Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS released on March 11, 2024, presents a clear performance profile for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination. Measured data indicates that this system delivers a fully playable experience at 1080p and 1440p across all settings, but at 4K only the Low preset clears the 60 FPS threshold. The CPU, with a launch MSRP of $246, ranks in the 85th percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 59th percentile. The combination ranks 2194th out of 3714 tested configurations for this game, placing it in the upper half of systems, yet the data shows a distinct GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system exhibits strong performance across the board. The Low preset averages 175 FPS, a figure that leaves substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 124 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS, ensuring no perceptible stutter even in dense firefights. High settings drop to an average of 109 FPS, while Ultra settings still maintain a solid 81 FPS average. The 94 FPS gap between Low and Ultra demonstrates that the GPU's shading and memory subsystems are heavily taxed by the highest preset, but even the most demanding configuration at 1080p stays well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This resolution is where the system shines, offering smooth gameplay with no compromises.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down predictably. Low settings average 128 FPS, Medium averages 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS, High averages 80 FPS, and Ultra averages exactly 60 FPS. The Ultra preset's average of 60 FPS precisely meets the playable threshold, making it a viable choice for users who prioritize visual fidelity. The Medium preset, however, provides a more comfortable 31 FPS headroom over the threshold, with its 77 FPS minimum ensuring no dips below playability. The 68 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is slightly smaller than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is beginning to saturate its resources.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become pronounced. Low settings average 83 FPS, which remains playable. Medium settings average 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, missing the 60 FPS threshold by a single frame on average and dipping well below it during intense scenes. High settings average 51 FPS, and Ultra falls to 39 FPS. The data shows that only the Low preset can sustain a consistent playable frame rate at 4K. The 44 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is the smallest of the three, reflecting the GPU's inability to scale with the added pixel count. Notably, the Medium preset's minimum of 50 FPS indicates that even a moderate settings increase can cause significant frame-time spikes, making Low the only reliable choice for 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, based on the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and single-core score of 3655, along with a Passmark single-thread score of 4412, place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Radeon RX 9060, built on the Navi 44 chip with RDNA 4.0 architecture and a 4 nm process, features 1792 shading units and 28 ray-tracing cores, with a boost clock of 2990 MHz. Its Passmark G3D score of 17631 and 59th percentile ranking indicate a mid-range GPU.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is largely secondary at higher resolutions. The frame rate drop from 1080p Low (175 FPS) to 4K Low (83 FPS) is a 52% reduction, which aligns closely with the GPU's raw compute and memory bandwidth limits. At 1080p, the high frame rates suggest the CPU is not a bottleneck; the game is likely limited by the GPU's pixel throughput and texture fill rate. The CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures that even the most demanding AI or physics calculations in a fast-paced FPS are handled without introducing stutter. The 10-core configuration provides ample multi-threaded headroom, though the game's engine appears to scale primarily with GPU load.

The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra preset likely exceeds its shading or memory capacity, resulting in the 39 FPS average. The data shows that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at 4K, while the CPU maintains its headroom across all resolutions. The consistent percentage drop from Low to Ultra (approximately 46-47% of Low's frame rate) across all three resolutions confirms that the game's settings have a uniform impact on GPU load, independent of resolution. This indicates that the CPU is not the constraining element in any configuration tested.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Core Ultra 5 225's average benchmark score of 36938 is nearly identical to its closest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36945, with a delta of 0%, meaning performance is effectively identical. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018, a delta of -0.2%, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093 (-0.4%) and the Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112 (-0.5%). These deltas are all within half a percent, so any of these processors would produce statistically indistinguishable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. Users upgrading from or comparing to these CPUs should expect no measurable difference in this game.

For the GPU, the RX 9060's average benchmark score of 16014 places it just below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129 with a delta of -0.7%. It is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, +1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852, +1%), and notably ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, +2.1%). The RX 9060's performance is therefore effectively equivalent to the RTX 3060 Ti, meaning users with that GPU would see the same FPS ranges in Lockdown Protocol. The RX 7700 and R9 370X would produce frame rates about 1% lower, while the Pro W5500 would be about 2% slower. These comparisons confirm that the RX 9060 is a solid mid-range option, matching the performance of a previous-generation high-end card.

The Verdict

The data clearly answers the question: yes, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but with important caveats. According to the verdictByResolution data, the system achieves playable frame rates (at or above 60 FPS) at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 across all four settings presets. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 81 FPS, providing a smooth and visually rich experience. At 1440p, Ultra averages exactly 60 FPS, meeting the threshold precisely, while lower presets offer higher frame rates. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 83 FPS; Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 59, 51, and 39 FPS respectively. The combo's rank of 2194 out of 3714 tested systems places it in the upper half, indicating that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it is more than capable for the majority of players. For those targeting 4K, the system requires significant settings reduction to maintain smooth gameplay.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only on Low settings, which produce an average of 83 FPS. Medium averages 59 FPS, High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS, all below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting at 1440p?

A: Ultra is the best setting at 2560x1440, averaging exactly 60 FPS and meeting the playable threshold. Lower presets provide higher frame rates, with Low averaging 128 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 3060 Ti's 16129, so performance is effectively identical in this game.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded?

A: The only min/max data is for Medium settings: at 4K Medium, the minimum is 50 FPS; at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 77 FPS; and at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 106 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 scores 3655 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 4412 in Passmark single-thread, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Is the system more CPU-bound or GPU-bound?

A: The data shows the FPS drops by 94 FPS from Low to Ultra at 1080p, but only 44 FPS at 4K, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU maintains headroom across all settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured data, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution is as follows:

3840x2160: Low – 83 FPS average. Medium drops to 59 FPS, so Low is the only viable option for a playable frame rate.

2560x1440: Ultra – 60 FPS average. This is the highest quality preset that meets the threshold, though users seeking a safety margin may prefer Medium at 91 FPS.

1920x1080: Ultra – 81 FPS average. All presets exceed 60 FPS, but Ultra offers the best visual fidelity while still maintaining a smooth frame rate.