Lockdown Protocol

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset this system can run at 1920x1080 while keeping at least 60 FPS?

A: The recorded data shows High preset at 79.1 FPS average, which is the most demanding preset at 1080p that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. Low runs at 123.1 FPS and Medium at 86.4 FPS, but High is the best visual quality option that still clears 60.

Q: Can this PC handle 2560x1440 with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 1440p the system delivers 90.7 FPS on Low and 63.7 FPS on Medium. Medium is the best playable setting at this resolution, but High and Ultra fall below the threshold at 53.6 FPS and 42.7 FPS respectively.

Q: Is 4K resolution viable with this hardware?

A: No 4K preset reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best recorded 4K result is Low at 58.9 FPS, which is just under the mark. Medium hits 45 FPS, High 39.1 FPS, and Ultra drops to 27.6 FPS, so the verdict list for 3840x2160 contains no playable settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 3131 out of 3714 tested combos in the database for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower portion of the overall distribution, though it still manages playable performance at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings.

Q: What are the closest CPU alternatives to the Intel Core i5-9400?

A: The nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 at 0.2% lower score, the Intel Core i7-10710U at 0.3% higher, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 0.4% higher, and the Intel Core i3-10305 at 0.4% lower. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning the i5-9400 sits in a tight cluster of similar performers.

Q: Which GPU rivals are closest to the GTX 1660 Ti in benchmark terms?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 is 0.7% ahead, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is 1.9% ahead, the AMD Radeon R7 250 is 2.2% ahead, and the Intel Arc A310 is 2.3% ahead. All four sit within a narrow band around the GTX 1660 Ti's average score.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the database records High as the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS, with an average of 79.1 FPS. Low reaches 123.1 FPS and Medium 86.4 FPS, but High offers the best visual fidelity while still clearing the playable mark. Ultra falls short at 57.5 FPS, so it is excluded from the playable list.

At 2560x1440, Medium is the best playable setting with 63.7 FPS average. Low runs at 90.7 FPS, but Medium provides higher quality while staying above the threshold. High (53.6 FPS) and Ultra (42.7 FPS) both drop below 60, so they are not listed as playable.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest is Low at 58.9 FPS, which is just under the threshold. Medium records 45 FPS, High 39.1 FPS, and Ultra 27.6 FPS. The verdict for 4K lists no playable settings, meaning this resolution is not viable for smooth gameplay with this hardware.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the GTX 1660 Ti and i5-9400 share the workload. At 1080p, the frame rates are consistently high: Low at 123.1 FPS, Medium at 86.4, High at 79.1, and Ultra at 57.5. The step from Low to Medium costs 36.7 FPS, while the step from Medium to High costs only 7.3 FPS. This pattern suggests the GPU is the primary limiter at 1080p, as raising settings directly impacts rendering load.

Moving to 1440p, the same preset ladder shows a larger drop: Low falls from 123.1 to 90.7 FPS, Medium from 86.4 to 63.7, High from 79.1 to 53.6, and Ultra from 57.5 to 42.7. The resolution increase from 1080p to 1440p reduces frame rates by roughly 26% on Low, 26% on Medium, 32% on High, and 26% on Ultra. This consistent reduction points to the GPU handling the extra pixel count, while the CPU maintains its part of the workload.

At 4K, the situation becomes more severe. Low drops to 58.9 FPS, Medium to 45, High to 39.1, and Ultra to 27.6. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 13.9 FPS, larger than the 7.3 FPS gap seen at 1080p for the same preset step. This widening delta at higher resolutions indicates the GPU is the dominant constraint, as the pixel throughput requirement grows faster than the CPU's contribution changes.

The data suggests the i5-9400 provides sufficient headroom at 1080p and 1440p, since the frame rate differences between resolutions track closely with the GPU's rendering load. At 4K, the GPU clearly becomes the bottleneck, with even Low preset unable to sustain 60 FPS. For players targeting 1080p or 1440p, the GPU is the component that dictates playable settings, while the CPU appears capable of feeding it without becoming a hard limit.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and GTX 1660 Ti combination ranks 3131 out of 3714 tested combos in the database for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 84th percentile from the bottom, meaning roughly 84% of tested configurations outperform it. The rank reflects the mid-range nature of both components: the CPU sits at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU at the 41st percentile among all GPUs.

Given this ranking, the combo is not a top-tier performer, but it still delivers playable results at 1080p and 1440p when settings are chosen appropriately. The 1080p High preset at 79.1 FPS shows that the system can handle mainstream gaming demands, while the 4K results confirm that it is not suited for high-resolution, high-fidelity play. The rank of 3131 aligns with the measured FPS data: capable for esports and moderate settings, but not for maxed-out visual quality at high resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of the i5-9400's average benchmark score. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 0.2% lower, the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 0.3% higher, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 0.4% higher, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 0.4% lower. In practice, swapping the i5-9400 for any of these would yield nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the performance delta is negligible. The i7-1068NG7 and i3-10305 would be slightly slower, while the i7-10710U and Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 would be marginally faster, but none would change the playable settings at any resolution.

For the GPU, the closest alternatives are the AMD Radeon 540 (0.7% higher score), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (1.9% higher), AMD Radeon R7 250 (2.2% higher), and Intel Arc A310 (2.3% higher). These cards would deliver essentially the same FPS figures as the GTX 1660 Ti in this game. The Radeon 540 might edge out a few extra frames, but the difference would be within measurement noise. The Radeon Pro WX 3100 and R7 250 would also behave similarly, making them viable substitutes if the GTX 1660 Ti is unavailable.

When considering a full system swap, pairing the i5-9400 with any of these rival CPUs and the GTX 1660 Ti with any of these rival GPUs would produce results within a few percent of the recorded data. The benchmark deltas are small enough that the playable settings list would remain identical: High at 1080p, Medium at 1440p, and no playable option at 4K.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at playable frame rates, but only at lower resolutions and with adjusted settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold with High preset at 79.1 FPS, and also with Low at 123.1 FPS and Medium at 86.4 FPS. Ultra falls short at 57.5 FPS, so it is not recommended for smooth play. At 2560x1440, Medium is the best playable option at 63.7 FPS, with Low at 90.7 FPS as a lighter alternative. High and Ultra do not reach 60 FPS at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is clear: no preset achieves 60 FPS. Low comes closest at 58.9 FPS, but it is still below the threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra all record lower frame rates, making 4K unsuitable for this hardware.

The overall conclusion is that the i5-9400 and GTX 1660 Ti combination is a mid-range setup that handles 1080p and 1440p gaming with appropriate settings. For 1080p users, High preset offers a good balance of quality and performance. For 1440p users, Medium is the ceiling. 4K is not a viable target for this system. The data confirms that this combo ranks in the lower portion of the database, but it still delivers a smooth experience for mainstream resolutions.