Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 presents a stark contrast in capability. The processor is a modern 20-core powerhouse, while the graphics card is a Pascal-era design from 2016. Benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol show this pairing is heavily constrained by the GPU, yet the CPU’s strength allows for playable frame rates at lower settings across all tested resolutions. The recorded data below breaks down exactly where this combo stands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce an average of 131 FPS. Medium settings average 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS. High settings average 81 FPS. Ultra settings, the most demanding preset, still hold an average of 61 FPS. All four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably but remains viable for several presets. Low settings average 96 FPS. Medium settings average 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. High settings average 59 FPS, just below the 60 FPS mark. Ultra settings fall to an average of 45 FPS. Only Low and Medium presets maintain averages at or above 60 FPS here.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. Low settings average 62 FPS, barely clearing the threshold. Medium settings average 44 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 38 FPS. Ultra settings produce only 29 FPS on average. The data shows that only the Low preset is playable at 4K, and even then the margin is slim.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets clearly identifies the GTX 1070 as the bottleneck. At 1080p, the CPU has ample headroom, allowing the GPU to push frame rates from 131 FPS at Low down to 61 FPS at Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 70 FPS, a 53% drop, which indicates the GPU is the primary driver of performance as settings increase.

The gap widens when resolution increases. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the average drops from 131 to 96 FPS, a 27% reduction. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, the average falls from 96 to 62 FPS, a further 35% reduction. This steep decline with resolution scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The i7-14700K, with its high multi-threaded scores such as 33440.5 in Cinebench R23, is not the limiting factor at any resolution.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent when looking at the minimum FPS figures for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 79 FPS, while the average is 93 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 58 FPS against an average of 68 FPS. The 4K Medium minimum is 37 FPS. These minimums track the averages closely, suggesting that the CPU is delivering consistent frame pacing without sudden drops, since it has more than enough processing power for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing ranks 3068 out of 3714 total combos. That puts it in the bottom 17% of all tested systems. The GPU’s benchmark percentile of 47 versus all GPUs places it squarely in the middle of the pack. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 94th percentile versus all CPUs.

This ranking reflects the severe imbalance between components. The i7-14700K’s nearest rivals in overall CPU benchmark scores include the AMD EPYC 9115 with a delta of 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X with a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX with a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F with a delta of -0.9%. The CPU is competitive with high-end workstation and desktop chips. The GTX 1070’s nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 with a delta of -0.2%, the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M with a delta of -0.5%, the NVIDIA Tesla M10 with a delta of 0.6%, and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 with a delta of 0.7%. These are professional and older cards, indicating the GPU is far behind modern gaming hardware.

The low combo rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The data shows that any system with this CPU and a more modern graphics card would rank significantly higher. The current rank is a direct consequence of pairing a top-tier 2023 processor with a mid-tier 2016 graphics card.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable settings depend heavily on the display resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The Ultra preset averages 61 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium are playable, with Medium averaging 68 FPS. High falls just short at 59 FPS, and Ultra is not viable at 45 FPS. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 62 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, with 44, 38, and 29 FPS respectively.

The verdict is clear: this is a 1080p gaming machine for Lockdown Protocol. It handles all settings at that resolution, but users at 1440p must compromise on visual quality, and 4K users are limited to the lowest preset. The i7-14700K provides enough CPU performance for any scenario, but the GTX 1070 cannot keep pace with higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080. The Ultra preset averages 61 FPS at that resolution. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 45 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it averages 29 FPS.

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

A: Medium settings are the highest playable preset at this resolution, delivering an average of 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 the bottleneck?

A: The data indicates the GTX 1070 is the limiting factor. Frame rates drop sharply with increasing resolution and settings, which is typical of GPU-bound performance. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 47th percentile.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 3068 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 17% of all systems.

Q: Is the 4K Low preset stable enough for play?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 62 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. However, the margin is small, and the database does not list minimum FPS for this configuration.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The average is 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 61 FPS. For users prioritizing visual quality, this is the optimal choice. At 2560x1440, Medium is the highest playable preset, averaging 68 FPS. This provides a solid balance between fidelity and frame rate. At 3840x2160, Low is the only playable preset, averaging 62 FPS. Users at this resolution must accept minimal visuals to maintain playability.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in benchmark scores are the AMD EPYC 9115 with a delta of 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X with a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX with a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F with a delta of -0.9%. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, meaning the frame rate differences would be negligible.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro W5000 with a delta of -0.2%, the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M with a delta of -0.5%, the NVIDIA Tesla M10 with a delta of 0.6%, and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 with a delta of 0.7%. These cards would produce very similar frame rates in this game. However, none of these alternatives are gaming-focused models, and their driver support and feature sets differ from the GTX 1070. The measured data suggests that swapping the GPU for a more modern card would have a far greater impact on performance than changing the CPU.