Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, but the combination struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The data shows this combo ranks in the 65th percentile (rank 2439 out of 3714 tested combos), indicating a mid-to-upper tier pairing that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions. While the CPU is a top-tier performer (89th percentile among all CPUs), the GPU’s 65th percentile ranking and 8 GB of VRAM become the limiting factor at higher resolutions, particularly when pushing Ultra settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets, with the system delivering playable frame rates in most scenarios but falling short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K Ultra and 4K High settings.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are mixed. With Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 80.7 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin. However, stepping up to Medium drops the average to 53.7 FPS, a 33% reduction that pushes the system below playable levels. High settings yield 47.8 FPS, and Ultra settings sink to 35 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial — a 56.6% performance loss — indicating that the RX 6650 XT is heavily taxed at 4K when visual fidelity increases.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system performs much better. Low settings produce a robust 122.3 FPS average, while Medium hits 85.6 FPS. High settings deliver 72.4 FPS, which remains above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Ultra settings, however, drop to 56.6 FPS, narrowly missing the playable mark. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 53.7% reduction in performance, but the system retains playability at three out of four preset levels.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo is clearly in its element. Low settings hit 165 FPS, Medium reaches 119 FPS, High delivers 104.2 FPS, and even Ultra maintains a strong 76.7 FPS average. Every preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra still offering a 27.8% headroom above playable. The performance drop from Low to Ultra is 53.5%, similar to the 1440p scaling, but the absolute numbers are high enough that even the most demanding preset remains smooth.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the primary performance bottleneck in this pairing, especially at higher resolutions. The Intel Core i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, delivers strong synthetic scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core: 30,745; single-core: 2,116) and ranks in the 89th percentile against all CPUs. This level of CPU performance is more than sufficient to feed the GPU in Lockdown Protocol, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across presets at each resolution.

The GPU’s role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU has ample headroom to drive high frame rates — the 165 FPS Low preset result suggests the system is not CPU-limited, as the i7-13700K’s single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread: 4,333) is among the best available. Moving to 1440p, the GPU begins to show strain at Ultra settings (56.6 FPS), while the CPU remains capable of pushing higher frame rates if the GPU could deliver them. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor: the drop from Low (80.7 FPS) to Medium (53.7 FPS) is a 33.5% reduction, and Ultra (35 FPS) is less than half of Low’s performance. This scaling pattern — where frame rates fall sharply with each preset increase at 4K but remain relatively stable at 1080p — confirms that the RX 6650 XT’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-fidelity 4K rendering.

The CPU’s strength is also evident in the minimal frame rate differences between resolutions at the same preset. For example, at Low settings, the system delivers 165 FPS at 1080p, 122.3 FPS at 1440p, and 80.7 FPS at 4K. This 1080p-to-4K reduction of 51.1% is consistent with GPU-bound scaling, where the CPU’s role remains constant but the GPU workload increases. At Ultra settings, the same comparison shows 76.7 FPS at 1080p, 56.6 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K — a 54.4% drop from 1080p to 4K. The similarity in these scaling ratios across presets indicates that the CPU is not introducing variability; the GPU’s rendering load is the dominant factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2439 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in approximately the 65th percentile (calculated from rank position). This ranking situates it firmly in the upper-middle tier of tested systems, with room for improvement but also clear capability for mainstream gaming.

Compared to the GPU’s individual performance, the combo ranking aligns closely with the RX 6650 XT’s 65th percentile position among all GPUs (PassMark G3D score: 17,166). The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (delta -0.6%), AMD FirePro D300 (delta +0.7%), and AMD FirePro W7000 (delta -0.7%), all of which are within 1% of the RX 6650 XT’s average benchmark score of 19,765. This clustering suggests the RX 6650 XT is competitively positioned within its performance class, and the combo’s overall rank reflects this mid-tier status.

The CPU, however, outperforms its GPU counterpart significantly. The i7-13700K’s average benchmark score of 46,881 places it just 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46,971) and 0.5% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46,654). With an 89th percentile ranking, the CPU is clearly not the weak link in this pairing. The data indicates that if the GPU were upgraded, the combo’s rank would improve substantially, as the CPU has demonstrated headroom in synthetic tests (PassMark multi-thread: 45,887) that exceeds what Lockdown Protocol demands at these settings.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies significantly by resolution and preset. The verdict by resolution is clear:

• 3840x2160: Only Low settings are playable, with an average of 80.7 FPS. Medium (53.7 FPS), High (47.8 FPS), and Ultra (35 FPS) all fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold. For 4K gaming, users must accept Low settings to maintain smooth performance.

• 2560x1440: Three presets are playable — Low (122.3 FPS), Medium (85.6 FPS), and High (72.4 FPS). Ultra settings (56.6 FPS) miss the mark by a narrow margin. The best playable experience at 1440p is High, which offers a 20.7% buffer above 60 FPS.

• 1920x1080: All four presets clear 60 FPS, with Low (165 FPS), Medium (119 FPS), High (104.2 FPS), and Ultra (76.7 FPS). This resolution provides the most flexibility, allowing players to max out settings while still maintaining playable frame rates.

The system is best suited for 1080p gaming at any preset, or 1440p gaming with High settings or lower. At 4K, the RX 6650 XT’s limitations become apparent, and only Low settings are viable.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 76.7 FPS, which is 27.8% above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: High settings deliver 72.4 FPS, which is the highest preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 56.6 FPS, below the playable threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, which produce 80.7 FPS. Medium (53.7 FPS), High (47.8 FPS), and Ultra (35 FPS) all fall below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i7-13700K scores 46,881 on average, which is 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46,971) and 0.5% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46,654).

Q: What is the GPU’s synthetic benchmark score relative to its peers?

A: The RX 6650 XT averages 19,765, with its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla K40m, scoring 19,885 (0.6% higher). The AMD FirePro D300 scores 19,637 (0.7% lower).

Q: How many total combos does this pairing rank above?

A: This combo ranks 2439 out of 3714 tested combos, meaning it outperforms approximately 1275 other combinations.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution is as follows:

• 3840x2160: Low settings — 80.7 FPS average. This is the only playable preset at 4K, as Medium drops to 53.7 FPS.

• 2560x1440: High settings — 72.4 FPS average. High is the most demanding playable preset, with Medium (85.6 FPS) and Low (122.3 FPS) also viable but visually less impressive.

• 1920x1080: Ultra settings — 76.7 FPS average. Ultra is fully playable at 1080p, offering the best visual quality while still maintaining a 16.7 FPS buffer above the 60 FPS threshold.