Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with 4K Ultra being the only preset that falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions, though its performance ceiling at 4K is clearly defined by the GPU's limits under maximum settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the aggregate benchmark data, the Intel Core i5-12400F sits in a tight cluster of comparable processors. Its average benchmark score of 19039 places it within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047), Intel Core 3 201E (19056), and Intel Core i5-1335U (18982). The AMD EPYC 7773X (18979) also lands within the same margin, showing that for raw multi-threaded throughput, these four chips are effectively indistinguishable. The i5-12400F's percentile ranking of 73 among all CPUs means it outperforms nearly three-quarters of tested processors, yet its nearest rivals demonstrate that several mobile and entry-level desktop parts can match its compute output.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT presents a more unusual comparison set. Its average benchmark score of 11627 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 (11680, -0.5% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M (11528, +0.9%), and the NVIDIA Tesla K20c (11479, +1.3%). The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (11842, -1.8%) also falls within this range. This clustering is surprising given the architectural generation gap between the RDNA 3.0 RX 7800 XT and older parts like the GTX 1660 or Tesla K20c. The RX 7800 XT's 51st percentile ranking among all GPUs suggests that while it is a mid-pack performer in synthetic tests, its real-world gaming results in Lockdown Protocol are substantially stronger than this aggregate score implies, as evidenced by the measured FPS data.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results across resolutions and presets reveal a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is dramatic: 234.6 FPS versus 106.9 FPS, a 127.7 FPS spread. This wide gap indicates that at 1080p, the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU, and the graphics card's workload scales heavily with preset quality. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low-to-Ultra spread narrows to 86.9 FPS (169.3 down to 82.4), showing the GPU is working harder at this resolution. At 3840x2160, the spread compresses further to 61.7 FPS (113.7 Low versus 52 Ultra), which signals that the RX 7800 XT is nearing its limits at 4K, particularly under Ultra settings where it drops below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The scaling pattern also shows that the CPU's role is most pronounced at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 234.6 FPS, which is 120% higher than the 4K Low result of 113.7 FPS. This massive uplift at lower pixel counts suggests the i5-12400F can sustain very high frame rates when the GPU is not pixel-bound. However, as resolution climbs, the GPU's rendering workload dominates, and the CPU's influence diminishes. The 1440p Medium result of 123.4 FPS versus 1080p Medium at 166.7 FPS represents a 26% drop, while the 4K Medium result of 76.8 FPS is another 38% lower than 1440p. This progressive decline with each resolution step confirms that the RX 7800 XT's rasterization throughput, not CPU compute, is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 234.6 FPS, Medium reaches 166.7 FPS, High achieves 144.9 FPS, and Ultra still maintains 106.9 FPS. Every preset at this resolution clears the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin, with even the most demanding Ultra setting sitting 78% above the playable floor.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a predictable decline. Low settings average 169.3 FPS, Medium drops to 123.4 FPS, High settles at 105.5 FPS, and Ultra holds at 82.4 FPS. The step from High to Ultra at this resolution costs 23.1 FPS, which represents a 22% reduction, indicating that Ultra preset features are particularly demanding on the GPU. Despite this, all four presets remain comfortably above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes significantly. Low settings still deliver a playable 113.7 FPS, and Medium manages 76.8 FPS. High settings drop to 68.8 FPS, which remains above the threshold but with less headroom. Ultra is the only preset that falls below playability, averaging 52 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is 16.8 FPS, a 24% reduction, which is the largest relative drop between adjacent presets at any resolution. This suggests that Ultra settings at 4K introduce rendering features that disproportionately tax the RX 7800 XT's 16 GB memory buffer and compute units.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the measured average FPS is 52, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings at this resolution achieve 68.8 FPS and are the best playable option.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: All four presets at 2560x1440 exceed 60 FPS. Ultra settings average 82.4 FPS, making it the most demanding playable option at this resolution.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Low settings, the drop is from 234.6 FPS at 1080p to 113.7 FPS at 4K, a 120.9 FPS reduction. For Ultra settings, the drop is from 106.9 FPS to 52 FPS, a 54.9 FPS reduction. The relative penalty is larger at Ultra due to the GPU's workload saturation at 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the 4K Ultra frame rate drop?

A: The data points to the GPU. At 1080p Ultra, the system reaches 106.9 FPS, showing the CPU can drive high frame rates. The progressive decline through 1440p Ultra (82.4 FPS) to 4K Ultra (52 FPS) aligns with the GPU's pixel rendering load increasing, not the CPU's compute capability.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1268th out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the 34th percentile of all systems tested for this game. This is a mid-tier ranking despite strong absolute performance at 1080p and 1440p.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at every resolution and preset combination?

A: No, the only exception is 3840x2160 Ultra, which averages 52 FPS. Every other combination — all presets at 1080p and 1440p, plus Low, Medium, and High at 4K — stays above 60 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with a measured average of 106.9 FPS. This provides a substantial 46.9 FPS buffer over the playable threshold, meaning the system can handle intense scenes without dropping below playability.

For 2560x1440, Ultra settings also remain the best playable option, averaging 82.4 FPS. The 22.4 FPS margin above 60 FPS is comfortable, though it is less than half the headroom available at 1080p Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the best playable preset is High, which averages 68.8 FPS. While this clears the 60 FPS threshold by 8.8 FPS, the margin is slim enough that players should expect occasional dips during heavy combat sequences. Medium at 76.8 FPS offers more headroom, but High provides the best visual quality that remains technically playable.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination ranks 1268th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the upper third of all systems tested. This ranking is notable because the GPU's synthetic benchmark percentile (51st) is significantly lower than its in-game performance would suggest. The measured frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are competitive with far more expensive configurations, yet the 4K Ultra result of 52 FPS prevents this combo from climbing higher in the rankings. The rank of 1268 indicates that while this system is well-suited for mainstream gaming, there are many combos with superior 4K capability, likely featuring higher-end GPUs that can maintain 60 FPS even at maximum settings. The data implies that the i5-12400F is sufficient for this game, and the RX 7800 XT's limitations at 4K Ultra are the primary factor holding this combo back from a much higher percentile placement.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or higher in nearly every scenario. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 106.9 FPS and Low reaching 234.6 FPS. At 2560x1440, the entire preset range is also playable, from 169.3 FPS at Low to 82.4 FPS at Ultra. At 3840x2160, the system maintains playability up to High settings, with Low at 113.7 FPS, Medium at 76.8 FPS, and High at 68.8 FPS. The sole exception is 4K Ultra, which averages 52 FPS and falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

For players targeting high refresh rates, the 1080p and 1440p results are excellent, with the system capable of exceeding 144 FPS at High settings in 1440p and 165+ FPS at Medium in 1080p. At 4K, the system is viable for High settings, but those seeking Ultra quality at this resolution would need a more powerful GPU. Overall, this combo is well-suited for Lockdown Protocol on 1080p and 1440p displays, and it offers a playable 4K experience with a moderate reduction in visual fidelity.