Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, but 4K remains a challenge. At 1920x1080, this combo clears 60 FPS on every preset, including Ultra at 73.5 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the playable ceiling is High settings at 70.9 FPS average, while Ultra dips to 52 FPS. For 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve a playable frame rate, averaging 76.8 FPS; Medium and High fall below the 60 FPS threshold at 51.6 and 47.6 FPS respectively. The data indicates a GPU-bound system at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom for competitive frame rates at lower settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users targeting a consistent 60 FPS or higher, the most demanding preset that maintains that threshold varies sharply by resolution. The recorded data shows the following optimal configurations.

1920x1080 (1080p): The best playable preset is Ultra, which yields an average of 73.5 FPS. This is the most visually demanding option available in the measurements, and it still clears the 60 FPS target by a comfortable margin. Lower presets naturally run faster: Medium averages 115 FPS, High averages 99.3 FPS, and Low averages 156.2 FPS. Since Ultra remains above 60 FPS, there is no need to compromise on visual quality at this resolution.

2560x1440 (1440p): The best playable preset is High, producing an average of 70.9 FPS. This is the highest setting that stays above the 60 FPS line. Medium is also playable at 82.3 FPS, and Low runs at 114.1 FPS. However, Ultra drops to 52 FPS, which fails the 60 FPS threshold. For a locked 60 FPS experience at 1440p, High is the recommended ceiling; choosing Ultra would require accepting a sub-60 average.

3840x2160 (4K): The only playable preset is Low, which delivers 76.8 FPS. Every other setting falls short: Medium averages 51.6 FPS, High averages 47.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 37.2 FPS. Even with Low settings, the average is well above 60 FPS, but there is no room for higher visual fidelity if the 60 FPS target is strict. Users at 4K must prioritize frame rate over graphical detail with this hardware combination.

The pattern is clear: as resolution increases, the GPU load grows disproportionately, forcing a step down in settings. At 1080p, the system has enough headroom to max out the game. At 1440p, one step below Ultra is required. At 4K, the system falls back to the lowest preset to maintain playability.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results across resolutions and presets reveal how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i7-12700K and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. The CPU is a strong performer, sitting in the 84th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 35,287. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35,305, a difference of -0.1%, meaning the i7-12700K is effectively tied with that chip. The GPU, meanwhile, ranks in the 59th percentile among all tested graphics cards, with an average score of 16,361. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, scores 16,351, a delta of 0.1%, again a negligible gap.

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p to 4K indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. Consider the Low preset: at 1920x1080, the average FPS is 156.2. Moving to 2560x1440, it drops to 114.1, a decline of 27%. At 3840x2160, it falls to 76.8, a further 33% drop from 1440p. This steep decline as pixel count increases is characteristic of GPU-bound rendering, where the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are saturated by the higher resolution workload. The CPU, with 12 cores and 20 threads, is unlikely to be the constraint here, especially since even the single-threaded performance (3dmark single thread score of 1,043, Cinebench R23 single core score of 1,850.5) is more than adequate for a modern FPS.

The preset scaling reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces the average FPS from 156.2 to 73.5, a 53% drop. At 1440p, the same preset change goes from 114.1 to 52, a 54% drop. At 4K, it goes from 76.8 to 37.2, a 52% drop. The consistency of this percentage across resolutions suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in all cases; the relative cost of each preset is similar regardless of resolution, which would not hold true if the CPU were struggling at lower resolutions and then becoming less relevant at higher ones.

However, the CPU is not irrelevant. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 156.2 FPS, a frame rate that requires strong per-thread performance to feed the GPU. The i7-12700K's boost clock of 5.00 GHz and its single-thread benchmark scores (PassMark single thread 4,013) indicate it can handle this load. The fact that the system does not show a plateau or inversion, where lower resolutions produce diminishing returns, suggests the CPU is not capping the frame rate. If the CPU were the limit, we would expect 1080p Low to be closer to 1440p Low in FPS, but the 42 FPS difference (156.2 vs 114.1) shows the GPU still has headroom to exploit the lower resolution.

In summary, the RX 5700 XT dictates the performance ceiling at every resolution. The i7-12700K provides enough compute headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck, even at high frame rates. For users overclocking or tweaking settings, the GPU is the component to watch; CPU-side changes would yield minimal gains in this game.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Only at 1920x1080. The recorded average at 1080p Ultra is 73.5 FPS. At 2560x1440 Ultra, the average drops to 52 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Ultra, it falls to 37.2 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 70.9 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS target. Medium is also playable at 82.3 FPS, but High offers better visual quality while still maintaining playability.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with the RX 5700 XT and i7-12700K in this game?

A: Yes, but only on Low settings. The average FPS at 3840x2160 Low is 76.8. Medium (51.6 FPS), High (47.6 FPS), and Ultra (37.2 FPS) all fail to reach 60 FPS, so 4K requires a significant compromise in visual fidelity.

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

A: The combination ranks 2,711 out of 3,714 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the database. This reflects the GPU's mid-range position (59th percentile) while the CPU is higher (84th percentile), creating an imbalance where the GPU holds back the overall result.

Q: Which component is more important for improving performance at 1080p?

A: The GPU. At 1080p, the system reaches 156.2 FPS on Low settings, indicating the CPU is not a limiting factor. The RX 5700 XT's performance scaling across presets (from 156.2 FPS on Low to 73.5 FPS on Ultra) shows that graphical settings have a large impact, pointing to the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

Q: Are there any settings where the i7-12700K becomes the bottleneck?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. Even at the highest frame rates recorded (156.2 FPS at 1080p Low), the system continues to scale with resolution and settings, suggesting the GPU remains the constraint. The CPU's single-thread and multi-thread scores are well above average, so it is unlikely to cap performance in this title.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable envelope depends entirely on resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable: all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra at 73.5 FPS and Low at 156.2 FPS. This is the resolution where the combo shines, offering smooth gameplay with no compromises.

At 2560x1440, the system is partially capable. High settings average 70.9 FPS, Medium averages 82.3 FPS, and Low averages 114.1 FPS, all above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra, however, drops to 52 FPS, so users must avoid the highest preset. The verdict for 1440p is playable, provided the settings are kept at High or below.

At 3840x2160, the system is barely capable. Only Low settings reach a playable average of 76.8 FPS. Medium (51.6 FPS), High (47.6 FPS), and Ultra (37.2 FPS) all fall short. The verdict for 4K is playable only under the most restrictive settings, making it a poor choice for users who demand visual quality at this resolution.

The overall verdict: this is a 1080p machine for Lockdown Protocol, with 1440p as a viable secondary option if the user accepts High settings as the ceiling. 4K is technically possible but only at Low, which most players will find unsatisfactory for a modern FPS. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p Ultra, 1440p High, and 4K Low are the maximum playable presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates recorded for every resolution and settings combination. Minimum and maximum FPS values were not recorded in the database, so only averages are available.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 76.8 FPS average
• Medium: 51.6 FPS average
• High: 47.6 FPS average
• Ultra: 37.2 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 114.1 FPS average
• Medium: 82.3 FPS average
• High: 70.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 156.2 FPS average
• Medium: 115 FPS average
• High: 99.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 73.5 FPS average

These numbers reveal the performance curve. At 1080p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 82.7 FPS (156.2 down to 73.5), showing that visual settings have a substantial impact. At 1440p, the spread is 62.1 FPS (114.1 down to 52), and at 4K, it is 39.6 FPS (76.8 down to 37.2). As resolution increases, the absolute difference between presets shrinks, but the percentage drop remains similar, again pointing to the GPU as the dominant factor.

Notably, the jump from Low to Medium at each resolution is significant: at 1080p it is a 41.2 FPS drop (156.2 to 115), at 1440p a 31.8 FPS drop (114.1 to 82.3), and at 4K a 25.2 FPS drop (76.8 to 51.6). This suggests that the Medium preset introduces a substantial increase in GPU workload, likely through higher texture quality and shading complexity. The step from Medium to High is smaller: 15.7 FPS at 1080p, 11.4 FPS at 1440p, and 4 FPS at 4K. Finally, the step from High to Ultra is again large: 25.8 FPS at 1080p, 18.9 FPS at 1440p, and 10.4 FPS at 4K. Ultra appears to be disproportionately expensive, which explains why it becomes unplayable at 1440p and 4K.

For users seeking the highest stable frame rate, the Low preset is the clear winner at every resolution, with 156.2 FPS at 1080p, 114.1 FPS at 1440p, and 76.8 FPS at 4K. For balanced visual quality, Medium at 1440p (82.3 FPS) offers a good middle ground, while High at 1080p (99.3 FPS) is also a strong choice.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination ranks 2,711 out of 3,714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 27th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 73% of the tested configurations outperform it. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU, which sits in the 59th percentile among all graphics cards. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 84th percentile among all processors, indicating a significant mismatch: the i7-12700K is a high-end chip, while the RX 5700 XT is a mid-range GPU that was released in 2019 and is now end-of-life.

To contextualize the CPU's performance, the i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35,287. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13600T at 35,305 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-12700KF at 35,365 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-13700T at 35,403 (-0.3%). All of these scores are within 0.4% of each other, meaning the i7-12700K is effectively tied with several newer or similar chips. This confirms that the CPU is not the weak link in this pairing.

For the GPU, the RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16,361. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M at 16,351 (+0.1%), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell at 16,408 (-0.3%), and the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 at 16,415 (-0.3%). These deltas are all under 1%, indicating that the RX 5700 XT sits near the bottom of a cluster of similarly performing cards. Interestingly, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 is listed as a rival with a score of 16,504 (-0.9%), which suggests the database groups by average score rather than generation or tier.

The combo rank of 2,711 out of 3,714 implies that most other tested systems feature either a more powerful GPU, a more balanced pairing, or both. Given that the CPU is strong, upgrading the GPU would likely produce the largest improvement in Lockdown Protocol's frame rates. The data shows that at 1440p Ultra, the system drops to 52 FPS, and at 4K, it struggles even on Medium. A GPU with higher memory bandwidth and more shading units would be necessary to push those resolutions into playable territory. However, for 1080p gaming, this combo remains competitive, as evidenced by the 73.5 FPS average on Ultra settings, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Users who prioritize high refresh rates at 1080p will find plenty of headroom, with Low settings reaching 156.2 FPS.