Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, but struggles significantly at 4K with higher presets. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy: 1080p Ultra is fully playable, 1440p High is the sweet spot for visual fidelity, and 4K is only viable on Low settings. This combination ranks in the 61st percentile of tested combos for this title, indicating it sits above average but not at the top tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates strong headroom across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 166.7 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. Medium settings drop to 121.2 FPS, still providing a substantial buffer for high-refresh-rate monitors. High settings yield 100.9 FPS, and even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains 78.6 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 52.9% reduction in frame rate, from 166.7 down to 78.6 FPS, which is a typical cost for the visual improvements.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable but the gap between presets widens. Low settings hit 123.1 FPS, which is a 26.2% decrease from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings produce 87.4 FPS, a 27.9% drop from the corresponding 1080p figure. High settings achieve 76.3 FPS, and Ultra dips to 59.7 FPS, just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The resolution jump from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 24-28% performance depending on the preset, which is consistent with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. Low settings still manage 76.4 FPS, which is playable but represents a 54.2% drop from the 1440p Low result. Medium settings fall to 58.1 FPS, just under the threshold. High settings produce 51 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35.7 FPS, which is barely half of the playable threshold. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a much steeper performance penalty, with Low losing 54.2%, Medium 33.5%, High 33.2%, and Ultra 40.2% of their respective frame rates.

The absence of min and max FPS data means the analysis relies solely on average frame rates. This is worth noting because stuttering or frame pacing issues would not be captured by these averages. The data indicates consistent average performance, but transient drops cannot be ruled out from the available information.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which runs at 78.6 FPS average. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, and it provides a 31% margin above the playable threshold. The fact that Ultra clears 60 FPS at 1080p means the system has enough headroom for future patches or more demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, which produces 76.3 FPS average. Ultra falls to 59.7 FPS, just missing the 60 FPS mark. High offers a 27.2% buffer over the threshold, making it a safe choice for consistent gameplay. The difference between High and Ultra is 16.6 FPS, which is a meaningful visual trade-off for most players.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Low, which achieves 76.4 FPS average. This is the only preset that clears 60 FPS at this resolution. Medium drops to 58.1 FPS, which is below the threshold, and High falls to 51 FPS. The recommendation is clear: 4K gaming requires Low settings, and even then, the 76.4 FPS average does not leave much room for demanding scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a GPU-bound scenario at higher settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU has more influence, as evidenced by the wide spread between Low (166.7 FPS) and Ultra (78.6 FPS). The i5-13400F with its 10 cores and 16 threads provides enough processing power to feed the RX 6650 XT at lower resolutions, where the GPU is less stressed.

At 1440p, the GPU becomes more dominant. The frame rate drops from 123.1 FPS at Low to 59.7 FPS at Ultra, a 51.5% reduction. This scaling is steeper than the 1080p spread, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint. The CPU still has headroom, as evidenced by the 123.1 FPS Low result, which is high enough to suggest the CPU is not the bottleneck at this resolution.

At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. The difference between Low (76.4 FPS) and Ultra (35.7 FPS) is 40.7 FPS, and even Low is significantly slower than the 1440p Low result. The resolution increase from 1440p to 4K costs 54.2% performance on Low, which is a massive hit that points directly at the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute capabilities. The RX 6650 XT has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, which is a limiting factor at 4K.

The CPU's benchmark scores support its capability. The i5-13400F scores 22604 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3191 in single-core, with a 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs. These numbers indicate the CPU is not a weak link in this configuration. The GPU, with a 65th percentile ranking and an average benchmark score of 19765, is more average in comparison.

The scaling between presets at each resolution provides further insight. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 88.1 FPS, at 1440p it is 63.4 FPS, and at 4K it is 40.7 FPS. This decreasing delta as resolution increases confirms the GPU-bound nature of the game at higher resolutions. The CPU has more influence at 1080p, but the GPU takes over as the primary constraint at 1440p and especially 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 produces an average of 78.6 FPS, which is 31% above the 60 FPS playable threshold. All four presets at this resolution clear 60 FPS.

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

A: High is the best choice, averaging 76.3 FPS. Ultra falls to 59.7 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, so High provides the best visual fidelity while maintaining playable frame rates.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only on Low settings, which averages 76.4 FPS. Medium drops to 58.1 FPS, High to 51 FPS, and Ultra to 35.7 FPS, so any preset above Low will not maintain 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2288 out of 3714 tested combos for this game, placing it in the 61st percentile. This is above average but not exceptional, indicating there is room for improvement with a stronger GPU.

Q: Which component is more important for this game?

A: The GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p the CPU has more influence, but at 1440p and especially 4K, the RX 6650 XT is the primary constraint. The CPU's 77th percentile ranking suggests it is not a bottleneck.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p on Medium settings?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 average 87.4 FPS, which provides a 45.7% buffer above the playable threshold. This is a good balance of visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT ranks 2288 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 61st percentile, meaning it outperforms 61% of tested configurations. The CPU itself ranks in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25292, while the GPU ranks in the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19765.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS with a virtually identical average score of 25284, the Intel Core 5 120 at 25362, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D at 25365. These results show the i5-13400F is competitive with these alternatives, with deltas of 0%, -0.3%, and -0.3% respectively. The GPU's nearest rivals are professional workstation cards, including the NVIDIA Tesla K40m at 19885, the AMD FirePro D300 at 19637, and the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 at 19602, with deltas of -0.6%, 0.7%, and 0.8%.

The ranking of 2288 out of 3714 suggests this system is a mid-range performer for Lockdown Protocol. It is not a top-tier configuration, but it beats the majority of tested combos. The CPU is clearly the stronger component, while the GPU is more average, which explains why the system performs well at 1080p but struggles at 4K.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets clear 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 78.6 FPS. This is a fully playable experience with maximum visual settings. At 2560x1440, High is the best preset at 76.3 FPS, while Ultra falls to 59.7 FPS, just missing the threshold. This resolution is playable with adjusted settings.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings clear 60 FPS, averaging 76.4 FPS. Medium drops to 58.1 FPS, High to 51 FPS, and Ultra to 35.7 FPS. The verdict is clear: 4K gaming is only viable on Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is not particularly high.

The practical advice is to target 1080p Ultra for the best visual experience, or 1440p High for a good balance of quality and performance. 4K should be avoided unless you are willing to play on Low settings. The system has enough CPU power for this game, but the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. For a 60 FPS target, the sweet spot is 1440p High, which provides a 27.2% buffer above the threshold.