Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a combination that places raw GPU muscle behind a mid-range 12th-generation processor. In Lockdown Protocol, the benchmark data shows this pairing produces exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the RTX 4090 clearly dominating the performance profile. At 4K Ultra, the combo still delivers 82.5 FPS, while at 1080p Low it reaches 270.5 FPS. The measured results indicate that this system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested, making it a capable platform for high-refresh-rate play at 1440p and solid 4K performance.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have nearby hardware that would produce similar benchmark outcomes. For the Intel Core i5-12400F, the nearest rivals based on average benchmark scores are the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with a score of 19047 and a delta of 0%, the Intel Core 3 201E at 19056 with a delta of -0.1%, the Intel Core i5-1335U at 18982 with a delta of 0.3%, and the AMD EPYC 7773X at 18979 with a delta of 0.3%. The i5-12400F itself posts an average benchmark score of 19039, placing it in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. These rivals represent a spread of less than 1% in either direction, meaning that swapping in any of these processors would yield nearly identical CPU-bound behavior in Lockdown Protocol, though the mobile and low-power variants may exhibit different sustained performance characteristics.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347 and sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 with a score of 60326 (delta 0%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (delta 0.3%), the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61896 (delta -2.5%), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 at 58657 (delta 2.9%). The deltaPct values indicate that the Arc Pro A60 is essentially a statistical tie with the RTX 4090 in aggregate benchmark scores, while the W6600M is 2.5% higher and the PRO V710 is 2.9% lower. These rival GPUs would deliver similar overall compute throughput, though gaming performance in Lockdown Protocol could diverge due to driver optimizations and architecture differences that are not captured in the aggregate scores.

Given that the RTX 4090 is ranked 88th percentile versus the CPU's 73rd percentile, the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing. The data suggests that a system with a more powerful CPU and a slightly weaker GPU could produce comparable or better results in CPU-limited scenarios, while the current combo excels in GPU-bound situations.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data for Lockdown Protocol shows that the GPU dominates performance scaling across resolutions, while the CPU becomes more relevant at lower resolutions. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 82.5 at Ultra to 178.1 at Low, a difference of 95.6 FPS between the most demanding and least demanding presets. At 2560x1440, the range extends from 127.9 at Ultra to 249 at Low, a spread of 121.1 FPS. At 1920x1080, the range widens further to 172.3 at Ultra and 270.5 at Low, a 98.2 FPS gap. The increasing gap between Low and Ultra as resolution decreases indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, but the CPU begins to exert more influence at 1080p where the GPU can produce frames faster than the processor can feed it.

Comparing scaling between resolutions at the same preset reveals the GPU's dominance. At Ultra settings, moving from 3840x2160 to 2560x1440 increases average FPS from 82.5 to 127.9, a gain of 45.4 FPS or roughly 55%. Moving further to 1920x1080 yields 172.3 FPS, another 44.4 FPS gain. At Low settings, the progression is 178.1 to 249 to 270.5 FPS. The smaller relative gain from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings (from 249 to 270.5, only 21.5 FPS) suggests that the CPU is approaching its limit in this scenario, as the RTX 4090 is capable of far more than 270 FPS at 1080p in many titles. The 6-core, 12-thread i5-12400F with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz appears sufficient for high frame rates but becomes a limiting factor at the lowest resolution and most demanding frame rate targets.

