Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions. At 4K, the combo averages 98 FPS on High settings and 73 FPS on Ultra, while at 1440p, it reaches 151 FPS on High and 113 FPS on Ultra. The data indicates this pairing is far beyond the 60 FPS playability threshold, with the most demanding preset at each resolution still clearing that mark with substantial headroom.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each sit near specific rivals in synthetic benchmarks, which suggests which alternative hardware would produce comparable in-game behavior. The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53,620, placing it within 1% of several processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53,288, a 0.6% delta from the i7-14700F, meaning in CPU-bound scenarios these two would be nearly indistinguishable. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53,701 (-0.2% delta) and the AMD EPYC 7313P scores 53,206 (0.8% delta), both also within a rounding error of the i7-14700F’s performance. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53,469 (0.3% delta), rounding out a cluster of four rivals that all sit within 1% of each other. For Lockdown Protocol, swapping the i7-14700F for any of these would yield essentially identical CPU-driven frame rates.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4080’s average benchmark score is 54,247, with its closest rival being the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54,209 (0.1% delta). This effectively means the RTX 4080 SUPER would behave identically in this game, a trivial difference that would not alter any measured FPS. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (-1.1% delta), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (-2.6% delta) and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (-2.7% delta). These three AMD cards actually score slightly higher on average, though the deltas remain small. In practice, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the only true near-equivalent; the AMD alternatives would come close but might show minor deviations in Lockdown Protocol’s specific rendering paths, particularly at higher resolutions where GPU load increases.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals how the balance shifts between CPU and GPU across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 333 FPS, while Medium drops to 236 FPS (-97 FPS), High falls to 206 FPS (-127 FPS from Low), and Ultra bottoms out at 155 FPS. The massive gap between Low and Medium at 1080p suggests the GPU is not the primary constraint at lower settings — the CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads are feeding frames fast enough that even a 333 FPS average is achievable. At 2560x1440, Low averages 244 FPS, which is 89 FPS lower than 1080p Low, indicating the GPU begins to take on more responsibility as pixel count rises. The 1440p Ultra average of 113 FPS is 42 FPS below 1080p Ultra’s 155 FPS, a steeper drop than the CPU alone would cause.

At 3840x2160, the GPU role becomes dominant. Low averages 157 FPS, down 87 FPS from 1440p Low and 176 FPS from 1080p Low. Medium at 4K averages 112 FPS, High averages 98 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at each preset shows a consistent 30-40% performance reduction, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s influence is most visible at 1080p Low, where the 333 FPS ceiling is likely near the engine’s CPU-limited maximum. As resolution increases, the RTX 4080’s 16 GB GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth become the limiting factor, though even at 4K Ultra the combination never falls below 73 FPS. The data implies that for this game, the CPU matters most at 1080p with lower presets, while the GPU dictates performance at 4K and at higher quality settings across all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

Among 3,714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing ranks 205th. That places it in the top 5.5% of all combos, which is remarkable given the game’s recent release date of 2024-03-11 and the sheer number of possible CPU-GPU pairings. The rank reflects the synergy between a 91st-percentile CPU (i7-14700F) and an 86th-percentile GPU (RTX 4080), both of which are high-end but not absolute top-tier parts. The 205th rank out of 3,714 suggests that while many combinations outperform it, the vast majority of systems tested would deliver lower frame rates.

The fact that the RTX 4080 is marked as end-of-life production status and has a successor in the GeForce 50 series does not diminish its standing here — the measured data shows it still holds up exceptionally well in this specific title. The i7-14700F, with its 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs, provides enough single-thread and multi-thread performance to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at any resolution. The gap between this combo’s rank (205) and the top spot is likely filled by newer or more expensive combinations, but for Lockdown Protocol’s requirements, this pairing sits comfortably in the upper echelon.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol with maximum settings at all three tested resolutions, and it clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a wide margin. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 73 FPS, which is 13 FPS above the threshold — playable but with the least headroom. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 113 FPS, nearly double the threshold, while at 1920x1080, Ultra averages 155 FPS. The verdict data lists all four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) as playable at every resolution, meaning even the most demanding preset at 4K stays above 60 FPS. For gamers targeting 4K Ultra, the 73 FPS average means smooth gameplay with no drops below 60 FPS expected, though the min FPS data is only available for Medium (95 FPS at 4K). The 1440p and 1080p results provide such massive headroom that even the most demanding future updates to the game would likely remain playable.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset at 4K for this combo?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 73 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the best settings choice for 4K since it delivers the highest visual quality while still clearing the minimum requirement.

Q: How much performance drops from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (155 FPS) to 4K (73 FPS) is 82 FPS, or a 53% reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 333 FPS to 157 FPS, a 176 FPS difference (53% reduction as well).

Q: Is the RTX 4080 the bottleneck or the CPU?

A: The data shows CPU influence is strongest at 1080p Low (333 FPS), while the GPU becomes the primary constraint at 4K. The RTX 4080’s 73 FPS at 4K Ultra versus the i7-14700F’s high single-thread scores suggests the GPU limits at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only min FPS values available are for Medium settings: 95 FPS at 4K, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 201 FPS at 1080p. No min FPS data is provided for Low, High, or Ultra presets.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 4080 SUPER alternative?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080. In practical terms, you would not see a measurable difference in Lockdown Protocol frame rates.

Q: Does this rank change with different resolutions?

A: The combo rank of 205 out of 3,714 is a single overall ranking for the game, not per-resolution. The measured FPS data suggests the rank would be similar across resolutions since the combo clears 60 FPS at all settings everywhere.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 73 FPS. While High (98 FPS) and Medium (112 FPS) offer more headroom, Ultra still clears the threshold, so it is the recommended choice for maximum visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 113 FPS, providing both high quality and substantial margin above 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 155 FPS, making it the clear best option with nearly 2.6x the playability threshold. In all three cases, the most demanding preset is playable, which is unusual for modern games and speaks to the strength of this hardware combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160: Low averages 157 FPS, with no min or max data. Medium averages 112 FPS, with a min of 95 FPS and max of 129 FPS. High averages 98 FPS, with no min or max data. Ultra averages 73 FPS, with no min or max data.

2560x1440: Low averages 244 FPS, with no min or max data. Medium averages 173 FPS, with a min of 147 FPS and max of 199 FPS. High averages 151 FPS, with no min or max data. Ultra averages 113 FPS, with no min or max data.

1920x1080: Low averages 333 FPS, with no min or max data. Medium averages 236 FPS, with a min of 201 FPS and max of 272 FPS. High averages 206 FPS, with no min or max data. Ultra averages 155 FPS, with no min or max data.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions, showing consistent frame pacing: 95-129 FPS at 4K, 147-199 FPS at 1440p, and 201-272 FPS at 1080p. The absence of min/max data for other presets means only average performance can be assessed for Low, High, and Ultra. The pattern across all resolutions shows that each step from Low to Medium incurs a significant FPS penalty (44-97 FPS), while the step from High to Ultra is smaller in absolute terms but still noticeable (25-38 FPS). This suggests the game’s Ultra preset adds substantial visual effects that tax the GPU, while the jump from Low to Medium involves more fundamental rendering changes.