Lockdown Protocol

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the Intel Core i5-9400 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers 79 FPS average on Low settings, which is the only playable preset at this resolution. Medium settings drop to 56 FPS average, with recorded minimums of 48 FPS and maximums of 65 FPS, placing it below the 60 FPS playability threshold. High settings produce 49 FPS average, while Ultra falls further to 37 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial, a 42 FPS difference, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed as visual fidelity increases.

Moving to 2560x1440, the combination shows considerably more headroom. Low settings produce 123 FPS average, Medium reaches 87 FPS with minimums of 74 and maximums of 100, and High settles at 76 FPS average. Ultra is the outlier at 57 FPS average, narrowly missing the 60 FPS target. The 1440p results demonstrate that this pairing handles most presets comfortably, with only the highest quality tier falling short.

At 1920x1080, the system performs strongly across the board. Low settings hit 163 FPS average, Medium records 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 and maximum of 137, High delivers 104 FPS average, and Ultra still manages 78 FPS average. Every preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution the most versatile for the combo. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs 85 FPS, but even the most demanding setting remains fluid.

The measured data shows a consistent pattern: each resolution step down grants roughly 50 percent more performance at equivalent settings. For instance, High at 1440p yields 76 FPS versus 49 FPS at 4K, and High at 1080p yields 104 FPS versus 76 FPS at 1440p. The medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions, and it shows that frame pacing remains stable, with the 1080p Medium spread of 101 to 137 being the widest recorded range.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary performance driver at 3840x2160. The sharp drop from 79 FPS at Low to 37 FPS at Ultra, a 53 percent reduction, reflects the GPU's workload scaling with pixel count and shading complexity. The Core i5-9400, with its six cores and six threads, does not appear to constrain the GPU at 4K, as even the lowest settings produce nearly 80 FPS, which is respectable for a high-resolution output.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The RTX 5050 still dominates, but the CPU begins to show its influence in the upper presets. Ultra at 1440p produces 57 FPS, only 19 FPS below Low, suggesting that the processor can keep up with the GPU's output at this resolution. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 66 FPS, smaller than the 42 FPS delta at 4K in absolute terms but proportionally less severe, indicating a more balanced workload distribution.

At 1920x1080, the CPU and GPU roles become more evenly matched. The 163 FPS Low result hints that the RTX 5050 is not fully saturated, as the frame rate is high but not extreme. The Core i5-9400's single-thread performance, reflected in its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, likely prevents higher frame rates in lighter scenes. The Ultra preset at 78 FPS still demonstrates that the GPU handles the graphical load, but the CPU's six threads may limit peak output in less demanding settings.

Across resolutions, the pattern is clear: the GPU governs performance at 4K and 1440p, while the CPU becomes a more relevant factor at 1080p. The recorded scaling between Low and Ultra at each resolution supports this, with the largest absolute drops occurring at 4K where the GPU is the bottleneck. The database's measured FPS data shows no anomalies suggesting CPU throttling, as minimum FPS values at Medium settings remain within reasonable range of averages.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on a 4K display?

A: Yes, but only on Low settings, where it achieves 79 FPS average. Medium drops to 56 FPS, High to 49 FPS, and Ultra to 37 FPS, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 deliver 76 FPS average, which is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Ultra falls to 57 FPS, just short of playable.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. It sits 1.6 percent above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713) and 0.6 percent below the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21153). The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile leads by 1.6 percent (21379).

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 5050?

A: The data suggests limited CPU bottlenecking. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 163 FPS, and at 1440p Low it hits 123 FPS, indicating the GPU is still the main limiter. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 places it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p Ultra?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 produces 78 FPS average, comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the only resolution where Ultra is playable.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: It ranks 2405 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database's tested hardware pool for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 2405 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 35th percentile of the database's tested systems. This is a modest standing, reflecting the mid-range nature of both components. The CPU itself sits in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254, nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 and is 0.2 percent faster. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 trails by 0.4 percent at 2246, while the Intel Core i3-10305 is 0.4 percent ahead at 2264.

The GPU performs better in relative terms, landing in the 66th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, is 0.6 percent faster at 21153, and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M is 1 percent faster at 21237. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile leads by 1.6 percent at 21379, while the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT trails by 1.6 percent at 20713. This places the RTX 5050 in a competitive mid-range GPU tier.

The combination's ranking in Lockdown Protocol is lower than the individual component percentiles might suggest, indicating that the game's performance profile is sensitive to both CPU and GPU capabilities. At 1080p, the combo performs well, with all presets clearing 60 FPS, but at 4K it struggles beyond Low settings. The rank of 2405 out of 3714 means a majority of tested systems outperform this pairing, but the recorded FPS data shows it remains capable for most gaming scenarios at 1080p and 1440p.

Comparing to the nearest CPU rivals, the Core i7-1068NG7 is essentially tied in synthetic benchmarks, so real-world gaming differences would be minimal. The Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 and Core i3-10305 are also within 0.4 percent, meaning the CPU choice has little impact on the overall rank. The GPU's position among its rivals is similarly tight, with all four nearest competitors within 1.6 percent, so the ranking is more a function of the game's demands than component class.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear: this system can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or above in specific configurations. At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve playable performance, with 79 FPS average. Medium falls to 56 FPS, High to 49 FPS, and Ultra to 37 FPS, so 4K gaming is limited to the lowest quality preset. At 2560x1440, High settings deliver 76 FPS average, Low hits 123 FPS, and Medium reaches 87 FPS, all above the threshold. Ultra at 1440p is the sole exception at 57 FPS, so players must avoid the highest preset. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra at 78 FPS, High at 104 FPS, Medium at 119 FPS, and Low at 163 FPS.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The RTX 5050's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for these resolutions, and the Core i5-9400's six threads do not cause major frame drops, as evidenced by the minimum FPS values at Medium settings. The 4K experience is playable but requires significant graphical sacrifices, and the Ultra preset at any resolution above 1080p should be avoided.

For players with a 1080p monitor, this system offers a fully playable experience at all quality levels, with Ultra producing 78 FPS. For 1440p users, High settings are the sweet spot at 76 FPS, providing a good balance of visual quality and performance. 4K users must settle for Low settings to maintain fluid gameplay. The overall verdict is that this is a capable mid-range gaming system, with its limitations appearing only at higher resolutions and maximum quality settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Low, which delivers 79 FPS average. Medium is not viable at 56 FPS, so players with 4K displays should select Low for smooth performance. At 2560x1440, High is the optimal choice, producing 76 FPS average. Low and Medium also clear the threshold at 123 and 87 FPS respectively, but High offers the best visual quality while maintaining playability. At 1920x1080, Ultra is the recommended setting, achieving 78 FPS average. All presets at 1080p are playable, but Ultra provides the most demanding visual experience without dropping below the 60 FPS target.

The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at each resolution is as follows: Low at 4K (79 FPS), High at 1440p (76 FPS), and Ultra at 1080p (78 FPS). These settings represent the maximum visual quality that remains fluid for each resolution. Players seeking higher quality at 4K would need to accept frame rates below the playability threshold, as the gap between Low and Medium is 23 FPS. At 1440p, the jump from High to Ultra costs 19 FPS, making Ultra a poor trade-off. At 1080p, the difference between High and Ultra is 26 FPS, but both remain above 60 FPS, so Ultra is the clear choice for image quality.