Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a remarkably consistent high-refresh-rate experience in Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions. Benchmark data indicates that this combination never drops below the 60 FPS playability threshold, even at the most demanding settings. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate spans from 63.3 FPS on Ultra settings to 132.8 FPS on Low, while at 1920x1080 the range extends from 129 FPS on Ultra up to 269.9 FPS on Low. The data shows a clear pattern: this combo is not merely playable but substantially exceeds the playable threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination produces its highest raw performance figures. The Low preset yields an average of 269.9 FPS, while Medium reaches 199.6 FPS. High settings average 174.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset still maintains a robust 129 FPS average. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a performance reduction of approximately 52%, yet even the most demanding preset stays well above double the playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates remain exceptionally high. Low settings produce 204.1 FPS, Medium achieves 149.3 FPS, High delivers 125.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 95.2 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 24-26% across all presets, which aligns with the increased pixel count of approximately 78%. The data indicates that this resolution is where the combination finds a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance headroom.

At 3840x2160, the performance figures show the expected further decline but remain comfortably playable. Low settings average 132.8 FPS, Medium reaches 92.5 FPS, High delivers 82.4 FPS, and Ultra maintains 63.3 FPS. The step from 1440p to 4K imposes an additional performance cost of roughly 35-38% across presets, consistent with the pixel count increase of about 125%. Notably, even the Ultra preset at 4K stays 3.3 FPS above the playable threshold, indicating that the RTX 5070 has sufficient headroom for this title.

The data reveals a consistent pattern across all three resolutions: the gap between Low and Medium settings is modest, while the jump from High to Ultra incurs a more significant performance penalty. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Medium is 70.3 FPS, between Medium and High is 24.8 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 45.8 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces particularly demanding effects that disproportionately impact frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling behavior between resolutions and presets provides insight into which component governs performance in Lockdown Protocol. The consistent performance drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combination achieves 269.9 FPS, which suggests that the Intel Core i3-12100F is capable of feeding the RTX 5070 sufficient frames to reach very high frame rates.

However, the CPU's influence becomes more apparent when examining the scaling from 1080p to 1440p. The performance reduction at Low settings is 65.8 FPS (from 269.9 to 204.1), which is a 24.4% decrease. At Ultra settings, the reduction is 33.8 FPS (from 129 to 95.2), a 26.2% decrease. The similarity in these percentages suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor at both resolutions, with the CPU maintaining adequate frame pacing.

The 4K results further confirm the GPU-bound nature of this title. The reduction from 1440p to 4K at Low settings is 71.3 FPS (from 204.1 to 132.8), a 34.9% decrease, while at Ultra settings the reduction is 31.9 FPS (from 95.2 to 63.3), a 33.5% decrease. These proportional reductions track closely with the pixel count increase, confirming that the RTX 5070 is the primary determinant of performance at this resolution.

The CPU's single-threaded performance, as indicated by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 893 and a passmark_single_thread score of 3444, appears sufficient for this title. The 4-core, 8-thread configuration with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz provides enough processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck at the tested settings. The benchmark data shows no anomalies that would suggest CPU limitations, such as frame rate plateaus across resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 129 FPS. This is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, providing substantial headroom for demanding scenes or future content updates. The data indicates that all four presets are viable at this resolution, with even the most demanding settings maintaining excellent frame rates.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset remains the best option, achieving an average of 95.2 FPS. This comfortably exceeds the playable threshold by 35.2 FPS, offering a smooth experience with maximum visual quality. The High preset at 125.6 FPS would be an alternative for users prioritizing higher frame rates, but the Ultra settings provide a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset just barely clears the playable threshold with an average of 63.3 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it remains viable for play. Users seeking more consistent frame rates above the threshold might prefer the High preset at 82.4 FPS, which offers a 30% performance improvement over Ultra while sacrificing some visual quality. The data shows that all four presets at 4K are playable, with Low at 132.8 FPS being the most performant option.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable at 1920x1080?

A: The Low preset produces the highest average frame rate at 1920x1080, reaching 269.9 FPS.

Q: Does this combination maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 63.3 FPS, which is 3.3 FPS above the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The performance reduction at Low settings is 65.8 FPS (from 269.9 to 204.1), and at Ultra settings it is 33.8 FPS (from 129 to 95.2).

Q: Which resolution shows the smallest gap between Medium and High presets?

A: At 1920x1080, the difference between Medium (199.6 FPS) and High (174.8 FPS) is 24.8 FPS, which is the smallest gap among all resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary performance limiter?

A: The scaling between resolutions indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as performance decreases proportionally with pixel count increases across all presets.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 63.3 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it at the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355 with an average score of 13492 and a delta of 0%, the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452 with a 0.3% delta, the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13594 with a -0.7% delta, and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 13351 with a 1.1% delta. These processors would be expected to deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, with differences of less than 1.1% in synthetic benchmarks translating to negligible real-world frame rate variations.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves an average benchmark score of 40377, ranking at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest competitors include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 with an average score of 40318 and a 0.1% delta, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 at 40063 with a 0.8% delta, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 at 40870 with a -1.2% delta, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile at 39568 with a 2% delta. These GPUs would produce similar frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, with the largest deviation being the RTX A500 Mobile at 2% slower, which would translate to roughly 2-5 FPS difference at 4K Ultra settings.

When considering a system with any of these comparable components, the overall gaming experience would be nearly identical to the tested configuration. The CPU alternatives differ by at most 1.1% in benchmark scores, while the GPU alternatives range from 1.2% faster to 2% slower. This means that a system with any of these components would still comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold at all tested resolutions and presets, with only minor variations in the exact frame rates.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this combination is fully capable of running Lockdown Protocol at all tested settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 129 FPS, which is 69 FPS above the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset maintains 95.2 FPS, exceeding the threshold by 35.2 FPS. Even at 3840x2160, the most demanding configuration, the Ultra preset delivers 63.3 FPS, surpassing the threshold by 3.3 FPS.

The verdict by resolution indicates that all playable settings include every preset tested: High, Low, Medium, and Ultra. This means there is no configuration in the benchmark data that falls below 60 FPS. The best settings at each resolution are consistently the Ultra preset, with average frame rates of 129 FPS at 1080p, 95.2 FPS at 1440p, and 63.3 FPS at 4K.

For users prioritizing maximum visual quality, the Ultra preset is viable at every resolution. For those seeking higher frame rates, the Low preset at 4K offers 132.8 FPS, while at 1080p it reaches 269.9 FPS. The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 demonstrates balanced performance that avoids CPU bottlenecks while leveraging the GPU's substantial rendering capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 724th out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 19.5% of all tested systems, indicating strong overall performance relative to the broader benchmark database. The percentile rankings of the individual components support this position: the CPU sits at the 68th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU ranks at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs.

The gap between the CPU's 68th percentile and the GPU's 82nd percentile suggests that the processor is the weaker component in this pairing. However, the measured performance data shows that this imbalance does not manifest as a bottleneck in Lockdown Protocol, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes. The combination's rank of 724 out of 3714 indicates that while many systems outperform it, the vast majority of tested combinations deliver lower performance in this game.

The top 19.5% ranking is particularly notable given the CPU's relatively modest specifications. This suggests that Lockdown Protocol is not particularly CPU-intensive, allowing the RTX 5070 to dominate the performance equation. The data indicates that users with this combination can expect performance that places them well above the median tested system, with the primary limitation being the CPU in the unlikely event that the game becomes more CPU-bound in future updates.