Lockdown Protocol

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a narrow performance band according to the database's aggregate CPU benchmarks. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it at the 47th percentile of all tested CPUs, meaning it outperforms just under half of the database's processor pool. The nearest rivals are tightly clustered, with delta percentages under half a percent in either direction. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a 0.4% gap, while the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% gap. On the other side, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, a 0.4% advantage. For practical purposes, any of these four processors would deliver nearly indistinguishable CPU-bound frame pacing in Lockdown Protocol, since the performance delta between the fastest and slowest of this group is less than one percent.

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 similarly occupies a well-defined tier among GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 19036 places it at the 63rd percentile of all tested GPUs, comfortably above the median. The nearest rivals are again extremely close: the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 scores 19030 with a 0% delta, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile scores 19049 with a 0.1% gap, the NVIDIA Tesla K20m scores 19089 with a 0.3% gap, and the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation scores 18954 with a 0.4% gap. A system builder swapping between these four graphics cards would see virtually identical frame rates in most scenarios, as the aggregate compute scores differ by less than one percent. The RX 6600's RDNA 2 architecture, with 1792 shading units and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, defines the performance envelope that these rivals match.

For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the combination of the i5-9400 and RX 6600 represents a mid-range pairing. The CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads, with a 2.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clock, provide adequate single-threaded throughput for an FPS title, and the GPU's 8.928 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supply the rasterization headroom needed for modern rendering workloads. Users coming from any of the listed rival components should expect the same playable experience at the same settings, as the measured deltas are within measurement noise.

CPU and GPU Roles

Lockdown Protocol's scaling behavior across resolutions reveals where the bottleneck shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Radeon RX 6600. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 146 FPS average, which is the highest recorded figure for this combo. This high frame rate at low settings indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls, but the scaling from Low to Ultra tells a more nuanced story. At 1080p, dropping from Low to Medium reduces the average to 103 FPS, a 29% decrease. Moving from Medium to High brings the average down to 90 FPS, another 13% drop, and High to Ultra lands at 68 FPS, a further 24% reduction. The 1080p Ultra result of 68 FPS is still above the 60 FPS playability threshold, showing that neither component fully saturates at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to assert more influence. The Low preset averages 107 FPS, which is 39 FPS lower than the 1080p Low figure. This 36% reduction from a resolution increase of roughly 78% more pixels indicates that the RX 6600 is becoming the limiting factor, though the CPU still has headroom. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 76 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and maximum of 87 FPS. The High preset drops to 66 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 50 FPS, which sits below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 57 FPS, compared to a 78 FPS gap at 1080p, showing that the GPU's diminishing returns at higher quality settings compress the range.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, barely above the playability threshold, while Medium averages 49 FPS, High averages 43 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS. The 4K Low figure is less than half of the 1080p Low figure, and the 4K Ultra figure is less than a quarter of it. This steep degradation across resolutions confirms that the RX 6600's 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 159.4 GPixel/s pixel rate are the primary determinants of frame rate at high pixel counts. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution scales up; at 4K, even the Low preset taxes the GPU heavily enough that the i5-9400's 6 threads are unlikely to be the bottleneck.

The recorded data supports a clear conclusion: at 1080p, the CPU and GPU share the load, with neither fully dominating. At 1440p, the GPU takes the lead role, and at 4K, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for the observed performance. Users targeting high frame rates should prioritize GPU headroom at higher resolutions, while those at 1080p can benefit from either component upgrade.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 68 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the highest quality preset available at this resolution, and the system maintains playable performance without needing to lower settings.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset is the most demanding setting that stays at or above 60 FPS at 1440p, averaging 66 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 50 FPS average, which falls below the playability threshold. Medium and Low also remain playable, at 76 FPS and 107 FPS respectively.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: Only at the Low preset. The 3840x2160 Low setting averages 69 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets at 4K fail to reach 60 FPS: Medium averages 49 FPS, High averages 43 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 6600 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in aggregate benchmarks?

A: The RX 6600's average benchmark score is 19036, placing it at the 63rd percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro K6000, scores 19030 with a 0% delta, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile scores 19049 with a 0.1% gap. The NVIDIA Tesla K20m scores 19089 with a 0.3% gap, and the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation scores 18954 with a 0.4% gap. All four are effectively equivalent in aggregate compute performance.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The 1920x1080 Medium preset averages 103 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, with the minimum frame rate still well above playable levels.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals in aggregate benchmarks?

