Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS, presents a demanding workload at higher resolutions, but the combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT demonstrates robust capabilities across the board. The measured data indicates that this pairing delivers playable performance at 4K and exceptional headroom at 1440p and 1080p. This analysis breaks down the optimal settings, component roles, and performance metrics to determine the viability of this system for the game.

The data shows a clear performance hierarchy based on resolution and preset. At 3840x2160, the system achieves an average of 64 FPS on High settings, which is the most demanding preset that maintains an average at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. While Low and Medium presets also clear this bar with 104 FPS and 74 FPS respectively, High settings offer the best visual fidelity while still providing a comfortable margin above the playability floor. Ultra settings at 4K drop to an average of 48 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system's performance improves significantly. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 75 FPS. This is a strong result, indicating that the hardware has ample headroom at this resolution. High settings produce 100 FPS average, Medium reaches 114 FPS, and Low scales up to 161 FPS. All four presets are playable at 1440p, with Ultra being the recommended choice for users seeking maximum visual quality without sacrificing the 60 FPS target.

At 1920x1080, the combination is exceptionally strong. Ultra settings deliver an average of 102 FPS, which is not only playable but also provides a smooth experience that takes full advantage of high-refresh-rate displays. High settings achieve 136 FPS, Medium reaches 156 FPS, and Low goes up to 219 FPS. Every preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin, making this resolution the sweet spot for this hardware configuration.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal a shifting balance between CPU and GPU influence depending on the resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a substantial drop in average FPS, from 104 FPS down to 48 FPS, which is a 54% reduction. This steep decline indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is being pushed to its limits by the pixel count at 4K, and the CPU has less impact on the final framerate. The Intel Core i5-12400 has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the graphics card's rendering capacity is the limiting factor.

At 2560x1440, the balance begins to shift. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a less severe drop, from 161 FPS to 75 FPS, a 53% reduction. While the GPU still plays a dominant role, the CPU's contribution becomes more noticeable. The higher framerates at Low settings (161 FPS) suggest that the i5-12400 can push more frames when the GPU is less burdened, but the overall trend still points to the RX 7700 XT as the primary constraint.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes more prominent. The scaling from Low to Ultra is from 219 FPS down to 102 FPS, a 53% reduction, but the absolute numbers are much higher. At Low settings, the system reaches 219 FPS, which indicates that the CPU is capable of driving very high framerates when the GPU is not the bottleneck. However, even at Ultra, the system maintains 102 FPS, showing that the Core i5-12400 can keep up with the GPU's demands at this resolution. The data suggests that at 1080p, the GPU is still important, but the CPU's single-threaded performance and multi-core capabilities are more fully utilized to sustain high framerates.

The measured FPS values across resolutions and presets indicate that the RX 7700 XT is the dominant factor at 4K, while the i5-12400 becomes more relevant as resolution decreases. At 1080p, the system's ability to exceed 200 FPS on Low settings highlights the CPU's strength in handling game logic and draw calls, while the GPU manages the rendering load. The scaling between Medium and Ultra at each resolution shows that the GPU's rendering work increases disproportionately with preset quality, which is typical for a graphics-intensive FPS title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all tested configurations. At 3840x2160, the system averages 104 FPS on Low settings, 74 FPS on Medium with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS, 64 FPS on High, and 48 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset's minimum of 63 FPS stays above the 60 FPS threshold, but the Ultra preset's average of 48 FPS indicates a clear performance cliff. The lack of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra presets at this resolution means only the average values are available for comparison.

At 2560x1440, the system shows stronger results. Low settings average 161 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, High averages 100 FPS, and Ultra averages 75 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 97 FPS provides a solid margin above the playable threshold, and even Ultra's average of 75 FPS leaves room for frame-time spikes without dropping below 60 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with all presets delivering smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, the system excels. Low settings average 219 FPS, Medium averages 156 FPS with a minimum of 132 FPS and a maximum of 179 FPS, High averages 136 FPS, and Ultra averages 102 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 132 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and even Ultra's average of 102 FPS provides a highly responsive experience. The high framerates at this resolution indicate that the system is well-suited for competitive play, where higher FPS can translate to lower input latency.

