Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with 4K playable only at lower settings. The measured frame rates show a clear pattern: this pairing is well-balanced for mainstream gaming, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and presets.

FAQ

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

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 83 FPS. Medium averages 59 FPS (with dips to 50), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS, so 4K gaming requires dropping to Low settings.

Q: What is the best 1440p setting for a smooth experience?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages exactly 60 FPS, making it the highest playable setting. Medium runs at 91 FPS, High at 80 FPS, and Low at 128 FPS, giving plenty of headroom if you prefer higher refresh rates.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rival in raw performance?

A: The RX 9060's average benchmark score of 16014 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129), sitting just 0.7% behind. It also edges out the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852) by about 1%.

Q: Is the Core i7-12700KF a strong CPU for this game?

A: The CPU ranks in the 85th percentile of all tested processors, with a multi-threaded Cinebench R23 score of 28838. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403 (within 0.1%), showing this chip remains competitive in its class.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo averages 109 FPS. For comparison, Ultra runs at 81 FPS, Medium at 124 FPS, and Low reaches 175 FPS.

Q: Does the game favor the CPU or GPU at lower resolutions?

A: At 1080p, the gap between Low (175 FPS) and Ultra (81 FPS) is 94 FPS, indicating strong GPU scaling as settings increase. The CPU's 20 threads and high single-thread score (4071 in Cinebench R23) provide ample headroom, so the GPU dictates performance at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals show that the i7-12700KF sits in a tightly packed group. The Intel Core i7-13700T matches it almost exactly (35403 vs 35365 average score, just 0.1% lower), while the Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305 (0.2% higher). The Intel Core 7 213PE is 0.2% ahead at 35428, and the i7-12700K is 0.2% behind at 35287. Any of these chips would deliver virtually identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, since the game's performance at 1080p and 1440p is primarily GPU-bound.

On the GPU side, the RX 9060's performance neighborhood is equally close. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the nearest competitor (16129 vs 16014, 0.7% faster), making it a direct swap-in for similar results. The AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862) and AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852) are both about 1% slower, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 trails by 2.1% (15679). In practice, all four alternatives would produce nearly indistinguishable frame rates in this title, with differences well within run-to-run variance.

For a builder choosing between these parts, the data suggests that upgrading to a faster GPU would yield more visible gains than swapping the CPU. The i7-12700KF's nearest rivals all cluster within 0.2% of its score, meaning no meaningful CPU-side upgrade exists in this price tier. However, the RX 9060's rivals bracket it closely too, so the entire group represents a consistent performance level rather than a step up.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the balance shifts across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the frame rate scales dramatically with settings: Low hits 175 FPS, Medium drops to 124, High falls to 109, and Ultra lands at 81. This 94 FPS spread from Low to Ultra shows the GPU working hard as settings increase, while the CPU easily keeps up even at the lowest preset's high frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern continues but with less absolute headroom. Low runs at 128 FPS, Medium at 91, High at 80, and Ultra at exactly 60. The drop from 1080p Low (175 FPS) to 1440p Low (128 FPS) is 47 FPS, indicating that resolution scaling is already taxing the GPU. The CPU's role diminishes further here, as even the most demanding preset (Ultra at 60 FPS) doesn't push the i7-12700KF to its limits.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low averages 83 FPS, Medium drops to 59, High falls to 51, and Ultra manages just 39. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 44 FPS, while at 1080p it's 94 FPS — this compression shows that the GPU is running out of resources as resolution climbs. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking (with a PassMark multi-thread score of 34092) means it could support higher frame rates, but the RX 9060's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 288 GB/s bandwidth cap performance at 4K.

In practical terms, the i7-12700KF is never the limiting factor in Lockdown Protocol. Even the lowest measured frame rate (39 FPS at 4K Ultra) is well above what the CPU would bottleneck at, given its 20 threads and high single-core performance. The RX 9060, with its 59th percentile GPU ranking, dictates the experience at every resolution and preset combination tested.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Lockdown Protocol, this pairing ranks 2194 out of 3714 total combos. That places it in the 41st percentile of all systems tested, meaning roughly 59% of combinations perform better. This is a mid-pack result, which aligns with the hardware's individual percentiles — the CPU is solidly above average (85th percentile), while the GPU sits slightly below the median (59th percentile).

The rank reflects the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. At 1080p and 1440p, the combo delivers playable-to-excellent frame rates across all presets, which would suggest a better ranking than 2194. However, the 4K results (only Low is playable) drag down the overall position. For context, a system with a stronger GPU but the same CPU would likely rank significantly higher, since the i7-12700KF provides enough headroom to support faster graphics cards.

The 3714 tested combos span a wide range of hardware, and this specific pairing's rank of 2194 puts it in the lower-middle portion of that field. It's not a bottom-tier setup by any means, but it's also not competitive with high-end configurations that pair top-tier CPUs with flagship GPUs. For the intended use case — mainstream 1080p and 1440p gaming — the rank is reasonable, though it flatters the 4K capability less than the lower-resolution results would suggest.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience depends heavily on your target resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold: Low runs at 175 FPS, Medium at 124 FPS, High at 109 FPS, and Ultra at 81 FPS. This makes 1080p entirely playable, with enough headroom for high-refresh monitors at Medium or High settings.

At 2560x1440, all four presets also stay above 60 FPS. Ultra averages exactly 60 FPS, High runs at 80 FPS, Medium at 91 FPS, and Low at 128 FPS. This resolution is fully playable, though the Ultra preset leaves no margin for demanding scenes — the data shows a minimum of 77 FPS at Medium, but no minimum was recorded for Ultra.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 83 FPS. Medium falls just short at 59 FPS (with a minimum of 50 FPS), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS. 4K gaming is technically possible but requires accepting significant visual compromises. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1080p and 1440p support all settings, while 4K supports only Low.

For a smooth experience, target 1440p with High or Medium settings — you'll get 80-91 FPS with solid visual quality. If you have a 4K display, stick to Low settings for playable frame rates, or consider a stronger GPU if you want higher visual fidelity at that resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Low, which averages 83 FPS. This is the only preset at 4K that clears the 60 FPS threshold — Medium averages 59 FPS (below threshold), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS. The Low preset provides a comfortable margin over the playability threshold, but you'll sacrifice most visual effects to achieve it.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Ultra, averaging exactly 60 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above the threshold. If you prefer more headroom, High averages 80 FPS and Medium averages 91 FPS — both are excellent choices for smoother motion. Low runs at 128 FPS for maximum performance.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, averaging 81 FPS. This gives you the full visual experience with nearly 35% headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. For even higher frame rates, High averages 109 FPS, Medium runs at 124 FPS, and Low hits 175 FPS — the latter ideal for 165Hz or 240Hz monitors if you prioritize competitive play over visual quality.

The recommended setup is 1440p Ultra for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, or 1080p Ultra if you want maximum settings with higher frame rates. For 4K displays, Low is the only viable option, delivering 83 FPS but with noticeably reduced detail.