Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a robust Lockdown Protocol experience, with benchmark data showing that the combination is capable of high refresh-rate play at 1440p and strong performance at 4K. The measured frame rates reveal a system that scales predictably across resolutions and presets, with the CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads providing ample headroom for the FPS title. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to determine the optimal settings for each resolution, examines the component roles, and contextualizes the combo’s standing among other tested systems.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary performance driver in Lockdown Protocol, as the frame rate scaling between presets at each resolution is substantial, while the CPU maintains a consistent baseline. At 1920x1080, the RTX 3070 Ti shows significant scaling: the average FPS jumps from 105.7 at Ultra to 137.6 at High, then to 161.1 at Medium, and peaks at 227.9 at Low. This 122.2 FPS spread between the lowest and highest presets demonstrates that the graphics card is the limiting factor, as reducing graphical load yields massive gains. The i7-14700KF, with its 4,452 Cinebench R15 multi-core score and 6,235 Cinebench R23 single-core score, is more than capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution, as evidenced by the ability to reach 227.9 FPS at Low settings.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds, but the GPU’s load increases. The Ultra preset delivers 78.2 FPS, which drops to 105.9 at High, 116.7 at Medium, and 166.4 at Low. The performance delta between Ultra and Low is 88.2 FPS, slightly narrower than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is still the bottleneck but with less headroom. The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at this resolution, as the 78.2 FPS at Ultra still exceeds the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting the processor is not holding back the graphics card. The i7-14700KF’s 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs further supports its capability to sustain high frame rates without becoming a constraint.

The 4K data reveals the most pronounced GPU dependency. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold at 52.2 FPS, while High settings achieve 64.3 FPS, Medium reaches 78.8 FPS, and Low hits 109.6 FPS. The 57.4 FPS gap between Ultra and Low at 4K is the smallest of the three resolutions, confirming that the RTX 3070 Ti is increasingly overwhelmed by pixel count. The GPU’s 75th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its 23,356 Passmark G3D score place it in a solid mid-to-high tier, but the data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is beyond its capabilities for this game. The CPU’s influence at 4K is minimal, as the frame rates are dictated almost entirely by the GPU’s rendering limits.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS or above is High, which delivers 64.3 FPS. This is the optimal choice for 4K play, as it provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold while offering significantly better visual quality than Medium (78.8 FPS) or Low (109.6 FPS). The Ultra preset at 52.2 FPS falls short of the target, making High the clear winner for 4K.

At 2560x1440, the data shows that Ultra is fully playable, with an average of 78.2 FPS. This makes Ultra the best setting for 1440p, as it delivers the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining a healthy buffer above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 105.9 FPS and Medium at 116.7 FPS are also viable, but they do not offer the same level of graphical detail as Ultra. The 78.2 FPS at Ultra is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay, making it the recommended preset.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 105.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes Ultra the best settings choice for 1080p, providing the maximum visual quality while still delivering a high refresh rate experience. The High preset at 137.6 FPS and Medium at 161.1 FPS offer even higher frame rates, but the Ultra preset’s 105.7 FPS is already excellent for competitive play. The data indicates that 1080p is the resolution where this combo shines, with all presets exceeding 100 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 109.6 FPS, Medium produces 78.8 FPS, High produces 64.3 FPS, and Ultra produces 52.2 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline in performance, with each preset step costing approximately 14-15 FPS on average. The gap between High and Ultra is the largest at 12.1 FPS, while the gap between Low and Medium is 30.8 FPS. This data suggests that the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for most presets at 4K, but the Ultra preset’s additional graphical demands push the GPU past its limits.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 166.4 for Low, 116.7 for Medium, 105.9 for High, and 78.2 for Ultra. The step from Low to Medium is a 49.7 FPS drop, which is the largest single-step decline at this resolution. The transition from Medium to High is a smaller 10.8 FPS drop, while High to Ultra is a 27.7 FPS drop. This pattern indicates that the Medium preset is a sweet spot for performance, while the Ultra preset imposes a significant penalty. The 1440p data shows that the combo can handle all presets above 60 FPS, with Ultra being the only one below 100 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the measured averages are 227.9 FPS for Low, 161.1 FPS for Medium, 137.6 FPS for High, and 105.7 FPS for Ultra. The scaling is dramatic, with a 66.8 FPS drop from Low to Medium, a 23.5 FPS drop from Medium to High, and a 31.9 FPS drop from High to Ultra. The Low preset’s 227.9 FPS highlights the CPU’s and GPU’s combined capability at lower graphical loads, while the Ultra preset’s 105.7 FPS still provides a high-refresh-rate experience. All settings at 1080p exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold by a wide margin.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 4K the High preset achieves 64.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium and Low presets also exceed 60 FPS at 78.8 and 109.6 FPS, respectively. However, the Ultra preset falls below the threshold at 52.2 FPS.

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

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice for 1440p, as it delivers an average of 78.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This provides the highest visual quality while maintaining smooth performance.

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

A: The i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70,163, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F’s 69,996, 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX’s 69,875, and 0.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X’s 69,515. It is 1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K’s 70,879.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 Ti a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the RTX 3070 Ti is not a bottleneck at 1080p. The data shows that the Ultra preset achieves 105.7 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 227.9 FPS, indicating the GPU has significant headroom. The CPU’s high single-core performance (6,235 in Cinebench R23) ensures it can keep up with the GPU.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination ranks 1,293 out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 35% of all systems tested.

Q: Does the RTX 3070 Ti outperform its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29,945, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5070 Mobile’s 29,928 and 0.5% higher than the RTX 2080 Ti’s 29,783. It is 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6800’s 30,095 and 1.6% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6700’s 30,433.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination ranks 1,293 out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 65th percentile of all systems tested. This ranking is respectable, given that the RTX 3070 Ti is an end-of-life product from the GeForce 30-series, while the CPU is a current-generation desktop processor. The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs helps lift the combo’s overall position, while the GPU’s 75th percentile ranking provides a solid foundation. The data indicates that this combo outperforms many newer systems, likely due to the i7-14700KF’s strong multi-core performance, as evidenced by its 44,167 Cinebench R23 multi-core score and 52,425 Passmark multithread score.

The GPU’s nearest rivals show a tight cluster of performance. The RTX 3070 Ti’s average score of 29,945 is within 1.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30,433) and 0.5% of the RTX 2080 Ti (29,783). This close grouping suggests that the RTX 3070 Ti is competitively positioned against both newer and older cards. The combo’s rank of 1,293 indicates that it sits in the upper-middle tier of tested systems, capable of handling most games at high settings but not at the extreme end of performance. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the rank reflects the system’s ability to deliver playable frame rates at all resolutions except 4K Ultra.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol effectively across all three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the verdict is clear: all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the Ultra preset achieving 105.7 FPS. This makes 1080p the ideal resolution for this combo, offering a high-refresh-rate experience without compromising visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, the system also performs admirably, with the Ultra preset delivering 78.2 FPS and all presets staying above 60 FPS. The verdict for 1440p is positive, as players can enjoy maximum settings without performance concerns.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The High preset achieves 64.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the best playable setting for 4K. The Medium and Low presets also remain playable at 78.8 and 109.6 FPS, respectively. However, the Ultra preset falls short at 52.2 FPS, meaning that maximum settings at 4K are not viable. Overall, the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination is a capable system for Lockdown Protocol, providing smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings or lower. The data shows that this combo is a solid choice for competitive FPS play, with the CPU providing ample headroom for future GPU upgrades.