Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is a combination that delivers solid 1080p and 1440p performance in Lockdown Protocol, but it struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 4K with higher settings. Benchmark data shows the system is fully playable at 1080p on the Ultra preset, and at 1440p on the High preset, while 4K users will need to drop to Low settings to stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming on this combo?

A: The data shows the Ultra preset achieves an average of 78.1 FPS at 1920x1080, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Ultra the best playable setting, as it offers maximum visual quality while still delivering smooth performance.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p with high settings?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 74.7 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset performs even better at 88.7 FPS, but High remains the best choice for visual fidelity while staying playable.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at the Low preset. At 3840x2160, Low settings produce an average of 81 FPS, which is playable. However, Medium drops to 57 FPS and High falls to 48.3 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra at 4K averages 35.3 FPS, which is not recommended.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 17083, placing it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs. It sits within a narrow performance band of its nearest rivals: the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208 (0.7% higher), the GTX 690 scores 17037 (0.3% lower), and the Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019 (0.4% lower). This indicates the RX 7600 XT is closely matched with these cards in raw compute performance.

Q: What is the CPU's performance ranking relative to other processors?

A: The Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, putting it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival is the Core 3 N355 with a score of 13492 (0% delta), followed by the Core i5-9500 at 13452 (0.3% lower). The Core 5 120UL scores 13594, which is 0.7% higher, making it the strongest competitor in this group.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The benchmark data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 89.1 FPS drop (from 167.2 to 78.1 FPS), while at 4K the drop is 45.7 FPS (from 81 to 35.3 FPS). The smaller absolute drop at 4K indicates the GPU becomes more saturated as resolution increases, reducing CPU pressure.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i3-12100F and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT changes significantly as resolution scales. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more prominent role, as evidenced by the wide FPS spread across presets. The Low preset achieves 167.2 FPS, while Ultra drops to 78.1 FPS, a 89.1 FPS difference. This substantial gap indicates that at 1080p, the system has enough GPU headroom that CPU-bound scenarios can push frame rates very high, but the GPU still governs the upper ceiling when settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on more responsibility. The Low preset delivers 119.8 FPS, while Ultra drops to 58 FPS, a 61.8 FPS spread. The reduction in absolute FPS across all presets compared to 1080p shows the GPU is handling a heavier per-frame workload, though the CPU still allows for high frame rates at lower settings. The Medium preset at 88.7 FPS and High at 74.7 FPS both sit comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a balanced workload between the two components.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. Low settings produce 81 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium falls to 57 FPS and High to 48.3 FPS. The 4K Ultra preset averages just 35.3 FPS. The narrower FPS range at 4K (from 35.3 to 81 FPS) compared to 1080p (78.1 to 167.2 FPS) confirms that the RX 7600 XT's raw throughput is the primary constraint at this resolution. The CPU's 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output at 4K, as the performance drop aligns with GPU rendering load rather than CPU limitation.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, delivering an average of 78.1 FPS. This provides the full visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset also performs well at 104.9 FPS, but Ultra offers the best balance of quality and performance for those with displays capable of high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended choice, achieving 74.7 FPS on average. While Medium runs faster at 88.7 FPS, High delivers better visual fidelity with only a 14 FPS penalty. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS falls just below the 60 FPS threshold, so it is not recommended for consistent gameplay.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option, averaging 81 FPS. This is significantly above the 60 FPS threshold, but players must accept reduced visual quality. Medium at 57 FPS is marginal and may be acceptable for some, but the data shows it dips below the playable line.

The Verdict

This system can run Lockdown Protocol successfully, but the experience depends heavily on resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Ultra averaging 78.1 FPS. This makes 1080p the sweet spot for this combo, offering the full range of settings and the best overall performance. At 2560x1440, the High, Medium, and Low presets are playable, with High achieving 74.7 FPS. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS is the only non-playable option at this resolution. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset remains playable at 81 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS. The verdict is clear: this PC delivers a strong 1080p and 1440p experience, but 4K users must be prepared to use Low settings for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces the highest average FPS at 167.2. The Medium preset drops to 117.9 FPS, followed by High at 104.9 FPS, and Ultra at 78.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 89.1 FPS, showing a steep performance curve as visual quality increases. All presets remain well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p the most flexible resolution for this hardware.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 119.8 FPS, providing excellent headroom for high refresh rate monitors. Medium delivers 88.7 FPS, while High achieves 74.7 FPS, both comfortably playable. The Ultra preset falls to 58 FPS, just below the 60 FPS playable line. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 61.8 FPS drop, indicating that the GPU's workload increases substantially with each settings tier at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the standout performer at 81 FPS, which is surprising given the resolution. Medium drops to 57 FPS, a 24 FPS decrease from Low, highlighting the significant cost of the Medium preset at 4K. High averages 48.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 35.3 FPS. The total spread from Low to Ultra is 45.7 FPS, the smallest of the three resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2389 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower half of all configurations, which is notable given its strong performance at 1080p and 1440p. The ranking reflects the fact that many competing setups include higher-end CPUs or GPUs that push the average FPS higher across the full range of presets and resolutions.

The CPU's 68th percentile ranking among all processors suggests it is a capable performer, but its 4-core, 8-thread configuration may limit performance in CPU-intensive scenes. The GPU's 60th percentile ranking among all GPUs indicates it is a mid-range part, which aligns with the measured FPS results. The combination of these two components produces a system that is well-suited for 1080p and playable at 1440p, but the 4K results drag the overall ranking down. For the price point of this hardware, the performance in Lockdown Protocol is reasonable, though the 4K Ultra preset at 35.3 FPS shows the limits of this pairing for high-resolution gaming.