Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a strong showing in Lockdown Protocol, placing in the 85th percentile for both CPU and GPU performance. Across the three tested resolutions, the combination consistently exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold at most settings, with the only exception being the Ultra preset at 4K. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh 1440p gaming and fully capable of smooth 4K play with adjusted settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the measured average frame rates show a clear progression as settings increase. The Low preset produces an average of 115.6 FPS, which is the highest at this resolution. Moving to Medium drops the average to 83.3 FPS, while High still maintains a comfortable 70.5 FPS average. The Ultra preset is the only configuration at 4K that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 50.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is substantial, representing a 65.1 FPS difference.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the frame rates scale impressively. The Low preset yields an average of 177.8 FPS, which is a 62.2 FPS improvement over the 4K Low result. Medium follows at 124.2 FPS, and High reaches 108.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 85.4 FPS, which still sits well above the playability threshold. Notably, the Ultra preset at 1440p performs better than the High preset at 4K, suggesting that resolution has a more significant impact on frame rate than the quality preset tier.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system demonstrates its peak performance. The Low preset averages an exceptional 240.4 FPS, which is the highest recorded value across all tests. Medium delivers 174.2 FPS, and High achieves 148.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 112.6 FPS, which outperforms the High preset at 1440p by 3.7 FPS and the Medium preset at 4K by 29.3 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, even the most demanding settings remain far above the 60 FPS target.

The progression between presets follows a consistent pattern at each resolution. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Medium is 66.2 FPS, from Medium to High is 25.3 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 36.3 FPS. At 1440p, the equivalent drops are 53.6 FPS, 15.3 FPS, and 23.5 FPS respectively. At 4K, the drops are 32.3 FPS, 12.8 FPS, and 20.0 FPS. This indicates that the performance cost of each preset tier varies with resolution, with the largest absolute penalties occurring at lower resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts across resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU is less stressed, allowing the Intel Core i7-12700KF to demonstrate its capability. The jump from Ultra at 1080p (112.6 FPS) to Ultra at 1440p (85.4 FPS) represents a 27.2 FPS decrease, primarily attributable to the increased pixel count demanding more from the Radeon RX 6800 XT. This 24.2% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU begins to take on a more significant role at higher resolutions.

The transition from 1440p to 4K further emphasizes the GPU's importance. The Ultra preset drops from 85.4 FPS at 1440p to 50.5 FPS at 4K, a 34.9 FPS or 40.9% reduction. This substantial decline shows that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K, particularly under heavy settings. The CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p Low, where the 240.4 FPS result suggests that the processor can feed the GPU with enough data to maintain extremely high frame rates.

At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes considerably. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 65.1 FPS, while at 1080p the same comparison shows a 127.8 FPS difference. This wider spread at lower resolutions indicates that the CPU has more headroom to influence performance when the GPU is not saturated. The data suggests that for 1080p and 1440p gaming, the Core i7-12700KF provides sufficient processing power to avoid limiting the Radeon RX 6800 XT, but at 4K Ultra, the GPU's workload becomes the limiting factor.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, which achieves 70.5 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 50.5 FPS. This means that 4K users can enable High settings with confidence, while still having headroom above the threshold.

At 2560x1440, all four presets exceed the 60 FPS mark. The best settings are Ultra, which delivers an average of 85.4 FPS. This represents the optimal balance for visual fidelity and smooth performance, as even the highest quality setting leaves a comfortable margin above the playability threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, delivering 112.6 FPS. This is the only resolution where the maximum settings still provide more than 100 FPS, making it the ideal scenario for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data shows that at 1080p, the system has substantial performance reserves even under maximum load.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i7-12700KF's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35,403 and is 0.1% slower, and the Intel Core i5-13600T at 35,305, which is 0.2% faster. The Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35,428 and is 0.2% slower, while the Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35,287 and is 0.2% faster. These four alternatives would behave nearly identically in Lockdown Protocol, with performance deltas under a fraction of a percent.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT's closest competitors include the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, which has an average score of 47,743 and is 1.5% slower. The Intel Arc A550M scores 49,737 and is 2.5% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti scores 49,957 and is 3% faster. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 completes the list with a score of 50,001 and is 3% faster. These GPUs would produce very similar frame rates in this game, with the RTX 5070 Ti and RX Vega 64 offering a marginal performance advantage.

For a builder considering alternatives, swapping the CPU to any of the listed rivals would result in imperceptible changes in game performance. Similarly, choosing a GPU from the nearest rivals would shift frame rates by only a few percent, meaning the overall playability verdict would remain unchanged for each resolution and preset combination.

The Verdict

This system can run Lockdown Protocol effectively across all three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset delivering 112.6 FPS. This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution, allowing maximum settings without compromise. At 2560x1440, all four presets also remain playable, with Ultra achieving 85.4 FPS. This is the sweet spot for the hardware, offering high visual quality with excellent frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the situation is slightly more nuanced. The High, Medium, and Low presets all exceed 60 FPS, with High being the best playable setting at 70.5 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 50.5 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. For 4K users, the recommendation is to use High settings for a smooth experience, while those who prioritize frame rate over visuals can drop to Medium for 83.3 FPS or Low for 115.6 FPS.

The overall verdict is positive. The combination of the Core i7-12700KF and Radeon RX 6800 XT provides a robust gaming experience for Lockdown Protocol. The system handles 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings at frame rates well above 60 FPS, and 4K with High settings or lower. The only scenario that fails the playability test is 4K Ultra, which requires a settings reduction to maintain smooth performance.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 50.5, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 70.5 FPS.

Q: What is the highest FPS this system can achieve in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 240.4, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the peak performance across all tested configurations.

Q: How does the Core i7-12700KF compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The nearest rivals are the Core i7-13700T (0.1% slower), Core i5-13600T (0.2% faster), Core 5 213PE (0.2% slower), and Core i7-12700K (0.2% faster). Performance differences are negligible for gaming.

Q: Which GPU alternatives would perform similarly to the RX 6800 XT in this game?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile is 1.5% slower, while the Intel Arc A550M is 2.5% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 are both 3% faster. These would yield nearly identical frame rates.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1440p with this hardware?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 85.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets at this resolution are playable.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The Low preset averages 240.4 FPS, while Ultra averages 112.6 FPS. This represents a 127.8 FPS difference between the lowest and highest quality settings at 1920x1080.