Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT combination delivers a wide range of performance in Lockdown Protocol, scaling from a demanding 42.4 FPS at 4K Ultra to a fluid 198.7 FPS at 1080p Low. The data shows this pairing is clearly capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at standard resolutions, but requires careful settings management to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K. Benchmark results indicate a strong CPU foundation paired with a mid-range GPU that becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution and graphical load increase.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four presets. All figures are average FPS, with the playable threshold set at 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 198.7 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates the GPU is not the bottleneck at this resolution. Stepping up to Medium drops the average to 143.1 FPS, still far above the playable threshold. The High preset delivers 123.9 FPS, maintaining excellent smoothness. Even the most demanding Ultra preset achieves 95.1 FPS, which is comfortably above 60 FPS and leaves ample headroom for competitive play or future content updates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset produces 148.3 FPS, showing only a modest decline from the 1080p result. Medium follows with 101.5 FPS, and High delivers 88.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p achieves 70.5 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold with a reasonable margin. This resolution presents a balanced scenario where the RX 6750 XT still has sufficient bandwidth to handle the increased pixel count without dramatic performance losses.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes significantly. The Low preset manages 92.7 FPS, which is still playable and surprisingly robust for 4K. Medium drops to 70.1 FPS, barely clearing the threshold. High settings yield 58.8 FPS, which falls just short of the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 4K produces only 42.4 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial, representing a performance difference of over 50 FPS, which highlights the GPU's limitations under maximum load at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i9-14900K are all extremely close in average benchmark score. The Intel Core i9-14900KF scores 79371, which is a negligible 0.3% lower than the 14900K's 79097. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus scores 79574, coming in 0.6% higher. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, a 1.2% advantage. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower. In practical terms, these deltas are so small that all four rival CPUs would deliver virtually identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, meaning any of them paired with the RX 6750 XT would produce the same gameplay experience.

For the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT, the nearest rivals show a similar pattern of minimal performance differences. The AMD Radeon R9 M395X scores 25891, just 0.5% higher than the 6750 XT's 26011. The AMD FirePro W7100 scores 25856, a 0.6% delta. The AMD FirePro D700 scores 25842, 0.7% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile scores 25740, which is 1.1% lower. These are all within a 2% band, so swapping the RX 6750 XT for any of these alternatives would result in nearly identical FPS figures in this game. The 6750 XT sits in the 71st percentile of all GPUs, while the 14900K sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, confirming that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals distinct roles for the CPU and GPU depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU's strength is evident. The i9-14900K, which ranks in the 95th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 79097, ensures that even at Low settings the system reaches 198.7 FPS. The GPU's 71st percentile ranking becomes less relevant at this resolution because the pixel count is low enough that the RX 6750 XT can keep up with the CPU's output.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU. The FPS drops from 198.7 to 148.3 at Low settings, a 25% reduction that is directly attributable to the higher pixel count. The CPU still has headroom, but the GPU begins to feel the load. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The Low preset at 4K produces 92.7 FPS, which is less than half of the 1080p Low result. This scaling pattern confirms that the RX 6750 XT, with its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth, is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The settings scaling also tells a story. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 103.6 FPS (198.7 vs 95.1), indicating that both components have enough headroom for the GPU to work harder without hitting severe bottlenecks. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 50.3 FPS (92.7 vs 42.4), showing that the GPU is saturated and additional graphical features cause disproportionate performance losses. The CPU's role is consistent across resolutions; it never becomes the primary constraint, thanks to its 24 cores and 32 threads, but its importance diminishes as the GPU workload increases.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Lockdown Protocol, but the definition of "run" depends heavily on your target resolution and quality expectations. The verdict by resolution is clear.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The Ultra preset achieves 95.1 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the ideal resolution for this pairing if you want maximum visual quality without compromise.

At 2560x1440, all four presets also clear 60 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers 70.5 FPS, meaning you can enjoy the full visual experience at this resolution. This is the sweet spot for the RX 6750 XT, offering a good balance between image quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets are playable. Medium achieves 70.1 FPS, which is above the threshold, but High falls to 58.8 FPS and Ultra drops to 42.4 FPS. If you own a 4K monitor, you will need to stick with Medium settings or below for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that 4K Ultra is not viable with this combination, and even 4K High is marginally below the 60 FPS target.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which delivers 95.1 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, and it does so with a comfortable 35 FPS margin. There is no reason to lower settings at this resolution unless you are chasing extremely high refresh rates beyond 144 Hz.

For 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, achieving 70.5 FPS. This clears the 60 FPS threshold by 10.5 FPS, providing smooth gameplay while maximizing visual fidelity. If you prefer a higher frame rate buffer, High at 88.8 FPS is a viable alternative, but Ultra is technically playable.

For 3840x2160, the best settings are Medium, which produces 70.1 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains at least 60 FPS. Low at 92.7 FPS is also an option if you want more headroom, but Medium offers the best visual quality while remaining above the playable threshold. High falls short at 58.8 FPS, so it should be avoided unless you are willing to accept minor stutters.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 42.4 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. This preset is not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 achieves 70.5 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. All four presets at this resolution are playable.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals in performance?

A: The RX 6750 XT has an average benchmark score of 26011. Its nearest rival, the Radeon R9 M395X, scores 25891, a 0.5% difference. The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile scores 25740, which is 1.1% lower. These differences are negligible for gaming.

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

A: At 1080p, the CPU's high performance ensures high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 198.7 FPS. At 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as Low drops to 92.7 FPS and Ultra falls to 42.4 FPS. The GPU matters more at higher resolutions.

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

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 123.9 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the 4K Medium preset clear the 60 FPS threshold?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 70.1, which is 10 FPS above the playable threshold. This is the best playable preset at 4K for this system.