Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the data showing playable frame rates at the highest settings for both resolutions. At 4K, the combo remains playable but requires a drop to Medium settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, ranking, and component roles based on the benchmark data.

Best Settings per Resolution

The benchmark results define a clear optimal configuration for each resolution, prioritizing the highest preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is entirely viable, with an average of 93 FPS. This is the most demanding setting tested, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, making it the recommended choice for players seeking maximum visual fidelity.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains playable, averaging 68 FPS. While this is above the 60 FPS threshold, the margin is narrower than at 1080p. The data shows that Ultra is the best playable setting at this resolution, as it delivers the highest quality while still maintaining a playable frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding Ultra preset falls below the playable threshold, averaging 44 FPS. The High preset also struggles, coming in at 59 FPS. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, which achieves an average of 67 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that provides a comfortable buffer above the 60 FPS target, as the data indicates that both High and Ultra fail to hit the playable mark.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds a rank of 1709 out of 3714 tested combos. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating it is a mid-pack performer overall. The rank suggests that while this combo is capable of running the game well at common resolutions, there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates, particularly at 4K where the GPU becomes a limiting factor.

The ranking reflects a balance between the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance and the GPU’s mid-range capabilities. The combo’s position is not near the top, but it is also far from the bottom, suggesting a system that will handle the game without issue at 1080p and 1440p, but which will not be a top-tier performer in absolute frame rate terms compared to more powerful hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular view of performance across all tested settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are consistently high. The Low preset produces an average of 200 FPS. The Medium preset yields an average of 142 FPS, with a minimum of 121 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS. High settings average 124 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still manages an average of 93 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 147 FPS. Medium settings deliver an average of 104 FPS, with observed minimum and maximum values of 88 FPS and 120 FPS, respectively. High settings produce an average of 91 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still playable, averages 68 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the demands on the GPU become pronounced. The Low preset averages 95 FPS. Medium settings achieve an average of 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS. The High preset falls to an average of 59 FPS, just below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging only 44 FPS.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but only with adjusted settings. The data shows that the Ultra and High presets at 3840x2160 average 44 FPS and 59 FPS, respectively, which are below the playable threshold. The Medium preset, averaging 67 FPS, is the best playable setting at this resolution.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains over 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 is playable, with an average of 68 FPS. This is the most demanding setting tested that still clears the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does the combo provide a smooth experience at 1080p?

A: The data indicates a strong performance at 1920x1080. All presets, including Ultra, average above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 93 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 200 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance drop is seen when moving from 1080p to 4K on the Ultra preset?

A: The average frame rate at 1080p Ultra is 93 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it is 44 FPS. This represents a significant drop of 49 FPS when moving to the higher resolution.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the data records a minimum FPS of 57, which is slightly below the 60 FPS target, though the average remains at 67 FPS.

Q: Based on the data, is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rates drop dramatically from 1440p to 4K, and the only playable preset (Medium) is a GPU-intensive workload. The CPU’s strong benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838, indicate it has ample headroom, while the GPU’s lower percentile rank (58) and its position relative to its rivals point to it being the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU across different resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is likely CPU-bound in many scenarios. The frame rates are very high, with the Low preset hitting 200 FPS, and the scaling from Low to Ultra is significant, dropping from 200 FPS to 93 FPS. This indicates that as settings increase, the GPU load increases, but the CPU is still capable of feeding it enough data to maintain high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a more dominant role. The frame rates are lower than at 1080p, but the pattern across settings remains consistent. The CPU’s performance is still sufficient to allow the GPU to be the primary driver of performance, as evidenced by the playable Ultra preset at 68 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is similar to 1080p, showing a 79 FPS drop, which points to the GPU being increasingly stressed by higher settings.

The 3840x2160 resolution clearly shows the GPU as the limiting factor. The frame rates are dramatically lower across all settings. The drop from 1440p Ultra (68 FPS) to 4K Ultra (44 FPS) is a 24 FPS decrease, and even the Low preset at 4K (95 FPS) is significantly lower than the Low preset at 1440p (147 FPS). This substantial performance hit when increasing resolution is a classic sign of GPU saturation. The CPU, with its high multi-threaded scores (e.g., 28838 in Cinebench R23), is unlikely to be the bottleneck at this resolution; instead, the GPU’s rendering capabilities are being exceeded.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination can run Lockdown Protocol successfully, with the experience varying by resolution.

At 1920x1080, the verdict is a clear success. All presets, from Low to Ultra, maintain average frame rates well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset, with an average of 93 FPS, provides the best visual experience without any performance concerns.

At 2560x1440, the combo also delivers a fully playable experience. The data shows that all presets, including Ultra, average above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 68 FPS, is the recommended choice for the best visual quality while still ensuring smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is conditional. The system can run the game, but not at the highest settings. The Ultra and High presets fail to reach the 60 FPS target, averaging 44 FPS and 59 FPS. The playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best option, providing an average of 67 FPS. For 4K gaming, users will need to compromise on visual quality to maintain a playable frame rate.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-12700KF has several near-identical performers according to the benchmark data. The Intel Core i7-13700T has an average score of 35403, which is a 0.1% difference from the i7-12700KF. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305, a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428, a 0.2% difference, and the Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35287, also a 0.2% difference. Any of these CPUs would provide a similar level of processing performance in Lockdown Protocol.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7700’s closest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon R9 370X, with an average score of 15862 (a 0.1% difference), and the AMD Radeon RX 9060, scoring 16014 (a 1% difference). The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679 (a 1.1% difference), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129 (a 1.7% difference). These GPUs would yield a very similar frame rate profile to the RX 7700 in this game, with the RTX 3060 Ti being marginally faster and the R9 370X being marginally slower based on the average scores.