Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS released in March 2024. The data shows this combination handles the game’s highest preset at 1080p with room to spare, while 4K requires significant settings compromises to stay fluid. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that is well-balanced for mainstream gaming, though its performance ceiling is clearly defined at higher pixel counts.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with the Ultra preset?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combination averages 74 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. The frame rate is consistent enough for smooth gameplay, though it is the lowest average among the four 1080p presets tested.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The data indicates High is the most demanding preset that stays playable at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 73 FPS. While Low (117 FPS) and Medium (83 FPS) are also playable, High offers the best visual quality that still clears the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar processors in the benchmark database?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores nearly identically at 19047, showing a 0% performance delta. The Intel Core 3 201E trails by only 0.1%.

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: Benchmark results indicate the Radeon RX 7600 struggles at 3840x2160. Only the Low preset (76 FPS) remains playable; Medium drops to 54 FPS average, High falls to 47 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 35 FPS. The GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus appear insufficient for demanding 4K workloads.

Q: What GPU performance tier does the RX 7600 belong to?

A: The Radeon RX 7600 ranks in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15171. Its closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, scores 15199, a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD Radeon 680M integrated graphics score slightly higher at 15270, but that delta is within 0.7%.

Q: Which settings are playable at 4K according to the verdict?

A: The verdict for 3840x2160 lists only Low as a playable setting, with an average FPS of 76. All higher presets fail to meet the 60 FPS threshold, making Low the only viable option for 4K gaming with this hardware combination.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that maintains 60+ FPS, averaging 74 FPS. This is the highest visual fidelity available while staying above the playable threshold. For context, the step down to High yields 99 FPS, Medium produces 113 FPS, and Low reaches 160 FPS, but Ultra delivers the full experience without sacrificing smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the High preset becomes the sweet spot, averaging 73 FPS. This represents a significant visual upgrade over Medium (83 FPS) and Low (117 FPS), while still clearing the 60 FPS line. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 54 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold, so High is the recommended choice for 1440p displays.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes restrictive. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 76 FPS. Medium averages 54 FPS with minimums dipping to 46 FPS, making it marginal at best. High (47 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) are both well below the threshold. For 4K users, Low is the only settings preset that guarantees a consistent 60+ FPS experience, according to the verdict data.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions and presets reveals a system where the GPU takes on increasing importance as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads, capable of a 4.40 GHz boost clock, provide ample headroom. The difference between Low (160 FPS) and Ultra (74 FPS) at 1080p is 86 FPS, a 116% spread that indicates the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting even at lower resolutions. The i5-12400F’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 909, is sufficient to feed the RX 7600 without creating a bottleneck.

At 1440p, the GPU’s load increases further. The spread between Low (117 FPS) and Ultra (54 FPS) is 63 FPS, a 117% difference. The RX 7600’s 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are being pushed harder, but the CPU still keeps pace. The 1440p High preset (73 FPS) shows the system is well-balanced at this resolution, with neither component dominating the other.

The 4K results tell a different story. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The gap between Low (76 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) is 41 FPS, but the absolute numbers are much lower. The RX 7600’s 8 GB memory capacity and 2048 shading units struggle to fill 4K frames, regardless of CPU capability. The CPU’s role diminishes, as evidenced by the fact that even the High preset (47 FPS) cannot approach playable levels. This indicates that for Lockdown Protocol, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at 4K, while the CPU remains sufficient at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader benchmark database, this specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2577th out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all possible pairings, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The CPU’s 73rd percentile ranking is notably higher than the GPU’s 57th percentile, suggesting the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing.

The ranking implies that many other hardware combinations deliver superior frame rates in this game. However, the measured FPS data shows this combo still achieves playable performance at 1080p and 1440p across multiple presets. The rank of 2577 out of 3714 means roughly 31% of tested combos perform worse, which contextualizes this setup as capable for mainstream gaming but not optimized for maximum competitive advantage.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the Intel Core i5-12400F, the nearest rivals in the benchmark database offer nearly identical CPU performance. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS matches with a 0% delta, scoring 19047 versus the i5’s 19039. This suggests that swapping to the Ryzen 5 7535HS would yield no measurable CPU-bound difference. The Intel Core 3 201E trails by 0.1% at 19056, while the Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982 (0.3% lower). Even the AMD EPYC 7773X, a server-class chip, scores 18979, showing that the i5-12400F’s gaming performance is competitive with a wide range of processors.

On the GPU side, the Radeon RX 7600’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, which scores 15199 versus the RX 7600’s 15171, a 0.2% difference. This means users could expect virtually identical frame rates with either card. The AMD Radeon 680M integrated GPU scores 15270, slightly higher by 0.7%, though this is an integrated solution unlikely to be paired with a discrete CPU in a gaming PC. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X (15082) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti (15063) also fall within 0.7% of the RX 7600’s score, though these are much older architectures. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the RTX 3050 OEM is the closest drop-in alternative, with performance deltas so small they would be imperceptible in real-world gameplay.

The Verdict

Based on the measured data and verdict by resolution, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol effectively at mainstream resolutions. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low (160 FPS), Medium (113 FPS), High (99 FPS), and Ultra (74 FPS) — clear the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution fully playable with maximum visual settings. The Ultra preset at 74 FPS is the recommended configuration for 1080p users seeking the best experience.

At 2560x1440, the system remains highly capable. High settings deliver 73 FPS, which is the best visual quality that maintains 60+ FPS. Medium (83 FPS) and Low (117 FPS) also qualify as playable, but High offers the optimal balance. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS falls short, so 1440p users should stick with High.

At 3840x2160, the system is limited to Low settings, which deliver 76 FPS. All other presets fail to reach 60 FPS, with Medium at 54 FPS, High at 47 FPS, and Ultra at 35 FPS. For 4K gaming, this combo is only viable with significant graphical compromises, making it a poor choice for users with high-resolution displays.

The overall verdict is positive for 1080p and 1440p gamers. This hardware combination provides a smooth, playable experience at both resolutions, with the flexibility to choose higher presets when frame rates allow. For 4K enthusiasts, the RX 7600’s limitations are apparent, and the system should be paired with a more powerful GPU if that resolution is a priority. The i5-12400F proves to be a capable partner, never bottlenecking the GPU at the tested settings, while the RX 7600 delivers exactly what its benchmark percentile suggests — solid mid-range performance with clear boundaries at higher resolutions.