Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS that asks a simple question: can this particular pairing of an older six-core Intel CPU and a top-tier Ada Lovelace GPU keep up with the action? The recorded data suggests the answer is a resounding yes, with the bottleneck shifting almost entirely to the graphics card at lower resolutions. The measurements in the database show a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound, which is good news for the Intel Core i5-9400, as it has enough single-threaded muscle to feed the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER without becoming the limiting factor in most scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database contains a full set of average frame rate measurements for this combo across three resolutions and four quality presets, with all results clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data shows a clear and consistent scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K.

At 1920x1080, the system is clearly at its most fluid. The Low preset delivers an average of 160.6 FPS, which is the highest recorded number for this entire combo. Moving up to Medium, the average drops to 144.2 FPS, a relatively small penalty for the visual upgrade. The High preset sees a further reduction to 137.5 FPS. Even the most demanding preset, Ultra, maintains an average of 123.5 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS target and leaves ample headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high, but the scaling between presets becomes more pronounced. The Low preset averages 150.2 FPS, only a modest drop from the 1080p Low figure. Medium comes in at 129.6 FPS, while High settles at 125.1 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 103.5 FPS, a significant but expected reduction from the 123.5 FPS seen at 1080p, indicating the GPU is starting to work harder as pixel count rises.

At the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the performance curve steepens considerably. The Low preset still manages a very playable 128.3 FPS, but the gap between settings widens. Medium drops to 105 FPS, and High falls to 90.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most taxing configuration recorded, yielding an average of 68.3 FPS. While this is the lowest figure in the entire dataset, it is still comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold, proving the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has enough raw horsepower to handle 4K Ultra in this title.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate a classic GPU-bound scenario for this game, but the degree to which the GPU dominates changes with resolution. The data implies that at 1080p, the CPU is doing more of the heavy lifting relative to its workload, yet the i5-9400 still manages to keep up. The relatively small frame rate differences between the Low and Ultra presets at 1920x1080 (160.6 FPS vs. 123.5 FPS) suggest that while the GPU is working harder at Ultra, the CPU is not creating a hard ceiling that prevents scaling.

The shift becomes more apparent when moving to 1440p. The drop from 150.2 FPS at Low to 103.5 FPS at Ultra is a 46.7 FPS spread, which is larger than the 37.1 FPS spread seen at 1080p. This indicates that the graphics card is becoming the primary performance determinant, as the additional pixel workload directly translates into lower frame rates. The CPU appears to have enough headroom to feed the GPU without significant stutter or bottlenecking, as the frame time data remains consistent.

At 4K, the GPU’s role is even more dominant. The performance delta between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160 is 60 FPS (128.3 to 68.3), which is the largest spread across all resolutions. This is a clear sign that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the sole limiting factor here, with the i5-9400 providing more than enough processing power to keep the render pipeline full. The data suggests that in this game, the CPU matters least at 4K, and the GPU matters most. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU's influence is at its peak, but it is still sufficient to avoid becoming a significant bottleneck, as evidenced by the high absolute frame rates.

Best Settings per Resolution

For every resolution tested, the highest quality preset, Ultra, remains comfortably above the 60 FPS target. This makes the recommendation straightforward: there is no need to compromise on visual fidelity for the sake of playability.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, delivering an average of 123.5 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on standard 60 Hz displays and is also sufficient for 120 Hz and even 144 Hz monitors, given the margin above the refresh rate.

At 2560x1440, Ultra remains the best setting, with the system averaging 103.5 FPS. This is an ideal configuration for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, as the frame rate is high enough to take advantage of most gaming panels without any settings tweaks.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset still achieves an average of 68.3 FPS. While this is the lowest average recorded, it is still above the 60 FPS playable threshold. For a 60 Hz 4K display, this is the optimal configuration, as it provides the best image quality while maintaining a stable, playable frame rate. The data shows that this combo can effectively run the game at maximum settings across all tested resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database’s nearest rival data provides context for how other hardware might behave in similar conditions. For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-9400 is bracketed by a set of processors with very similar average benchmark scores. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 is effectively a peer, with an average score only 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i3-10305 is also close, scoring 0.4% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 and Intel Core i7-10710U are within a 0.4% margin, meaning any of these CPUs would likely yield nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, provided the GPU remains the bottleneck. The i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a mid-range processor, and the data suggests its performance is sufficient for this GPU-heavy title.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has a very interesting set of nearest rivals. Its average benchmark score is 31087, placing it at the 76th percentile of all GPUs. The closest matches include the NVIDIA Quadro M5000, which scores 0.4% lower, and the NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q, also 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell is 1.4% higher, and the NVIDIA TITAN RTX is 1.9% higher. While these are not gaming consumer cards in the same vein, their benchmark scores suggest they would produce very similar FPS results in Lockdown Protocol. For practical purposes, a gamer would expect the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER to perform within a few percentage points of these alternatives, meaning the playable settings and frame rates would be nearly identical.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol exceptionally well. The verdict data is unambiguous: at every resolution and with every preset, the measured average FPS is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The system clears 60 FPS with significant headroom in all scenarios. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset runs at 123.5 FPS, offering a high refresh rate experience. At 2560x1440, Ultra runs at 103.5 FPS, which is also ideal for high-refresh monitors. Even at 4K, the most demanding configuration, the Ultra preset averages 68.3 FPS, which is still comfortably playable. The database confirms that this combination of an older mid-range CPU and a high-end current-generation GPU is more than capable of delivering a smooth and visually rich experience in this game. The only caveat is that the 4K Ultra frame rate, while above 60 FPS, leaves less headroom for dips in busy scenes, but the average data indicates no persistent issues.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing ranks at 1218 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the upper third of all systems tested for Lockdown Protocol. This ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU’s strength, as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a high-end part, while the CPU is a more modest performer. The ranking suggests that while there are many faster combinations, the vast majority of systems will perform worse than this one. The high percentile ranking of the GPU (76th) is the primary driver of this overall position, with the CPU’s lower standing (47th) dragging the combo down slightly. In practice, this means this system is well above average for this game, capable of delivering frame rates that most systems cannot match.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset is 68.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest frame rate this combo can achieve?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 160.6, which occurs at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The data shows the GPU is always the primary factor, but the CPU has a slightly larger influence at 1080p. The difference in performance between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 37.1 FPS, whereas at 4K it is 60 FPS, indicating the GPU scales more heavily with resolution.

Q: What settings should I use for a 1440p 144 Hz monitor?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 103.5 FPS. While this does not reach 144 FPS, it is very high and will provide a smooth experience on a 144 Hz display, especially with adaptive sync technologies.

Q: How does this system compare to one using a slightly different CPU?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 is closely matched by rivals like the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and Intel Core i3-10305, with performance deltas under 0.5%. In a GPU-bound game like Lockdown Protocol, these CPUs would yield nearly identical frame rates.

Q: Does the 4K performance leave much headroom?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 68.3, which is only 8.3 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. This indicates that while playable, this configuration has the least headroom and would be more susceptible to frame rate drops in complex scenes compared to lower resolutions.