Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a top-tier combination for Lockdown Protocol, delivering frame rates that far exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold across every tested resolution and preset. The data, measured directly from the game, shows this combo ranks 205th out of 3714 tested configurations, placing it in the 94th percentile for CPUs and the 86th percentile for GPUs. This is a system built to crush the game's demands, offering headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors even at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent pattern of exceptional performance, with the RTX 4080 and Core i7-14700KF showing no signs of struggle at any setting. At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to be CPU-bound, the combo produces staggering numbers. With Low settings, the average FPS hits 333, a figure that highlights the sheer headroom available. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 236 FPS, with a minimum of 201 and a maximum of 272 FPS recorded. High settings still deliver an average of 206 FPS, and even at Ultra, the system maintains a robust 155 FPS average, ensuring a fluid experience on any high-refresh-rate panel.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains incredibly high, showcasing the GPU's strength. Low settings produce an average of 244 FPS, while Medium settings average 173 FPS, with a min/max of 147/199 FPS. High settings see the average dip to 151 FPS, and Ultra settings still hold strong at 113 FPS average. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a predictable decline in frame rates, but the absolute numbers are still far beyond what most gamers would consider demanding.

At the demanding 4K resolution of 3840x2160, the RTX 4080 begins to show its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth working harder. Low settings yield an average of 157 FPS, which is remarkably high for 4K. Medium settings average 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 and a maximum of 129 FPS, indicating that even during intense scenes, the frame rate stays well above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 98 FPS, and Ultra settings, the most demanding preset, still produce an average of 73 FPS. This demonstrates that the combo is not just playable at 4K but is actually capable of delivering a high-refresh-rate experience at lower presets and a solid, smooth experience at the highest visual fidelity.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the data identifies the most demanding preset that still maintains an average FPS at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The results are unequivocal: this hardware combination achieves playable frame rates at the maximum settings across the board.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average FPS of 155. This is nearly 2.6 times the playable threshold, leaving substantial performance in reserve. At 2560x1440, the verdict is the same: Ultra settings are the best choice, delivering an average of 113 FPS. This confirms that the RTX 4080 has more than enough power for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming. At 3840x2160, the system again achieves the top preset, with Ultra settings averaging 73 FPS. While this is the lowest average FPS recorded, it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, proving that 4K Ultra is not just a dream but a reality for this configuration.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark database provides nearest rivals for both the CPU and GPU, offering insight into what other hardware would deliver a nearly identical experience. For the Intel Core i7-14700KF, the closest competitors are all within a 1% performance delta. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is virtually tied, with an average score 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is also extremely close, with a score 0.4% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X trails slightly, with a score 0.9% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is the only rival in the list that scores lower, with a delta of -1%. For gaming, these differences are negligible, meaning any of these CPUs would pair with the RTX 4080 to produce almost identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which has a virtually identical average score, just 0.1% higher. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is a bit further off, with a score 1.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are also close, with scores 2.6% and 2.7% lower, respectively. These deltas suggest that a system with an RTX 4080 SUPER would behave almost identically, while the AMD options would offer a slightly lower level of performance, though likely still enough for high frame rates given the massive headroom this combo demonstrates.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally answers the question: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol? Yes, and it does so with remarkable authority. The verdictByResolution data confirms that at every resolution tested, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) are listed as playable settings. The system clears the 60 FPS threshold with room to spare at every single configuration point.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 73 FPS, which is a clear "yes" for 4K gaming. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings deliver 113 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings produce an astonishing 155 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play on 144Hz or even 240Hz displays. This is not a marginal pass; it is a definitive, overwhelming success. The hardware is so powerful that the playable threshold is not a limiting factor at any resolution or preset combination.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data across resolutions and presets provides a clear picture of how the CPU and GPU divide their responsibilities in Lockdown Protocol. The game's engine scales predictably with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload at higher pixel counts.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are incredibly high, with the Low preset hitting 333 FPS. This suggests that the CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is feeding the GPU efficiently, but the GPU is not the primary bottleneck at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p (333 to 155 FPS) shows a significant performance hit from increased graphical fidelity, indicating that the GPU is still doing the heavy lifting. However, the sheer magnitude of the frame rates suggests that the Core i7-14700KF's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 2578 Geekbench single-core score, is more than sufficient to avoid holding the system back.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all presets, but the pattern remains. The delta between Low (244 FPS) and Ultra (113 FPS) is still substantial, reinforcing that the GPU is the dominant factor. At 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes even more pronounced. The gap between Low (157 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) narrows in relative terms but remains significant in absolute numbers. This is the clearest indicator that the RTX 4080 is the primary driver of performance at 4K, with its 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 76 RT cores being fully utilized. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases, as the GPU takes longer to render each frame, giving the CPU more time to prepare the next one. In summary, for this game, the GPU is the more critical component at all resolutions, but the CPU is powerful enough to never be the limiting factor, even at the lowest resolution and highest frame rates.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The benchmark data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average FPS of 73, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting to use at 1440p for the highest visual quality?

A: The data indicates that Ultra settings at 2560x1440 are playable, with an average FPS of 113, making it the best choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4080 compared to its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The average benchmark scores show the RTX 4080 SUPER is only 0.1% higher, indicating that the two perform virtually identically in overall GPU tasks.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in this game?

A: No. At 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 333 FPS, showing that the CPU can feed the GPU fast enough to avoid becoming a limiting factor, even at very high frame rates.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this system?

A: The lowest average FPS is 73, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is still comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which component matters more for performance at 4K, the CPU or GPU?

A: The GPU matters more. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 3840x2160 (157 to 73 FPS) shows a significant performance impact from GPU workload, while the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases.