Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a strong performance profile for Lockdown Protocol, but the experience is heavily dictated by resolution. At 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, the combination clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset, including Ultra, making it a high-refresh-rate contender. At 3840x2160, however, the Ultra preset falls to 38 FPS, and High averages 48 FPS, meaning 4K gaming requires dropping to Medium for a smooth experience. The data shows a clear pattern: this system is overkill for 1080p, excellent for 1440p, and only partially capable at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have close rivals that would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. For the Intel Core i7-12700K, the nearest competitor is the Intel Core i5-13600T, which scores 35305 in average benchmark tests versus the i7-12700K’s 35287 — a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i7-12700KF is marginally faster at 35365 (0.2% delta), while the Intel Core i7-13700T posts 35403 (0.3% delta), and the Intel Core 5 213PE leads the group slightly at 35428 (0.4% delta). These deltas are all under half a percent, so swapping the i7-12700K for any of these chips would result in virtually indistinguishable frame pacing in-game.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT’s average benchmark score of 13745 places it in a tight cluster with several unexpected rivals. The AMD Radeon 660M scores 13812, just 0.5% higher, and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821, also 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 570X is 0.9% ahead at 13871, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT trails by 1.5% with a score of 13543. These are all integrated or mobile parts or older desktop cards that happen to land near the RX 7900 XT in aggregate benchmarks, but for Lockdown Protocol specifically, the measured FPS data belongs to this exact GPU, so the practical takeaway is that the RX 7900 XT sits at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms roughly half of the hardware pool.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 116 FPS. This is the ceiling for the system at this resolution, and it comfortably clears the playable threshold. The Medium preset hits 204 FPS, Low reaches 276 FPS, and High lands at 144 FPS, but Ultra is the recommended choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing the 60 FPS floor.

Moving to 2560x1440, Ultra remains playable with an average of 73 FPS, making it the best settings option. The High preset averages 91 FPS, Medium hits 129 FPS, and Low reaches 204 FPS, but since Ultra stays above 60 FPS, there is no reason to compromise on quality. The data indicates that the RX 7900 XT has enough headroom at this resolution to run the game at its highest preset.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Ultra drops to 38 FPS, and High averages 48 FPS — both below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium is the best playable setting, averaging 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. Low is also playable at 107 FPS, but the recommendation is Medium, as it provides a significantly better visual experience while still staying above 60 FPS on average.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the CPU and GPU split responsibilities in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-bound at lower presets but CPU-bound at higher ones. The jump from Low (276 FPS) to Medium (204 FPS) is a 26% drop, and then to High (144 FPS) is another 29% drop, while Ultra (116 FPS) is a 19% reduction from High. This steep decline with each preset tier suggests that the CPU, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, is keeping up easily, and the GPU is the limiting factor as visual load increases.

At 2560x1440, the pattern shifts. Low averages 204 FPS, Medium drops to 129 FPS (a 37% reduction), High falls to 91 FPS (29% lower), and Ultra hits 73 FPS (20% lower). The percentage drops are smaller from High to Ultra compared to 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more dominant as pixel count rises. The CPU’s role diminishes, though it still has headroom — the i7-12700K’s single-thread score of 1850.5 in Cinebench R23 and multi-thread score of 19784 suggest it is not the bottleneck at these frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the GPU takes over almost entirely. Low runs at 107 FPS, Medium at 67 FPS, High at 48 FPS, and Ultra at 38 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 37% drop, then 28% from Medium to High, and 21% from High to Ultra. The RX 7900 XT, with its 5376 shading units and 800.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, is clearly the limiting factor at 4K, while the CPU has ample capacity to feed frames. The verdict data confirms this: at 4K, only Low and Medium are playable, whereas at 1440p and 1080p, all four presets are playable, indicating that the GPU’s pixel throughput, not CPU compute, dictates the ceiling.

The Verdict

The data shows that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the answer varies by resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clears 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 116 FPS. This makes the system fully capable of maxed-out 1080p gaming with significant headroom for high refresh rates. At 2560x1440, the story is equally positive: Ultra averages 73 FPS, and all other presets exceed 90 FPS, so the system is fully playable at 1440p with no compromises. At 3840x2160, however, only Low and Medium meet the 60 FPS threshold, with Medium averaging 67 FPS. Ultra at 38 FPS and High at 48 FPS are not playable. The verdict is clear: this combination is a 1080p and 1440p powerhouse, but 4K users must dial down to Medium settings to maintain smooth gameplay.

The combo ranks 1145 out of 3714 tested configurations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the upper third of all systems. This position is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows strong performance at mainstream resolutions but falls short of 4K Ultra expectations. For players targeting 1440p with high refresh rates, this system delivers; for 4K enthusiasts, it requires accepting Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS data shows the following averages: Low runs at 276 FPS, Medium at 204 FPS with a minimum of 174 and maximum of 235, High at 144 FPS, and Ultra at 116 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with full min/max data at this resolution, indicating a stable frame delivery with a 61 FPS spread between minimum and maximum. The Ultra preset, while averaging 116 FPS, has no min/max recorded, but the average itself is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low averages 204 FPS, Medium averages 129 FPS with a minimum of 110 and maximum of 148, High averages 91 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The Medium preset again provides the only complete min/max data, with a 38 FPS spread. The Ultra preset’s 73 FPS average is 13 FPS above the playable threshold, giving some buffer for frame drops, though the lack of min/max data means worst-case dips are unknown.

At 3840x2160, the data is: Low averages 107 FPS, Medium averages 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 and maximum of 78, High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 38 FPS. The Medium preset is the only playable option above 60 FPS on average, but its minimum of 57 FPS falls below the threshold, meaning occasional dips are possible. The High and Ultra presets are definitively unplayable, with averages of 48 and 38 FPS respectively, both well below the 60 FPS target.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 38, which is far below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable 4K preset is Medium, which averages 67 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this PC to run Lockdown Protocol at the highest settings?

A: 2560x1440 is the best choice. At this resolution, Ultra settings average 73 FPS, which stays above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, Ultra also works at 116 FPS, but the higher pixel density of 1440p offers a better visual balance.

Q: How does the i7-12700K compare to its closest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35305, which is only 0.1% higher. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35365, a 0.2% difference, and the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428, a 0.4% difference.

Q: Is the RX 7900 XT a top-tier GPU for this game?

A: The RX 7900 XT sits at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms just over half of the hardware pool. Its average benchmark score is 13745, and its closest rival, the AMD Radeon 660M, scores 13812, a 0.5% difference.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 204, with a minimum of 174 and a maximum of 235. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold and leaves substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with any settings?

A: Yes, but only at Low and Medium presets. Low averages 107 FPS, and Medium averages 67 FPS. However, the Medium preset has a minimum of 57 FPS, so frame dips below 60 FPS are possible. High and Ultra do not reach 60 FPS, averaging 48 and 38 FPS respectively.