Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers a high-refresh-rate experience in Lockdown Protocol across all tested resolutions and presets. Measured data shows the combo never drops below the 60 FPS playable threshold, with average frame rates ranging from 65.9 FPS at 4K Ultra to 303.6 FPS at 1080p Low. The combination of a 20-core, 28-thread CPU and a 12 GB GDDR6X GPU places this system in the 446th position out of 3714 tested combos for this game, putting it in the top 12% of all configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 4070 Ti produces exceptional frame rates that scale predictably with preset changes. The Low preset achieves an average of 303.6 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure in the entire dataset for this combo. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 217.6 FPS, a 28.3% drop from Low. The High preset delivers 189.3 FPS on average, while the most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a robust 141 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the GPU is rarely the limiting factor, as even the heaviest settings leave substantial headroom above typical 144 Hz displays.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern emerges but with proportionally lower absolute numbers. The Low preset averages 222.5 FPS, which is 26.7% lower than the 1080p Low result. Medium settings produce 156.5 FPS on average, while High yields 138.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers an average of 104.4 FPS, which remains comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and is suitable for high-refresh 1440p monitors. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction of roughly 25-30% across all presets, indicating the GPU's rendering load increases predictably with pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4070 Ti still handles Lockdown Protocol with ease. The Low preset averages 146.5 FPS, demonstrating that even at 4K, the card has significant performance reserves. Medium settings produce 101.5 FPS on average, while High achieves 93.2 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding configuration tested, yet it still maintains an average of 65.9 FPS, clearing the playable threshold by a narrow margin of 5.9 FPS. This 4K Ultra result represents the only configuration where the system approaches the 60 FPS limit, but it does not cross it.

Across all resolutions, the delta between Low and Ultra presets widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, Ultra is 53.6% slower than Low (303.6 to 141 FPS). At 1440p, the gap is 53.1% (222.5 to 104.4 FPS). At 4K, the gap narrows to 55.0% (146.5 to 65.9 FPS), suggesting that at higher resolutions the GPU becomes more saturated and the relative cost of each setting tier remains consistent.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more significant role because the GPU can render frames quickly enough that the processor must keep up with draw calls and game logic. Evidence for this lies in the 1080p Low result of 303.6 FPS, which is extraordinarily high and likely approaches the engine's internal frame rate cap or the CPU's single-thread limit. The Core i7-14700KF, with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz and a single-core Cinebench R23 score of 6235, is well-equipped for this task, but the sheer frame rates suggest the CPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the GPU becomes more influential. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a 26.7% reduction in FPS at Low settings (303.6 to 222.5), which is roughly proportional to the 77.8% increase in pixel count. This indicates that the GPU is now the limiting factor, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card at these frame rates. The 1440p Ultra result of 104.4 FPS further confirms this, as the GPU's compute resources are more heavily taxed by the higher resolution and more complex shading.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominates the performance equation entirely. The 4K Low average of 146.5 FPS is 34.2% lower than the 1440p Low figure, and the 4K Ultra result of 65.9 FPS shows the RTX 4070 Ti working near its maximum capacity. The CPU's role diminishes to providing consistent frame pacing rather than raw throughput. The Core i7-14700KF's 20 cores and 28 threads, while powerful, are not the deciding factor at 4K; instead, the GPU's 7680 shading units and 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth determine the outcome.

The preset scaling also reveals component roles. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra costs 162.6 FPS (303.6 to 141), a massive absolute drop that reflects the CPU's ability to render Low settings quickly but the GPU's increasing workload at higher presets. At 4K, the same preset change costs only 80.6 FPS (146.5 to 65.9), showing that the GPU is already saturated at Low settings and has fewer reserves to sacrifice as quality increases.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 141 FPS. This is the most demanding settings tier available, and it still provides enough performance for a 144 Hz monitor. The 141 FPS average is 2.35 times the 60 FPS playable threshold, offering substantial headroom for demanding scenes or background processes.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also achieves the best balance of quality and performance, with an average of 104.4 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for 100 Hz or 120 Hz displays. The 104.4 FPS figure represents a 74% margin over the minimum playable rate, indicating that this resolution can handle Ultra settings without compromise.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is still playable, with an average of 65.9 FPS. This is the only resolution where the system approaches the 60 FPS limit, but it does not fall below it. The 65.9 FPS average is 9.8% above the playable threshold, which is sufficient for a stable experience on a 60 Hz 4K display. Users seeking higher frame rates at 4K could drop to High settings, which produce 93.2 FPS on average, but the data confirms that Ultra remains viable.

