Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is a combination built for high-refresh 1080p gaming, with the capability to step up to 1440p at reduced settings. In Lockdown Protocol, this pairing delivers a wide spread of performance that scales predictably with resolution and graphical presets, though the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher pixel counts. The data indicates a system that is firmly playable at 60 FPS or above across most tested settings, with clear boundaries where performance falls below the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this combo each sit near specific rivals in aggregate benchmark scores, which helps contextualize their behavior in Lockdown Protocol. The Intel Core i7-14700KF, with an average benchmark score of 70163, is nearly identical in raw compute to the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, which scores 69996, a delta of just 0.2%. Similarly close is the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX at 69875 (0.4% behind), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69515 (0.9% behind). On the opposite side, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, which is 1% ahead of the i7-14700KF. In practical terms, any of these processors would deliver near-identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol at the tested resolutions, as the game's demands do not appear to stress the CPU enough to differentiate among these top-tier parts.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT holds an average benchmark score of 19765, placing it at the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are older professional cards: the NVIDIA Tesla K40m scores 19885 (0.6% higher), the AMD FirePro D300 scores 19637 (0.7% lower), the AMD FirePro W7000 scores 19905 (0.7% higher), and the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 scores 19602 (0.8% lower). These deltas are all within 1%, meaning the RX 6650 XT's performance in this game would be essentially indistinguishable from those cards in aggregate, though the Radeon's modern feature set and driver support may affect real-world gameplay beyond raw scores. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, users coming from any of these comparable GPUs can expect similar FPS numbers at each resolution and preset.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol, with the GPU dominating performance scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 165 FPS average. Moving to Medium drops that to 117 FPS, High to 103 FPS, and Ultra to 77 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs 88 FPS, a 53% reduction, which indicates that the RX 6650 XT is heavily taxed by the graphical settings. At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds: Low produces 121 FPS, Medium 86 FPS, High 75 FPS, and Ultra falls to 56 FPS. The jump from 1080p Low to 1440p Low costs 44 FPS (from 165 to 121), while the jump from 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra costs 21 FPS (from 77 to 56). This suggests that resolution scaling is less punishing than preset scaling, implying the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

The CPU's role becomes evident when looking at the minimum FPS figures. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average is 117 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 135 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average is 86 FPS with a minimum of 73 and maximum of 99. At 3840x2160 Medium, the average drops to 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64. The consistency of the minimum-to-average ratio (roughly 85% of average) across resolutions suggests that the i7-14700KF is providing a stable frame delivery, never dropping below 47 FPS even in the most demanding scenario tested. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the minimum FPS would likely degrade more severely at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom, but the data shows the opposite: at 1080p Low, the average of 165 FPS (with no reported minimum) indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo spans three resolutions and four settings, providing a comprehensive picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the lowest tested resolution, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 165 FPS. Medium settings yield 117 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 135 FPS. High settings drop to 103 FPS average. Ultra settings maintain a playable 77 FPS average. All four presets at 1080p clear the 60 FPS playable threshold by a substantial margin, with Ultra being 17 FPS above the line.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU's strain. Low settings average 121 FPS, a significant drop from 1080p but still double the playable threshold. Medium settings average 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 and maximum of 99 FPS, keeping the minimum above 60 FPS. High settings average 75 FPS, which is 15 FPS above the threshold. Ultra settings, however, fall to an average of 56 FPS, which is 4 FPS below the 60 FPS playable line. This makes Ultra at 1440p the first non-playable configuration in the dataset.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overtaxed at most settings. Low settings manage an average of 78 FPS, which is playable but 87 FPS lower than the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 56 FPS, with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64 FPS, putting the average below the threshold. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 36 FPS. Only Low at 4K clears the 60 FPS bar, and even then it does so by 18 FPS, which is a thinner margin than any 1080p or 1440p preset.

The Verdict

Based on the verdictByResolution data, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or above at every resolution tested, but only with specific settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable: Low (165 FPS), Medium (117 FPS), High (103 FPS), and Ultra (77 FPS). This makes 1080p the ideal resolution for this combo, as it provides full freedom to choose any graphical preset without sacrificing playability. At 2560x1440, three of four presets are playable: Low (121 FPS), Medium (86 FPS), and High (75 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1440p falls short at 56 FPS, so users at this resolution must stick to High or lower to maintain 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, with an average of 78 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra at 4K all fall below the threshold, with averages of 56, 49, and 36 FPS respectively. The verdict is clear: this system is a 1080p powerhouse, a capable 1440p machine with settings compromises, and a 4K option only for users willing to run Low presets.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations in the benchmark database for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT ranks 2439 out of 3714 combos. This places it in the 34th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly two-thirds of tested combos deliver higher frame rates in this game. The ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning (65th percentile among all GPUs) combined with a top-tier CPU (94th percentile among all CPUs). The GPU is the bottleneck in most scenarios, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops at higher resolutions, which drags the combo's overall rank down despite the CPU's strength. For context, the CPU's nearest rivals (Ryzen 7 9700F, Ryzen 9 7940HX, Ryzen 9 7950X, Core Ultra 7 265K) would all produce similar rankings when paired with this GPU, since the performance ceiling is set by the RX 6650 XT.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users aiming to maximize visual quality while maintaining 60 FPS, the data provides clear guidance. At 1920x1080, the best setting is Ultra, which delivers an average of 77 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above the playable threshold, and it provides a 17 FPS cushion over the 60 FPS line. At 2560x1440, the best setting is High, with an average of 75 FPS. This gives a 15 FPS margin, which is comfortable for most gameplay scenarios. At 3840x2160, the best setting is Low, with an average of 78 FPS. While Low is the only option that stays above 60 FPS at 4K, it still provides an 18 FPS buffer, suggesting that the game remains fluid even at this demanding resolution with reduced graphical fidelity. Notably, the best 4K setting (78 FPS) outperforms the best 1440p setting (75 FPS) and the best 1080p setting (77 FPS) in raw FPS terms, though this is due to the lower graphical workload of Low settings compared to Ultra or High.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with High settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 49, which is 11 FPS below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only Low settings at 4K achieve playable performance, with an average of 78 FPS.

Q: What is the highest resolution where all presets are playable?

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) stay at or above 60 FPS. The lowest average among them is Ultra at 77 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 117, while at 2560x1440 Medium, it is 86. This represents a 31 FPS difference, or roughly a 26% reduction in average frame rate.

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

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. Evidence includes the sharp FPS drops when increasing resolution (165 FPS at 1080p Low vs 121 FPS at 1440p Low vs 78 FPS at 4K Low) and the fact that the CPU's minimum FPS never falls below 47 FPS even in the most demanding tested scenario.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p to stay above 60 FPS?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 provide an average of 75 FPS, which is the most demanding playable preset at that resolution. Ultra at 1440p averages 56 FPS and is not playable.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combo ranks 2439 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower third of all systems. The ranking is held back by the GPU's mid-range position, as the CPU is in the top 6% of all processors.