A: The i5-9400's average benchmark score is 2254, at the 47th percentile. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 with a 0.4% gap, and the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 with a 0.3% gap. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 with a 0.2% gap, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264 with a 0.4% gap. All four rivals are within half a percent of the i5-9400.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions, but with important caveats about settings. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable. The Ultra preset averages 68 FPS, High averages 90 FPS, Medium averages 103 FPS, and Low averages 146 FPS. All exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold, making 1080p the resolution where this combination has the most freedom.

At 2560x1440, three of the four presets clear the threshold. High averages 66 FPS, Medium averages 76 FPS, and Low averages 107 FPS. The Ultra preset fails to maintain 60 FPS, averaging 50 FPS. For users with 1440p monitors, the High preset is the recommended ceiling for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 69 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 49 FPS, High to 43 FPS, and Ultra to 32 FPS. 4K gaming is technically possible but severely constrained; users should expect to run the game at minimal quality settings to stay above 60 FPS.

The verdict by resolution is clear: this combo delivers playable performance at 1080p on all settings, at 1440p on High and below, and at 4K only on Low. The 60 FPS threshold is the dividing line, and the recorded data shows exactly where each resolution falls relative to it.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3714 tested combinations in the database for Lockdown Protocol, the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 2901st. This places the combo in the bottom 22% of all tested hardware pairings for this specific game. The rank reflects the aggregate performance across all resolutions and settings, weighted by the playability results. The i5-9400's 47th percentile CPU standing and the RX 6600's 63rd percentile GPU standing combine to produce a pairing that lags behind many newer or higher-end configurations.

The low rank is not a condemnation of the individual components, but rather a reflection of the game's demands and the competitive field. The RX 6600, despite being a solid mid-range GPU, sits at the 63rd percentile, meaning 37% of tested GPUs outperform it. The i5-9400, at the 47th percentile, is slightly below the median CPU. When both components are below the top quartile, the combined rank naturally falls toward the lower end of the distribution. Users with this pairing should expect a playable but not exceptional experience relative to the broader database, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU's limitations become more pronounced.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with a measured average of 68 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, and it does so with an 8 FPS margin. Users can enjoy maximum visual quality at this resolution without compromising playability.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, with a measured average of 66 FPS. The High preset clears the 60 FPS threshold with a 6 FPS margin, while the next step up, Ultra, falls to 50 FPS and becomes unplayable. This represents the optimal quality-to-performance balance at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Low, with a measured average of 69 FPS. This is the only preset at 4K that maintains playable performance, clearing the threshold by 9 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 49 FPS, a 20 FPS reduction that clearly crosses below the playability line. Users at 4K must accept minimal quality settings to maintain smooth gameplay.

These three settings represent the maximum visual fidelity achievable at each resolution while respecting the 60 FPS playability threshold. The margin above 60 FPS varies from 6 to 9 FPS across the three resolutions, indicating that these presets are near the performance ceiling but not precariously close to dropping below it.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded data shows a steep quality gradient. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. Medium averages 49 FPS, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS. High averages 43 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 37 FPS, and the Medium preset's minimum of 42 FPS demonstrates that frame times can dip significantly below the average, though the maximum of 56 FPS shows the GPU can burst higher when scene complexity is low.

At 2560x1440, the results are more forgiving. Low averages 107 FPS, Medium averages 76 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and maximum of 87 FPS, High averages 66 FPS, and Ultra averages 50 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 64 FPS stays above the 60 FPS playability threshold, indicating that even the worst-case frame times at this preset remain playable. The High preset's 66 FPS average suggests that occasional dips below 60 FPS are possible, though the recorded data does not include minimum values for this preset.

At 1920x1080, the performance is strongest. Low averages 146 FPS, Medium averages 103 FPS with a minimum of 88 FPS and maximum of 119 FPS, High averages 90 FPS, and Ultra averages 68 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 88 FPS provides a substantial buffer above the playability threshold, and the maximum of 119 FPS shows the system can deliver high refresh-rate experiences when the scene allows. The Ultra preset's 68 FPS average is the only 1080p result with a sub-70 FPS figure, but it still clears the threshold by 8 FPS.

The data across all resolutions and presets paints a consistent picture: the RX 6600 provides diminishing returns as resolution and quality increase, and the 60 FPS threshold is crossed at predictable points. The minimum and maximum values recorded for Medium presets at each resolution show that frame pacing is generally stable, with the 4K Medium preset showing the widest variance between its 42 FPS minimum and 56 FPS maximum.