The data shows that the system's performance scales predictably with resolution and settings. The largest performance drop occurs when moving from Medium to Ultra at 4K, where the average FPS falls from 74 to 48, a 35% reduction. At 1440p and 1080p, the drop from Medium to Ultra is less severe (34% and 35% respectively), but the absolute framerates remain much higher. The min/max data for Medium presets at all three resolutions shows consistent frame pacing, with the minimum values staying comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1397 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the 37th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms roughly 62% of other CPU-GPU pairings in this game. The rank suggests that while this is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it is a solid mid-range performer that handles the game well at the resolutions tested.

The Intel Core i5-12400 itself has a percentile rank of 72 among all CPUs, indicating that it is a strong processor relative to the broader market. Its average benchmark score of 18683 places it in the upper quartile of CPUs, which is consistent with its performance in this game. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT has a percentile rank of 67 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22549. This GPU is also above average, though slightly less dominant than the CPU in relative terms.

The combo rank of 1397 out of 3714 reflects the combined capabilities of both components. The system performs well in Lockdown Protocol, but the rank indicates that there are faster combinations available. The fact that this combo falls in the 62nd percentile of all tested systems suggests that it can handle the game at high settings and high resolutions, but users seeking the absolute highest framerates at 4K Ultra might need more powerful hardware.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 is closely matched by several other processors. The AMD EPYC 7643 has an average score of 18697, which is 0.1% higher, making it a near-identical performer in synthetic benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730, 0.3% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811, 0.7% higher. On the lower side, the Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, which is 0.9% lower. These rivals would behave similarly to the i5-12400 in Lockdown Protocol, providing comparable CPU-bound performance.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT's average benchmark score of 22549 is close to several alternatives. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile scores 22435, which is 0.5% lower, making it a slightly slower but comparable option. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile scores 22729, 0.8% higher, offering a marginal performance increase. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, 1.5% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 scores 22170, 1.7% lower. These GPUs would produce similar framerates in Lockdown Protocol, with the RTX 2080 being the closest in terms of raw performance among the listed rivals.

When considering similar performance alternatives for the entire combo, users could expect the Intel Core i3-14100F paired with the RX 7700 XT to perform nearly identically, given the 0.9% CPU score difference. Similarly, the i5-12400 paired with an RTX 4060 Mobile would be slightly faster overall, while pairing it with an RTX 5060 Mobile would be marginally slower. These alternatives would offer comparable gameplay experiences, with differences of only a few FPS in most scenarios.

The Verdict

The data conclusively shows that the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT can run Lockdown Protocol effectively. At 1920x1080, the system achieves playable performance on all presets, with Ultra settings averaging 102 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate gaming at this resolution. The 2560x1440 resolution also supports all presets, with Ultra averaging 75 FPS, providing a great balance between visual fidelity and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the system can run the game on High settings with an average of 64 FPS, which meets the playable threshold. Medium settings also work at 74 FPS, and Low settings scale up to 104 FPS. However, Ultra settings at 4K fall short at 48 FPS, so users targeting 4K will need to compromise on visual quality to maintain smooth gameplay. The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p and 1440p are fully playable at Ultra, while 4K requires High settings or lower for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, and it does so with room to spare at the most common gaming resolutions. The combination of a strong 6-core, 12-thread CPU and a capable 12 GB GPU provides a solid foundation for this FPS title. The system's performance at 1080p and 1440p is particularly impressive, with Ultra settings delivering framerates that exceed the playable threshold by significant margins. At 4K, users will need to dial back to High settings, but the experience remains smooth and enjoyable. The data confirms that this is a viable gaming system for Lockdown Protocol, offering flexibility across resolutions and settings.