Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a highly resolution-dependent experience in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080, the combination is thoroughly capable, with every preset from Low to Ultra maintaining an average frame rate above the 60 FPS playability threshold. Moving to 2560x1440, the system remains strong but loses the ability to run Ultra settings smoothly, while 3840x2160 presents a significant challenge, with only the Low preset achieving a playable average. The recorded data shows a clear pattern: this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for users willing to compromise heavily on visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this configuration covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a complete picture of performance scaling.

At 3840x2160, the results are as follows. The Low preset delivers an average of 69.7 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. Medium drops to 50.4 FPS, High falls to 44.8 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 33.9 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Ultra delivering roughly half the frame rate of Low. This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as the pixel count overwhelms the RTX 2060's capabilities.

At 2560x1440, performance improves considerably. The Low preset achieves 108 FPS, which is a strong result for a 1440p panel. Medium follows at 78.1 FPS, and High comes in at 66.6 FPS, both comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra, however, drops to 47.3 FPS, making it the only preset at this resolution that fails to maintain playability. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline, with each step up in quality costing roughly 15 to 30 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best results. Low hits 144.9 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth and ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. Medium maintains 102.3 FPS, High delivers 91.7 FPS, and Ultra still manages 70.8 FPS. Every preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, with even the most demanding setting retaining a 10 FPS buffer above the playability line. The spread from Low to Ultra is approximately 74 FPS, showing that the CPU has enough headroom to support high frame rates even when the GPU is tasked with heavier loads.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a shifting balance between CPU and GPU influence depending on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more significant role, as evidenced by the high frame rates across all presets. The i5-13400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is capable of feeding the RTX 2060 with enough data to reach 144.9 FPS at Low settings. The fact that Ultra still maintains 70.8 FPS at 1080p suggests that the GPU is not fully saturated at this resolution, allowing the CPU to drive performance in less demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take precedence. The frame rates drop noticeably compared to 1080p, with Low falling from 144.9 to 108 FPS and High falling from 91.7 to 66.6 FPS. This scaling indicates that the RTX 2060 is becoming the limiting factor as the pixel count increases. The CPU still provides adequate support, but the GPU's rendering capacity is now the primary constraint on performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant bottleneck. The frame rates plummet across all presets, with even Low dropping to 69.7 FPS. The difference between Medium and High at 4K is only 5.6 FPS, while the difference between Low and Medium is 19.3 FPS. This compression of performance at higher presets suggests that the GPU is struggling to cope with the 4K resolution, and further CPU improvements would yield minimal gains. The RTX 2060's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus are simply insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for both components, several configurations would behave similarly to this combo in Lockdown Protocol.

For the CPU, the closest alternatives are the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, which scores 25284 in the database with a 0% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, which scores 25201 with a 0.4% delta. Both are mobile processors, but their multi-threaded performance is nearly identical to the i5-13400F's 25292 average benchmark score. The Intel Core 5 120 and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D are also close, with scores of 25362 and 25365 respectively, representing deltas of -0.3%. For Lockdown Protocol, any of these CPUs would provide virtually the same frame rates as the i5-13400F, since the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the tested resolutions.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which scores 15283 with a 0% delta, and the AMD Radeon 680M, which scores 15270 with a 0.1% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM and AMD Radeon RX 7600 are also close, with scores of 15199 and 15171 respectively, representing deltas of 0.6% and 0.8%. These GPUs would deliver nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol, meaning users with any of these alternatives would see the same resolution-dependent behavior: strong 1080p performance, acceptable 1440p at medium presets, and limited 4K capability.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear from the measured data. At 3840x2160, the system can run Lockdown Protocol at Low settings with an average of 69.7 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra all fail to maintain playability, with averages of 50.4, 44.8, and 33.9 FPS respectively. For users targeting 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, and even then, the margin above 60 FPS is slim.

At 2560x1440, the system is genuinely playable across most presets. High settings deliver 66.6 FPS, Medium delivers 78.1 FPS, and Low delivers 108 FPS. Ultra fails at 47.3 FPS, so users should avoid the highest quality setting at this resolution. The sweet spot is High, which offers a good balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 1920x1080, the system runs the game flawlessly. Every preset, including Ultra, maintains an average above 60 FPS. Ultra delivers 70.8 FPS, High delivers 91.7 FPS, Medium delivers 102.3 FPS, and Low delivers 144.9 FPS. This resolution is the clear recommendation for this hardware combination, as it allows users to max out the settings without any playability concerns.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2858 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This ranking reflects the RTX 2060's age and the demanding nature of the game at higher resolutions. While the i5-13400F is a capable modern CPU, the GPU holds the combination back, particularly at 1440p and 4K. The percentile data reinforces this: the CPU sits in the 77th percentile of all tested CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 58th percentile of all tested GPUs. The combination's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's relative weakness, even though the CPU is well above average.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080. The Ultra preset achieves an average of 70.8 FPS at 1080p. At 2560x1440, Ultra drops to 47.3 FPS, and at 3840x2160, Ultra falls to 33.9 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination?

A: 1920x1080 is the best choice, as all four presets maintain 60 FPS or higher. The lowest average at this resolution is 70.8 FPS on Ultra, and the highest is 144.9 FPS on Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck at 3840x2160. The frame rates drop sharply across all presets, and the difference between Medium and High is only 5.6 FPS, indicating that the RTX 2060 cannot handle the pixel load regardless of quality settings.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, with nearest rivals including the GTX 580 at 15283 (0% delta), the Radeon 680M at 15270 (0.1% delta), and the RTX 3050 OEM at 15199 (0.6% delta). These GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p gaming?

A: Yes, at High settings or lower. The High preset averages 66.6 FPS at 2560x1440, Medium averages 78.1 FPS, and Low averages 108 FPS. Ultra settings should be avoided, as they drop to 47.3 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU perform relative to other processors in the database?

A: The i5-13400F ranks in the 77th percentile of all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25292. Its nearest rivals, such as the Ryzen 9 6900HS and Ryzen 7 6800H, have delta scores of 0% and 0.4% respectively, meaning they are essentially equivalent in performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is as follows.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Low, with an average of 69.7 FPS. Medium falls below the threshold at 50.4 FPS, so users at 4K must accept the lowest quality preset to maintain smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 66.6 FPS. Medium and Low also clear the threshold at 78.1 and 108 FPS respectively, but High offers the best visual quality while still staying above 60 FPS. Ultra is not playable at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, with an average of 70.8 FPS. All lower presets also exceed 60 FPS, but Ultra provides the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing playability. This resolution is the only one where the system can fully max out the game's settings.