much more restrictive. The only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 74.6 FPS. All other settings—Medium at 54.7 FPS, High at 47.4 FPS, and Ultra at 37.1 FPS—fail to meet the playable threshold. This illustrates a dramatic drop-off in performance at 4K, where the GPU’s limitations become the dominant factor. Users targeting 4K must accept significant visual compromises to achieve playable frame rates, making this resolution viable only for those prioritizing performance over fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals distinct roles for the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080, the data shows a wide spread between presets: Low averages 158.5 FPS, while Ultra drops to 72.2 FPS. This 86.3 FPS gap suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as reducing settings has a substantial impact on frame rates. The CPU’s capabilities, which place it in the 68th percentile of all tested processors, appear sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution, allowing the graphics card to be the limiting factor.

When moving to 2560x1440, the pattern continues but with a narrower spread. Low averages 118.3 FPS, while Ultra falls to 55.9 FPS, a difference of 62.4 FPS. The average FPS at each preset is lower than at 1080p, which is expected as pixel count increases. However, the ratio between presets remains similar, indicating that the GPU is still the dominant constraint. The CPU’s role becomes slightly more prominent at this resolution, but the data does not suggest it is a limiting factor, as even the most demanding preset manages to stay reasonably close to the 60 FPS mark.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s dominance becomes absolute. The spread between Low (74.6 FPS) and Ultra (37.1 FPS) is 37.5 FPS, but the key observation is that no preset can achieve high frame rates. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory are likely strained at this resolution, forcing the frame rate down regardless of CPU performance. The CPU’s single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark and multi-thread score of 4023 suggest it has enough headroom, but the GPU simply cannot keep up with the pixel workload. This indicates that for 4K gaming, the RX 6600 XT is the clear bottleneck, and upgrading the CPU would yield minimal gains.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS data provides a full picture of performance across all presets. Low settings yield the highest average at 158.5 FPS, which is a strong result for competitive play. Medium drops to 115.2 FPS, still well above the threshold, while High averages 101.3 FPS. Ultra, as previously noted, delivers 72.2 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, with each step increasing visual quality at a measurable cost to frame rate. The largest single drop occurs between Low and Medium, a 43.3 FPS reduction, while the drop from Medium to High is 13.9 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 29.1 FPS. This suggests that the transition from Low to Medium has the most significant performance impact, likely due to increased shading and texture work.

For 2560x1440, the breakdown shows a similar pattern but with lower absolute numbers. Low averages 118.3 FPS, Medium 83.4 FPS, High 72.3 FPS, and Ultra 55.9 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 34.9 FPS, which is proportionally similar to the 1080p result. The drop from Medium to High is 11.1 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 16.4 FPS. Notably, the High preset at 1440p (72.3 FPS) is nearly identical to the Ultra preset at 1080p (72.2 FPS), indicating that the GPU can handle a higher resolution if settings are reduced accordingly. This trade-off between resolution and settings is a key takeaway for users looking to optimize their experience.

At 3840x2160, the data reveals the system’s limits. Low averages 74.6 FPS, which is the only playable result, while Medium drops to 54.7 FPS, High to 47.4 FPS, and Ultra to 37.1 FPS. The decline is steep, with a 19.9 FPS difference between Low and Medium, and a further 7.3 FPS drop to High. The Ultra preset at 37.1 FPS is barely over half the 60 FPS threshold, demonstrating that this resolution is beyond the GPU’s comfortable range. The lack of min and max FPS data means only average performance can be assessed, but the averages alone are sufficient to conclude that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for both components provides context for what similar hardware might achieve. The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest competitor is the Intel Core 3 N355, which scores 13492, a negligible 0% difference. The Intel Core i5-9500 is also near, scoring 13452 with a 0.3% delta, while the Intel Core 5 120UL scores 13594 (-0.7%) and the Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13351 (1.1%). These rivals would likely produce nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, as their benchmark scores are within a 1.8% range. Users with any of these CPUs can expect similar frame rates when paired with the same GPU.

For the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, the average benchmark score is 24442, putting it in the 70th percentile of all GPUs. The closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti, scoring 24236 with a 0.8% delta, followed by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 at 24277 (0.7%). The Intel Arc A350M scores 24647 (-0.8%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 24170 (1.1%). These GPUs would behave similarly in terms of raw performance, though architectural differences might affect specific game optimizations. The RTX 2080 SUPER, despite being an older flagship, is within 1.1% of the RX 6600 XT’s average score, suggesting it would offer comparable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. This data indicates that users with these alternative GPUs could expect similar scaling across resolutions and presets.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The measured data shows that Ultra settings at 1920x1080 produce an average of 72.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the highest preset available and provides a smooth experience.

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

A: The High preset is the best option at 1440p, delivering an average of 72.3 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 55.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, making it not playable according to the criteria.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: Only with significant compromises. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 74.6 FPS, which is playable. However, Medium (54.7 FPS), High (47.4 FPS), and Ultra (37.1 FPS) all fall below the threshold. Users seeking 4K must use Low settings.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, 0.3% delta). Performance differences among these CPUs are minimal for gaming.

Q: What GPU alternatives would perform similarly?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (24277, 0.7% delta) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (24236, 0.8% delta) are the closest rivals to the RX 6600 XT. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (24170, 1.1% delta) also falls within a narrow performance band.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this game?

A: The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS. Any preset with an average FPS above this value is considered playable, according to the verdict by resolution data.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks 2529 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the field, roughly in the 32nd percentile of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the hardware’s overall capabilities, which are constrained by the GPU’s 8 GB memory and the CPU’s 4-core/8-thread configuration. While the combo performs adequately at 1080p and 1440p, its 4K limitations likely contribute to the lower rank. The data suggests that many other combinations offer better overall performance, particularly at higher resolutions. However, for its intended market segment, the combo provides a balanced experience at mainstream resolutions.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at all presets, including Ultra, which averages 72.2 FPS. This is the ideal resolution for this combo, offering full visual fidelity with a smooth frame rate. At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at High, Low, and Medium presets, with High being the best at 72.3 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is not playable, falling to 55.9 FPS. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves playable performance, averaging 74.6 FPS. All other 4K presets fail to meet the 60 FPS requirement. The verdict by resolution confirms these findings: 1080p supports Ultra, 1440p supports High, and 4K supports only Low. Users should target 1080p or 1440p for the best balance of quality and performance, while 4K requires sacrificing visual settings to maintain smooth gameplay.