Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers a high-refresh-rate experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the data showing that the combination clears the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution across most presets. Measured results indicate the combo ranks in the 874th position out of 3,714 tested combinations, placing it in the top quarter of all systems benchmarked for this title. The dataset, which is marked as measured rather than estimated, provides exact average frame rates for twelve resolution and settings permutations, with minimum and maximum values recorded only for the Medium preset at each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces its highest raw output. The Low preset averages 260 FPS, which is the single fastest result in the entire measurement set. Moving to Medium drops the average to 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 212 FPS. The High preset averages 161 FPS, while the most demanding Ultra preset still holds an average of 121 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 139 FPS, indicating that the GPU has substantial headroom even when settings are maxed out.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold across all four presets. Low averages 191 FPS, Medium averages 135 FPS with a recorded range of 115 to 156 FPS, and High averages 118 FPS. Ultra at this resolution averages 89 FPS, which is a 32 FPS drop compared to the same preset at 1080p. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 26 to 27 percent across Low and Ultra presets, based on the average figures.

At 3840x2160, the load becomes significantly heavier. Low averages 123 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS, and High averages 76 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 57 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings costs 42 FPS on average, while the same transition at Low costs 68 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K shows a narrower spread of 26 FPS between its minimum and maximum, suggesting more consistent frame pacing than the 41 FPS spread seen at 1440p Medium and the 55 FPS spread at 1080p Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds the 874th rank out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the 76th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly three-quarters of the tested hardware pairings deliver lower performance in this specific title. The rank reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, as both components contribute meaningfully to the frame rates observed.

The CPU alone sits in the 90th percentile when compared against all processors in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 48,618. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, scores 48,698, which is only 0.2 percent higher, making the two effectively equivalent in synthetic CPU tests. The AMD EPYC 4345P trails by 0.3 percent with a score of 48,470, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is 0.7 percent behind at 48,287. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 leads by 0.8 percent with a score of 48,995.

The GPU presents a more unusual picture. The Radeon RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 13,543 and sits in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, however, are substantially older parts: the AMD Radeon HD 7770M scores 13,536 (0.1 percent lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 scores 13,515 (0.2 percent lower), and the NVIDIA P106-090 scores 13,470 (0.5 percent lower). The AMD Radeon Pro 555 trails by 1 percent at 13,407. The proximity of these scores is a quirk of the aggregate benchmark averaging, as the measured FPS data in Lockdown Protocol shows the RX 9070 XT performing far beyond what those legacy parts could deliver.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 121 FPS. This provides a 61 FPS margin over the playability threshold, so users can run the game at maximum settings without concern for drops below the target.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains playable, averaging 89 FPS. This is 29 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold, which leaves adequate headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset at this resolution averages 118 FPS, but Ultra is the recommended choice since it clears the threshold comfortably.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, which fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold. The most demanding playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 76 FPS. This provides a 16 FPS buffer above the threshold. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, but High is the better choice for visual fidelity while still maintaining playability. The verdict data confirms this, listing High as the best setting at 4K with an average of 76 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14600K sits within a tight cluster of rivals in synthetic benchmarks. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H offers nearly identical average performance with a delta of just -0.2 percent, making it a direct substitute in terms of CPU-bound scenarios. The AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.3 percent slower, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is 0.7 percent slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8 percent faster. In Lockdown Protocol, these differences are negligible, so any of these processors paired with the same GPU would produce frame rates within a small margin of the measured results.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals in the database are far less capable parts based on their generation, but their aggregate scores are close. The AMD Radeon HD 7770M, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, NVIDIA P106-090, and AMD Radeon Pro 555 all score within 1 percent of the RX 9070 XT in the broader benchmark suite. However, the measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol indicates that the RX 9070 XT is delivering 76 FPS at 4K High, a level of performance that these older GPUs would not approach in a modern FPS title. The aggregate score proximity is a statistical artifact rather than a reflection of in-game equivalence.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component dominates at each setting level. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The drop from High (76 FPS) to Ultra (57 FPS) represents a 25 percent reduction in average frame rate, while the jump from Low (123 FPS) to Medium (87 FPS) is a 29 percent decrease. These large swings with settings changes indicate that the RX 9070 XT is under heavy load at 4K, and the CPU has ample headroom to feed it.

At 1440p, the balance shifts. The Low preset averages 191 FPS, which is close to the 260 FPS seen at 1080p Low. The resolution increase from 1080p to 1440p costs 69 FPS at Low settings, suggesting the GPU is still the primary constraint but the CPU is beginning to matter more. At Ultra, the 1440p result of 89 FPS is much closer to the 1080p result of 121 FPS, with a gap of 32 FPS. This narrower gap at higher settings indicates that the GPU workload dominates when visual quality is maxed out.

At 1080p, the CPU becomes the more significant factor. The Low preset at 260 FPS is likely approaching the CPU's frame generation limit, as the GPU is not fully utilized at such high frame rates. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 139 FPS, which is the largest spread across any resolution. This wide range shows that the GPU has significant performance reserves that are unlocked as settings are lowered, but the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and process game logic caps the maximum achievable frame rate. The 4K to 1080p scaling at Low settings — from 123 FPS to 260 FPS — reinforces that the system scales well with resolution, but the CPU becomes a bottleneck at very high frame rates.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol with strong performance at all three tested resolutions, with one exception. At 1920x1080, every preset including Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 121 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, and Ultra averages 89 FPS, making it the recommended maximum setting. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset falls short at 57 FPS, but High remains playable with an average of 76 FPS. The verdict data confirms that High is the best playable setting at 4K, while Ultra is the best playable setting at both 1440p and 1080p. For users targeting 60 FPS as a strict minimum, the system delivers that at 4K High, 1440p Ultra, and 1080p Ultra. For 4K Ultra, the 57 FPS average indicates that users would need to reduce settings or accept a frame rate below the threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 produces the highest average at 260 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 121 FPS.

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

A: No, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is High, averaging 76 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra?

A: The average frame rate drops from 121 FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra to 89 FPS at 2560x1440 Ultra, a difference of 32 FPS.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combination ranks 874th out of 3,714 tested combos, placing it in the top quarter of all configurations.

Q: Which component is more limiting at 4K resolution?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as evidenced by the large frame rate drops when moving from High (76 FPS) to Ultra (57 FPS) and the smaller impact of resolution scaling at higher settings.

Q: Are there any presets at 1440p that fall below 60 FPS?

A: No, all four presets at 2560x1440 exceed the 60 FPS threshold, with the lowest being Ultra at 89 FPS average.