The verdict data confirms that all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at every resolution tested. The best settings per resolution, defined as the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, are Ultra at all three resolutions. The margin above 60 FPS shrinks from 135% at 1080p (141 FPS) to 74% at 1440p (104.4 FPS) to 9.8% at 4K (65.9 FPS).

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996, which is 0.2% lower than the Core i7-14700KF's average of 70163. This means the Ryzen 7 9700F would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, with differences well within measurement noise. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a 0.4% deficit, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, a 0.9% deficit. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, which is 1.0% higher than the i7-14700KF, making it the closest performance alternative from the CPU side.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile has an average score of 45152, which is 0.8% lower than the RTX 4070 Ti's 44795. This mobile GPU would deliver essentially the same performance in this game, though power and thermal characteristics differ. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45384, a 1.3% advantage, while the Intel Arc A730M scores 45592, a 1.7% advantage. The NVIDIA RTX A6000 scores 44075, which is 1.6% lower than the RTX 4070 Ti.

In practical terms, any of these alternatives would produce frame rates within 2% of the measured values. For instance, pairing the i7-14700KF with an RTX A6000 would likely yield 4K Ultra results around 64.8 FPS (65.9 minus 1.6%), still above the 60 FPS threshold. Conversely, using the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with the RTX 4070 Ti would push the 1080p Low result slightly higher, potentially reaching 306.6 FPS (303.6 plus 1.0%). The closest overall alternative is the Ryzen 7 9700F plus RTX 5090 Mobile combination, which would be statistically indistinguishable from the tested configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The Core i7-14700KF and RTX 4070 Ti combination ranks 446th out of 3714 tested configurations for Lockdown Protocol. This places the combo in the 88th percentile, meaning it outperforms 88% of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the CPU's 94th percentile standing among all CPUs and the GPU's 84th percentile among all GPUs, indicating that both components are well above average individually and synergize effectively in this game.

The rank of 446 out of 3714 suggests that while this is a high-end configuration, there are still 445 combos that deliver higher frame rates. These are likely systems with RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 class GPUs paired with flagship CPUs, which would produce higher 4K Ultra results. However, the 446th rank also means the combo is not near the bottom of the distribution; it sits comfortably in the upper echelon of gaming PCs.

Given that the combo achieves playable frame rates at every resolution and preset, the rank primarily reflects absolute performance rather than playability. The 446th position is consistent with the measured 4K Ultra result of 65.9 FPS, which is above the median for all combos but below the top 10%. The 1080p Low result of 303.6 FPS is particularly strong, suggesting that the CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235) contributes to excellent frame rates in less GPU-bound scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 65.9, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it still clears the threshold by 5.9 FPS.

Q: What is the highest FPS this combo can achieve in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 303.6, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the maximum figure in the dataset, indicating the CPU or game engine is the limiting factor at this resolution and preset.

Q: How does this combo compare to its nearest CPU rival in gaming performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score 0.2% lower than the Core i7-14700KF. In Lockdown Protocol, this would translate to roughly 0.6 FPS difference at 4K Ultra (65.9 vs 65.3), which is imperceptible in practice.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti the bottleneck at 1440p?

A: Yes. The 26.7% FPS reduction from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (303.6 to 222.5) is roughly proportional to the 77.8% pixel count increase, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint at 1440p. The CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at these frame rates.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144 Hz 1080p monitor?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 produces an average of 141 FPS, which is just below 144 Hz. Users with 144 Hz displays could use Ultra and experience near-maximum refresh rates, or drop to High (189.3 FPS) for a larger margin.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 446th out of 3714 total combos, placing it in the top 12% of all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol. This rank is consistent with the CPU's 94th percentile and GPU's 84th percentile standings.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at every resolution and preset combination tested, with all twelve configurations clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 141 FPS, providing a high-refresh experience on 144 Hz monitors. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings deliver 104.4 FPS on average, suitable for 100 Hz or 120 Hz displays. At 3840x2160, Ultra settings produce 65.9 FPS on average, which is playable but leaves only a 9.8% margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

The verdict data explicitly lists all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) as playable at each resolution, with the best settings being Ultra in all cases. The 4K Ultra result of 65.9 FPS is the weakest configuration, but it still meets the playable threshold. For users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, dropping to High at 4K yields 93.2 FPS on average, a 41.4% improvement over Ultra. The system's 446th rank out of 3714 combos confirms that it is a high-performance configuration, and the measured data shows no scenario where this PC fails to deliver a playable experience in Lockdown Protocol.