Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 presents a significant CPU-GPU performance imbalance in Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title. The benchmark data, measured directly rather than estimated, shows that the Radeon RX 6600 is the primary constraint across most resolutions, while the 20-core, 28-thread Core i7-14700KF provides ample headroom. Across the three tested resolutions, the combo delivers a range of experiences from a locked-feeling 146 FPS at 1080p Low down to a demanding 32 FPS at 4K Ultra, making the choice of resolution and preset critical for achieving the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy dictated by resolution and settings. At 3840x2160 (4K), the combo is heavily GPU-bound. With High settings, the average FPS is 43, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Dropping to Medium settings yields an average of 49 FPS, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS, indicating noticeable frame pacing variance. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of just 32 FPS. The only playable option at this resolution is the Low preset, which achieves an average of 69 FPS, a substantial jump that underscores the GPU's sensitivity to graphical load.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the situation improves considerably. The High preset achieves an average of 66 FPS, just clearing the 60 FPS bar. The Medium preset is more comfortable, with an average of 76 FPS, a minimum of 64 FPS, and a maximum of 87 FPS, providing a smoother experience with less severe dips. The Low preset is exceptionally fast, hitting an average of 107 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, remains unplayable with an average of 50 FPS, showing that the most demanding settings still overwhelm the GPU at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combination demonstrates its full potential. The Low preset produces a remarkable average of 146 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset maintains a strong average of 103 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. The High preset delivers an average of 90 FPS, which is still well above the playability threshold. Even the Ultra preset, which cripples performance at higher resolutions, is playable here, achieving an average of 68 FPS. This data confirms that 1080p is the native sweet spot for this hardware pairing, where the CPU's power can be fully utilized.

How This Combo Ranks

In the aggregate ranking for Lockdown Protocol, this specific combination of the Core i7-14700KF and Radeon RX 6600 sits at rank 2901 out of 3714 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all possible configurations, which is expected given the GPU's mid-range positioning. The percentile data supports this: the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. The combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU, which is the bottleneck in most scenarios. This ranking indicates that while the system is capable of running the game, it is not a high-end configuration in the context of all possible hardware pairings. The data suggests that the CPU is overqualified for the GPU, and the system's performance in Lockdown Protocol is largely defined by the Radeon RX 6600's capabilities.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results make it clear that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, but the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 4K, the scaling between presets is stark: dropping from High to Low increases the average FPS from 43 to 69, a massive 60% improvement. This is a clear sign of GPU limitation, as the CPU has no trouble feeding frames at this resolution. The CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads are largely idle while the GPU struggles to keep up.

At 1440p, the GPU remains the primary bottleneck, but the CPU's influence begins to show. The difference between Low and High presets is a 41 FPS gap (107 vs 66), which is still significant but less dramatic than at 4K. The fact that the High preset can average 66 FPS indicates that the GPU is still the limiting factor, but the CPU is providing enough data to keep the GPU reasonably saturated.

At 1080p, the roles shift subtly. The Low preset hits 146 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. At this level, the CPU's strong single-core and multi-core performance (as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235 and multi-core score of 44167) becomes more relevant, as it must process game logic and draw calls fast enough to sustain such high frame rates. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a 78 FPS drop (146 to 68), which shows that the GPU is still stressed by higher settings, but the ceiling is higher because the CPU can push more frames. In short, the CPU is never the primary limiter at 1440p or 4K, but at 1080p with Low settings, it is capable of delivering frame rates that the GPU cannot match at higher settings.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playability is strictly dependent on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four tested presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The best settings at this resolution are Ultra, which achieves an average of 68 FPS. At 2560x1440, the system remains playable on three presets: High (66 FPS average), Medium (76 FPS average), and Low (107 FPS average). The best settings at 1440p are High, with an average of 66 FPS. The Ultra preset is not playable here, falling to 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is only playable on the Low preset, which achieves an average of 69 FPS. The Medium preset at 49 FPS average, High at 43 FPS average, and Ultra at 32 FPS average are all below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict is clear: for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, users should target 1080p with Ultra settings or 1440p with High settings. The 4K resolution is only viable with the Low preset, which may not be acceptable for users seeking high visual fidelity.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this configuration, the benchmark data provides context on nearby hardware that would behave similarly. The Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, placing it very close to several rivals. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a near-identical performer with a score of 69996, a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (score 69875) is 0.4% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (score 69515) is 0.9% slower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is the only rival that is faster, with a score of 70879, representing a 1% improvement. These CPUs would all yield virtually the same frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the GPU remains the bottleneck.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 has an average score of 19036. Its nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent. The NVIDIA Quadro K6000 matches it exactly with a 0% delta, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile is 0.1% slower and the NVIDIA Tesla K20m is 0.3% slower. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation is 0.4% faster. The data shows that any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical performance in this game, meaning users with these alternatives can expect the same playability profile at each resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

The optimal settings for maintaining a 60+ FPS average are as follows. At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 68 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for users with 1080p monitors seeking the best visual quality. At 2560x1440, the most demanding playable preset is High, with an average of 66 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. At 3840x2160, the only playable option is Low, which achieves an average of 69 FPS. Users at 4K will have to sacrifice significant visual quality to maintain playability, as the Medium preset drops to 49 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only on the Low preset, which achieves an average of 69 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with averages of 49, 43, and 32 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that stays playable, with an average of 66 FPS. The Medium preset is also a strong choice, offering 76 FPS average with a minimum of 64 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as shown by the large FPS differences between presets. The CPU becomes more relevant at 1080p, where it can push frame rates up to 146 FPS on Low settings.

Q: How does the Core i7-14700KF compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, and 0.9% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% faster.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 90, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The Low preset offers 146 FPS average, and the Ultra preset offers 68 FPS average.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at any resolution?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 the Ultra preset achieves an average of 68 FPS. At 2560x1440, it drops to 50 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 32 FPS, both of which are unplayable.