Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a compelling performance profile for Lockdown Protocol, a 2024-released FPS. Benchmark data shows this combination ranks 1235th out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all systems evaluated. The measured frame rates reveal a hardware pairing that scales predictably across resolutions and presets, with the most demanding 4K Ultra setting being the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this system each have closely matched rivals based on aggregate benchmark scores. For the Intel Core i7-14700K, the nearest competitor is the AMD EPYC 9115, which scores just 0.1% lower on average. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X trails by a minuscule 0.2%, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F are 0.7% and 0.9% behind respectively. This clustering means that swapping the i7-14700K for any of these processors would yield nearly identical CPU-bound behavior in Lockdown Protocol, with differences well within run-to-run variance.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, which scores 0.5% higher on average. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500M comes within 0.9% of the RX 7800 XT’s score, while the NVIDIA Tesla K20c trails by 1.3% and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT leads by 1.8%. These delta percentages are remarkably small, indicating that the RX 7800 XT occupies a performance tier where several older or workstation-oriented cards deliver comparable aggregate throughput. However, the RX 7800 XT’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth likely provide advantages in texture-heavy scenes that aggregate scores may not fully capture.

The CPU holds a 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs tested, while the GPU sits at the 51st percentile among all GPUs. This asymmetry suggests that the processor is significantly stronger relative to its peers than the graphics card is to its own competition. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the system is more likely to be GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the CPU has ample headroom at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 1235 out of 3714 tested systems, this pairing places in the 66.7th percentile of all combinations evaluated. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier position, though not a top-tier result. The rank reflects the balanced nature of the components, where the high-performing CPU compensates for the GPU’s more modest relative standing.

The ranking suggests that roughly two-thirds of tested systems perform worse than this combination, while one-third perform better. Given that the GPU sits at the 51st percentile, the CPU’s 94th percentile ranking is clearly pulling the combo upward. Systems ranked above this pairing likely feature more powerful GPUs, as the CPU is already near the top of the performance distribution. The data implies that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and capable of 4K gaming with adjusted settings, but it would not be a top contender for extreme 4K Ultra performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four quality presets, with the most complete data available at Medium settings. At 3840x2160, the system averages 111 FPS on Low, 79 FPS on Medium, 69 FPS on High, and 52 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS, indicating a playable range even at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Ultra producing only 46.8% of the frame rate of Low settings.

At 2560x1440, performance improves significantly. Low settings deliver 172 FPS average, Medium reaches 122 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS and maximum of 141 FPS, High achieves 107 FPS, and Ultra maintains 80 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system has headroom to run Ultra settings comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset still delivering 46.5% more frames than the 4K Ultra result.

At 1920x1080, the system becomes exceptionally fast. Low settings produce 235 FPS average, Medium averages 167 FPS with a minimum of 142 FPS and maximum of 192 FPS, High reaches 146 FPS, and Ultra still manages 109 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset’s minimum of 142 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain far above the playability threshold, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Scaling patterns are consistent across resolutions. Moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces average FPS by roughly 27-30% across presets, while moving from 1440p to 4K reduces performance by an additional 35-36%. The CPU’s strong single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160, helps maintain high frame rates even at lower resolutions where CPU overhead is more significant.

The Verdict

This system can run Lockdown Protocol at all three tested resolutions, but the playable settings vary. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with the best playable preset being High at 69 FPS average. Ultra at 4K falls short of the 60 FPS threshold with 52 FPS, making it unplayable by the stated criterion.

At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable. The best setting is Ultra, which delivers 80 FPS average, comfortably clearing the 60 FPS threshold. This makes 1440p the sweet spot for this combination, as it allows maximum visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, all presets are also playable, with Ultra achieving 109 FPS average. This resolution offers the highest frame rates and is best suited for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays. The verdict is clear: this PC handles Lockdown Protocol well at 1080p and 1440p with all settings, and at 4K with settings up to High.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals how the CPU and GPU share workload responsibilities across resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 126 FPS (235 vs 109), indicating that the GPU is heavily involved even at lower resolutions. However, the CPU’s 94th percentile ranking and strong single-thread performance ensure that it does not bottleneck the system at 1080p, as evidenced by the 235 FPS Low preset result.

At 1440p, the Low-to-Ultra spread narrows to 92 FPS (172 vs 80), while at 4K it narrows further to 59 FPS (111 vs 52). This progression shows the GPU becoming increasingly dominant as resolution increases. The CPU’s role diminishes at higher resolutions because the GPU’s rendering workload grows faster than the CPU’s frame preparation workload. The i7-14700K’s 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient for this game’s CPU demands, even at 1080p where CPU overhead is highest.

The scaling between resolutions also indicates GPU limitation. At Ultra settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces FPS by 26.6% (109 to 80), and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces FPS by 35% (80 to 52). These reductions are consistent with GPU-bound behavior, where pixel count and shading complexity drive performance. The GPU’s 37.32 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 60 ray accelerators are the primary determinants of frame rate at higher resolutions and quality settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with all settings maxed out?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 52, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 69 FPS.

Q: What is the best quality setting at 2560x1440 that maintains 60 FPS?

A: Ultra settings at 1440p deliver 80 FPS average, making it the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 4K on the same settings?

A: At High settings, the system averages 146 FPS at 1080p versus 69 FPS at 4K, representing a 111.6% improvement. At Medium settings, the difference is 167 FPS versus 79 FPS, a 111.4% increase.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking and high single-core performance (2160 in Cinebench R23 single-core) prevent CPU bottlenecks, while the GPU’s 51st percentile ranking shows it is the weaker relative component.

Q: Are there any settings that produce frame rates below 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: No. All tested presets at 2560x1440 produce average frame rates above 60 FPS, with the lowest being Ultra at 80 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 104, ensuring consistent performance.

Q: What is the expected performance difference between High and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, High averages 69 FPS while Ultra averages 52 FPS, making Ultra 24.6% slower. This represents the only preset at any resolution that fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which delivers 69 FPS average. Medium settings produce 79 FPS, and Low settings reach 111 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while remaining playable. Ultra at 52 FPS is not viable.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is the best playable setting, averaging 80 FPS. This provides the highest visual fidelity while still leaving 20 FPS of headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. High and Medium also remain playable, with 107 FPS and 122 FPS respectively.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is again the best setting, achieving 109 FPS average. This allows maximum quality with frame rates well above 60 FPS, suitable for high-refresh-rate displays. Medium settings reach 167 FPS, and Low hits 235 FPS for those prioritizing competitive performance over visual quality.