Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti presents a stark imbalance for Lockdown Protocol. The data reveals a system where the processor has ample headroom, but the graphics card consistently caps performance, particularly at higher resolutions. The recorded measurements show a clear path to a playable experience, but only under strict conditions.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database's measured FPS values indicate that playability, defined as sustaining at least 60 FPS on average, is only achievable at 1920x1080. At this resolution, the Low preset is the only setting that clears the threshold, delivering an average of 61.8 FPS. This is a marginal pass, leaving little room for fluctuation in demanding scenes.

For the other resolutions, no preset reaches the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the best possible average FPS is 47.2 FPS on the Low preset, which falls short of the 60 FPS target. Similarly, at 3840x2160, the Low preset yields an average of 32 FPS, which is far from playable. The data suggests that for 1440p and 4K, users must accept significantly reduced frame rates, with no setting combination providing a smooth experience.

The gap between presets is substantial. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium drops the average from 61.8 FPS to 42.5 FPS, a reduction of over 30%. The High preset sits at 39.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to 28.3 FPS. This steep scaling indicates that the GTX 1050 Ti's 4 GB memory buffer and limited compute power are quickly overwhelmed by increased graphical fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results clearly indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration for Lockdown Protocol. The CPU, Intel Core i5-12400F, scores in the 73rd percentile among all tested processors, with a strong multi-threaded score of 12380 in Cinebench R23. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS and Intel Core i5-1335U, have average scores within 0.3% of this chip, confirming its position as a capable mid-range processor.

However, the GPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, sits in the 25th percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 4193 is closely matched by the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% higher) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% higher), which are entry-level or older mobile parts. This contrast in relative performance explains the FPS scaling.

As resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS on the Low preset drops from 61.8 to 47.2, a decline of roughly 24%. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average falls to 32 FPS, another 32% reduction. This pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior: the workload on the pixel shaders and memory bandwidth increases disproportionately with resolution, while the CPU's job of preparing draw calls remains relatively constant. The data implies that even at 1080p Low, the GTX 1050 Ti is working near its limit, as the CPU could likely push higher frame rates if paired with a stronger graphics card.

The settings scaling reinforces this analysis. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 33.5 FPS (from 61.8 to 28.3). This wide spread shows that graphical settings have a massive impact on the GPU load, while the CPU's frame time contribution is likely negligible in comparison. The i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is more than sufficient for this title's engine, leaving the GTX 1050 Ti as the sole limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of recorded data paints a comprehensive picture of the system's capabilities.

At 3840x2160, the results are as follows:

• Ultra: 12 FPS average
• High: 19.2 FPS average
• Medium: 22.5 FPS average
• Low: 32 FPS average

These figures are uniformly unplayable, with even the lowest preset failing to reach a third of the 60 FPS target. The progression from Ultra to Low shows a 2.66x improvement in frame rate, but the absolute numbers remain far too low for any competitive or immersive gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains below the playability threshold:

• Ultra: 23.7 FPS average
• High: 26 FPS average
• Medium: 33.9 FPS average
• Low: 47.2 FPS average

The jump from Medium to Low is significant, adding 13.3 FPS. However, even the best case, Low, misses the 60 FPS mark by over 12 frames. The data shows that 1440p is not viable for this combination.

At 1920x1080, the only playable configuration emerges:

• Ultra: 28.3 FPS average
• High: 39.7 FPS average
• Medium: 42.5 FPS average
• Low: 61.8 FPS average

The Low preset is the sole setting that achieves an average above 60 FPS, and it does so by a slim margin of 1.8 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is severe, representing a 19.3 FPS loss. This suggests that the GTX 1050 Ti's memory bandwidth of 112.1 GB/s and its 4 GB GDDR5 memory are insufficient for even Medium texture and shader complexity at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in the database provide a context for its performance level. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS has an average score of 19047, which is effectively identical (0% delta) to the i5-12400F's 19039. The Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982, just 0.3% lower. These alternatives would likely produce similar frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the CPU is not the bottleneck. The Intel Core 3 201E (average score 19056, -0.1% delta) and AMD EPYC 7773X (average score 18979, 0.3% delta) also fall within the same performance band.

On the GPU side, the alternatives are less powerful on paper but are the closest matches in the database. The AMD Radeon R5 M330 scores 4170, which is 0.6% higher than the GTX 1050 Ti's 4193. The NVIDIA Quadro K2100M scores 4151, 1% higher. These are mobile or entry-level discrete parts, indicating that the GTX 1050 Ti, despite its age, sits at the bottom of the desktop GPU hierarchy. The NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (score 4241, -1.1% delta) and AMD Radeon Vega 3 (score 4268, -1.8% delta) are similarly positioned. In practice, any of these GPUs would deliver comparable frame rates, meaning none would achieve 60 FPS at 1080p Medium or above in this game.

The combination of a 73rd percentile CPU with a 25th percentile GPU creates a system where the graphics card is the clear limiting factor. Upgrading the GPU would yield substantial gains, while swapping the CPU for one of its rivals would produce almost no change in this specific game.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: No. The best recorded average at 3840x2160 is 32 FPS on the Low preset, which is far below the 60 FPS threshold. Higher presets drop to 22.5 FPS (Medium), 19.2 FPS (High), and 12 FPS (Ultra).

Q: What is the highest setting that maintains a playable frame rate at 1080p?

A: The Low preset is the only one that clears the threshold, with an average of 61.8 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 42.5 FPS, which is not considered playable under the database's 60 FPS standard.

Q: How much of a performance drop occurs when moving from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 61.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 47.2 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 24%. This indicates a heavy GPU load increase with resolution.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F a bottleneck for this game?

A: The data suggests no. The CPU has a high benchmark percentile (73rd) and its nearest rivals have near-identical scores. The FPS scaling with resolution and settings points to the GPU as the limiting component.

Q: What GPU performance class does the GTX 1050 Ti belong to according to the database?

A: It sits in the 25th percentile of all GPUs. Its average score of 4193 is closely matched by the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% higher) and NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% higher), placing it in the entry-level segment.

Q: Does the game have any playable settings at 1440p?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 2560x1440 is 47.2 FPS on Low, which misses the 60 FPS target. All other presets are lower, with Ultra at 23.7 FPS.

The Verdict

The recorded data is unambiguous: this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but only at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. The verdict by resolution confirms that 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 have no playable settings, as every preset fails to reach an average of 60 FPS.

At 1080p Low, the system achieves 61.8 FPS on average, which just meets the playability criterion. However, this is a fragile margin. Any increase in settings or resolution immediately drops the frame rate below the threshold. The benchmark results indicate that the GTX 1050 Ti is the limiting factor, as the i5-12400F has ample computational headroom. Users seeking a stable experience above 60 FPS or at higher visual fidelity would need to consider a more powerful GPU, as the current configuration is at its practical limit for this title.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database's ranking of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3644 out of 3714 combinations. This places it in the bottom 2% of all tested systems, which aligns with the measured FPS data.

The low rank is primarily attributable to the GPU's performance class. While the i5-12400F is a strong processor, its contribution is overshadowed by the GTX 1050 Ti's inability to handle modern rendering workloads at higher resolutions. The system's rank reflects its status as a legacy entry-level gaming setup, suitable only for the most modest graphical demands. The data shows that nearly all other tested combinations, including those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, would likely outperform this pairing in Lockdown Protocol. This rank serves as a warning that the system is not representative of a balanced gaming configuration for this title, and the 1080p Low result is the absolute ceiling of its capabilities.