Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, with 4K reserved for lighter settings. Measured data shows the pairing handles the game comfortably across most common configurations, though the hardest presets at 4K will push it below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The benchmark results indicate a clear tiered performance curve: flawless at 1080p, strong at 1440p, and playable only at Low settings for 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination reveals a predictable scaling pattern across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 167 FPS, representing the highest frame rate recorded for this hardware. Medium settings deliver 119 FPS average with a minimum of 101 FPS and maximum of 136 FPS. High settings produce 104 FPS average, while Ultra settings still hold a solid 78 FPS. All 1080p configurations clear the 60 FPS playable threshold with considerable headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected impact of increased pixel count. Low settings at 1440p deliver 123 FPS average, which is a 44 FPS drop from the same settings at 1080p. Medium settings yield 87 FPS average, with minimums at 74 FPS and maximums at 100 FPS. The High preset maintains 76 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 57 FPS average, which dips just below the 60 FPS playable standard. The data shows that 1440p Ultra is the first configuration where this hardware struggles to maintain consistent smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops become more pronounced. Low settings at 4K still achieve a respectable 79 FPS average, keeping the system in playable territory. Medium settings fall to 56 FPS average with minimums of 48 FPS and maximums of 65 FPS, indicating noticeable frame time variance. High settings drop to 49 FPS average, and Ultra settings bottom out at 37 FPS. The 4K results show that only the Low preset provides a consistently smooth experience, while Medium and above fall short of the 60 FPS target.

The scaling between settings tiers follows a consistent pattern across resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 89 FPS, representing a 53% reduction in average frame rate. At 1440p, that gap narrows to 66 FPS, a 54% reduction. At 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra is 42 FPS, a 53% reduction. This consistent proportion suggests the GPU is the primary limiting factor at all resolutions, with the CPU maintaining adequate headroom even at the highest settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is the dominant performance factor for Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions. Evidence for this comes from the FPS scaling between presets. At 1920x1080, the jump from Low to Ultra reduces average FPS from 167 to 78, a dramatic 89 FPS swing. The CPU, Intel Core i5-12600KF, has a passmark single-thread score of 3925 and a 3dmark single-thread score of 1016, which are strong enough to feed the GPU at lower resolutions. The fact that frame rates at 1080p reach 167 FPS on Low settings suggests the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU would struggle to push frame rates that high if it were the limiting factor.

The resolution scaling further confirms the GPU-centric nature of this game. Dropping resolution from 3840x2160 to 1920x1080 on Low settings increases average FPS from 79 to 167, a 111% improvement. This substantial gain from reducing pixel count is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions. The CPU's 3dmark max-threads score of 7952 and cinebench r23 multicore score of 23391 indicate ample processing power for this title.

At 4K resolution, the GPU's limitations become even clearer. The RX 7600 XT has a passmark g3d score of 17132 and a 3dmark steel nomad dx12 score of 2348, placing it at the 60th percentile of all GPUs. The 4K Ultra preset produces 37 FPS average, which is less than half of the 1080p Low result. This performance cliff at higher resolutions and settings is typical of a mid-range GPU being pushed beyond its comfortable operating range. The CPU's role remains secondary, providing consistent frame delivery without introducing stutter or bottleneck-induced drops.

The preset scaling pattern reinforces this conclusion. At every resolution, the difference between High and Ultra settings produces a significant FPS drop. At 1080p, High delivers 104 FPS while Ultra drops to 78 FPS. At 1440p, High gives 76 FPS and Ultra falls to 57 FPS. At 4K, High provides 49 FPS and Ultra drops to 37 FPS. This consistent penalty from the Ultra preset, which typically adds GPU-intensive effects like higher shadow quality and ambient occlusion, points directly to the graphics card as the performance arbiter.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for both components provides context on what other hardware would behave similarly in Lockdown Protocol. For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, ranking at the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The closest rival is the Intel Core i9-10900K with an average score of 27872, showing a delta of -0.3 percent. This means the i9-10900K performs within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12600KF, making it a direct performance equivalent for gaming purposes. A system with this older flagship CPU should produce nearly identical FPS results in Lockdown Protocol.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is another close match, scoring 27896 on average with a delta of -0.3 percent. This CPU, known for its gaming-focused 3D V-Cache, would deliver essentially the same frame rates in this game. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, with an average score of 27887 and delta of -0.3 percent, also falls in the same performance tier. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE rounds out the nearest rivals with a score of 27712 and a delta of 0.3 percent. Any of these CPUs paired with the same GPU would produce benchmark results within one percent of the i5-12600KF combination.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, placing it at the 60th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which scores 17208 on average, a delta of -0.7 percent. This is a particularly relevant comparison, as the RTX 3070 is a well-known 1440p gaming card. The data suggests that swapping the RX 7600 XT for an RTX 3070 would result in nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol, with the RTX 3070 being less than one percent faster on average.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, with an average score of 17037 and delta of 0.3 percent, is another comparable option. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019 with a delta of 0.4 percent, and the NVIDIA Tesla M4 scores 16932 with a delta of 0.9 percent. For practical gaming purposes, the GTX 690 is the most relevant comparison among these, though it is an older dual-GPU card. The RTX 3070 remains the most meaningful alternative for gamers considering similar performance levels.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 78 FPS average at 1080p Ultra, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the highest preset available and it runs smoothly at this resolution.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440 gaming?

A: High settings provide the best visual quality while maintaining playability, delivering 76 FPS average. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 57 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable standard.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, which produce 79 FPS average. Medium settings at 4K drop to 56 FPS with minimums of 48 FPS, and High settings fall to 49 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K only manage 37 FPS.

Q: How does this GPU compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?

A: The Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, while the RTX 3070 scores 17208, a difference of -0.7 percent. In practice, both cards deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The lowest recorded minimum FPS is 48 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 74 FPS, and at 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 101 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU limit performance in this game?

A: No. The data shows consistent GPU scaling across resolutions and presets. The Intel Core i5-12600KF ranks at the 79th percentile of all CPUs with a passmark multithread score of 27575, providing ample headroom for this title.

The Verdict

This PC configuration can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on every preset, including Ultra at 78 FPS average. This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution, allowing players to max out the visual quality without compromising smoothness. The verdict for 1080p is a clear pass across all settings.

At 2560x1440, the system maintains playability on High, Medium, and Low presets. High settings deliver 76 FPS average, which provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings at 87 FPS offer even more headroom. However, Ultra settings at 1440p fall to 57 FPS, just below the playable standard. Players at this resolution should stick to High settings for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings are viable, producing 79 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 56 FPS, which fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra settings at 4K produce 49 FPS and 37 FPS respectively, both well below playable levels. The 4K verdict is a qualified pass, limited to the Low preset. Overall, this hardware is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K only viable at the lowest quality settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best settings that maintain 60 FPS or higher are Low, which produces 79 FPS average. This is the only playable preset at 4K, as Medium drops to 56 FPS. The Low preset at 4K provides a smooth experience with the frame rate comfortably above the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best playable settings are High, delivering 76 FPS average. This preset offers significantly better visual quality than Low or Medium while staying above the 60 FPS standard. Ultra settings at 1440p fall short at 57 FPS, so High represents the optimal choice for this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, achieving 78 FPS average. This is the most demanding preset available, and the system handles it well at 1080p. All four presets at this resolution exceed 60 FPS, so players can freely choose Ultra for maximum visual quality without performance concerns. The 1080p Ultra configuration provides the best overall visual experience among all tested settings combinations.