For players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the data indicates that the CPU will cap performance somewhere above 270 FPS, while at 4K the GPU is clearly the dominant component. At 1440p, the system sits in a balanced zone where both components contribute meaningfully to the final frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 resolution, the benchmark results show a clear progression across settings. Low settings deliver an average of 178.1 FPS, Medium drops to 123.7 FPS, High produces 109 FPS, and Ultra yields 82.5 FPS. The step from Low to Medium represents a 54.4 FPS reduction, while the step from High to Ultra is a 26.5 FPS reduction. All four presets remain well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the measured averages are 249 FPS at Low, 195.5 FPS at Medium, 165.7 FPS at High, and 127.9 FPS at Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra is 121.1 FPS, which is the largest absolute spread among the three resolutions. The Medium to High step costs 29.8 FPS, while the High to Ultra step costs 37.8 FPS, indicating that Ultra settings impose a significant additional load at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the averages are 270.5 FPS at Low, 238.4 FPS at Medium, 228.4 FPS at High, and 172.3 FPS at Ultra. The Low to Medium drop is 32.1 FPS, Medium to High is 10 FPS, and High to Ultra is 56.1 FPS. The large reduction from High to Ultra at 1080p suggests that Ultra settings trigger effects that are particularly expensive relative to the resolution's pixel count. Notably, the min and max FPS values are not reported in the dataset, so only average frame rates are available for analysis.

Across all resolutions, the pattern holds: Low settings always produce the highest average FPS, followed by Medium, then High, then Ultra. The 4K Ultra result of 82.5 FPS is the only measurement below 100 FPS in the entire dataset, confirming that this combo is never truly GPU-limited to the point of dropping below high refresh rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 152nd out of 3714 combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the top 4.1% of all tested configurations, a strong showing that reflects the RTX 4090's high percentile ranking. The 88th percentile GPU score and 73rd percentile CPU score combine to produce a top-200 result, indicating that the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting in this ranking.

The rank of 152 out of 3714 means that there are 151 tested combos that outperform this one in Lockdown Protocol, likely consisting of pairings with even higher-end CPUs (such as the 13th or 14th generation Intel parts or AMD Ryzen 7000 series) alongside the same or similar GPUs. Given that the CPU is in the 73rd percentile, the ranking is probably held back by processor performance in CPU-bound scenarios at lower resolutions, while at 4K the combo would rank much higher due to the GPU's dominance. The data does not provide a breakdown of where the rank comes from, but the FPS measurements at 1080p Low (270.5 FPS) versus 4K Ultra (82.5 FPS) suggest that the system's relative standing improves as resolution increases.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 82.5 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset at 2560x1440 that stays above 60 FPS?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 127.9 FPS, which is the highest preset available and remains well above the threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost going from Low to Ultra at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield 270.5 FPS while Ultra yields 172.3 FPS, representing a drop of 98.2 FPS or roughly 36%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the frame rate scales strongly with settings (from 178.1 at Low to 82.5 at Ultra), indicating the GPU dominates performance at this resolution.

Q: Does the i5-12400F bottleneck the RTX 4090 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 270.5 FPS, and the relatively small gain from 1440p Low (249 FPS) to 1080p Low suggests the CPU may be approaching its limit, but it still delivers very high frame rates.

Q: What percentile does this combo rank in among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 152nd out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.1% of all systems in the database for Lockdown Protocol.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with a measured average of 82.5 FPS. All four presets at this resolution clear the threshold, so players can choose based on visual preference rather than performance constraints.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are also the best choice, delivering 127.9 FPS. This leaves substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings produce 172.3 FPS, which is the highest preset and still far above the playable threshold. The system has enough performance to run the maximum settings at all tested resolutions, with the 4K Ultra result being the only measurement that dips below the 100 FPS mark.

The Verdict

The verdictByResolution data confirms that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at all tested resolutions and presets while maintaining frame rates above 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with Ultra achieving 82.5 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four settings are playable, with Ultra at 127.9 FPS as the best option. At 1920x1080, Ultra delivers 172.3 FPS, making every setting playable.

The system's weakest measured result is 82.5 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The strongest result is 270.5 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that the combo is capable of driving very high refresh rates at lower resolutions. The data shows that the RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, with the i5-12400F providing sufficient CPU throughput for all tested scenarios, though the relatively small gains from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings hint at a CPU ceiling around 270 FPS. Overall, this system handles Lockdown Protocol with ease at every setting combination, making it a strong choice for players who prioritize maximum visual quality and high frame rates simultaneously.