Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a clear performance profile for Lockdown Protocol: it is a capable 1080p and 1440p machine, but it falls short of smooth playability at 4K Ultra. The data shows the system ranks 2272 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of all possible pairings for this title, yet its actual frame rates tell a more nuanced story depending on resolution and settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have closely matched rivals that would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. For the Intel Core i7-13700K, the average benchmark score is 46881, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 with an average score of 46971, which is only 0.2% higher, meaning the two processors are effectively interchangeable for gaming purposes. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 trails by 0.3% with a score of 47022, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46654, sitting 0.5% behind the i7-13700K. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, so swapping the CPU for any of these alternatives would yield virtually indistinguishable FPS results.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, putting it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 with a score of 17037, just 0.3% lower. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, also 0.4% behind, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 actually leads by 0.7% with a score of 17208. The NVIDIA Tesla M4 trails by 0.9% at 16932. Given these narrow margins, a system built with any of these GPU alternatives would land within a couple of frames per second of the RX 7600 XT's measured performance in Lockdown Protocol. The practical takeaway is that this exact CPU-GPU pairing sits in a dense cluster of hardware with similar throughput, so the gaming experience would not change meaningfully with any of these swaps.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the balance of CPU and GPU workload shifts across resolutions and presets in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 168.9 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded across all configurations. This high ceiling suggests the GPU is not fully saturated at this resolution, leaving headroom that the CPU can feed. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops the average to 122.4 FPS, a reduction of 46.5 FPS, while 3840x2160 Low falls further to 79 FPS, another 43.4 FPS lower. This pattern indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, with each step up in pixel count exacting a significant toll on frame rates.

The scaling between presets at the same resolution reinforces this interpretation. At 1920x1080, the jump from Low to Medium costs 49.2 FPS (from 168.9 to 119.7), and from Medium to High the drop is 13.5 FPS (to 106.2), while Ultra costs another 27.5 FPS (to 78.7). The largest single hit comes from the Low-to-Medium transition, which taxes the GPU more heavily as additional visual effects activate. At 2560x1440, the same progression shows Low at 122.4 FPS, Medium at 87.7 FPS (a 34.7 FPS drop), High at 75.2 FPS (12.5 FPS lower), and Ultra at 59.9 FPS (15.3 FPS below High). At 3840x2160, the preset scaling compresses further: Low delivers 79 FPS, Medium 56.7 FPS, High 49 FPS, and Ultra 38.9 FPS.

These numbers demonstrate that the CPU's role is most prominent at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU can produce frames quickly enough to expose any CPU limitations. At 1080p Low, the frame rate is high enough that the i7-13700K's single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 1136 and passmark_single_thread score of 4333) keeps the GPU fed. However, the GPU's influence dominates at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the steep FPS declines when moving from 1440p to 4K at every preset. The data shows no scenario where the CPU appears to hold back performance; instead, the RX 7600 XT's compute resources (22.57 TFLOPS FP32, 2048 shading units) dictate the upper bounds of frame delivery.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a complete picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 168.9 FPS on Low, 119.7 FPS on Medium, 106.2 FPS on High, and 78.7 FPS on Ultra. The spread from Low to Ultra is 90.2 FPS, demonstrating a wide range of visual headroom at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 122.4 FPS on Low, 87.7 FPS on Medium, 75.2 FPS on High, and 59.9 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 62.5 FPS, reflecting the increased GPU load at higher pixel counts. Notably, the Ultra preset at 1440p dips just below the 60 FPS playable threshold, marking the first point where the system fails to maintain smooth performance.

At 3840x2160, the results are more constrained: 79 FPS on Low, 56.7 FPS on Medium, 49 FPS on High, and 38.9 FPS on Ultra. The Low preset is the only setting that clears 60 FPS at this resolution, and even it falls well short of the frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The data does not include min or max FPS figures, so all analysis relies on average frame rates, which tend to smooth over transient dips. However, the consistent pattern across resolutions suggests that the averages are representative of sustained performance rather than brief peaks.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the answer depends heavily on the target resolution and quality settings. The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and the verdict by resolution is clear. At 1920x1080, every preset clears 60 FPS, including Ultra at 78.7 FPS, making this the only resolution where the system is fully unconstrained. At 2560x1440, three of four presets are playable — Low at 122.4 FPS, Medium at 87.7 FPS, and High at 75.2 FPS — but Ultra falls to 59.9 FPS, just shy of the mark. At 3840x2160, only Low is playable at 79 FPS; Medium (56.7), High (49), and Ultra (38.9) all miss the threshold.

The data indicates that this combination is best suited for 1080p gaming with maximum settings, offering a substantial margin above 60 FPS. At 1440p, the system is capable but requires a trade-off: High settings deliver a comfortable 75.2 FPS, while Ultra demands a modest reduction in visual fidelity to stay smooth. At 4K, the hardware is overmatched for anything beyond the lowest preset, and even then, the 79 FPS average provides limited headroom for demanding scenes. Overall, the verdict is that the system is a strong 1080p performer, a solid 1440p choice with settings compromises, and a marginal 4K option restricted to Low.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the optimal preset is the most demanding one that still maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which delivers 78.7 FPS. This provides both the highest visual quality and a comfortable margin above the playable threshold, making it the clear choice for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, achieving 75.2 FPS. Choosing Ultra would save only a slight visual upgrade but would drop the frame rate to 59.9 FPS, failing the 60 FPS criterion. High is the sweet spot, balancing visual fidelity with smooth performance.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Low, which produces 79 FPS. This is the only preset at 4K that clears the threshold, and while Low sacrifices most graphical enhancements, it remains the sole playable option. The data shows that Medium at 56.7 FPS, High at 49 FPS, and Ultra at 38.9 FPS are all unsuitable for a smooth experience at this resolution. Users seeking higher quality at 4K would need to consider alternative hardware, as this pairing cannot deliver both resolution and settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 78.7, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold with a 18.7 FPS margin.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 deliver 75.2 FPS, which is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. Ultra at this resolution drops to 59.9 FPS, just below the threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, which achieves 79 FPS at 3840x2160. Medium (56.7 FPS), High (49 FPS), and Ultra (38.9 FPS) all fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900's score of 46971. The difference is negligible for gaming performance.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average score of 17083, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 3070's 17208. In Lockdown Protocol, this translates to a difference of only a few frames per second at most.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1920x1080?

A: Low settings produce 168.9 FPS, while Ultra produces 78.7 FPS, a difference of 90.2 FPS. This shows the significant performance cost of maximum visual quality at this resolution.