Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination delivers a clear, resolution-dependent performance curve in Lockdown Protocol. At 1080p, this system is capable of maxing out the game, while 1440p requires a slight settings compromise, and 4K demands a significant reduction in visual quality to maintain playable frame rates. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh 1080p gaming, but one where the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured frame rates are consistently high across all presets. The Low preset produces an average of 159 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combination. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 99 FPS, while the Ultra preset, the most demanding setting, still maintains a solid average of 74 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 85 FPS, showing that the CPU and GPU have ample headroom to absorb the increased load of higher graphical presets.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down in a predictable manner. The Low preset averages 117 FPS, which remains highly playable and smooth. The Medium preset delivers an average of 83 FPS, with a recorded range between 70 FPS minimum and 95 FPS maximum. High settings produce an average of 72 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The Ultra preset, however, drops to an average of 54 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS target. This indicates that at 1440p, the most demanding settings begin to strain the system.

At 3840x2160, the performance ceiling becomes much more restrictive. The Low preset is the only setting that provides a playable experience, averaging 75 FPS. The Medium preset averages 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, showing noticeable dips below the playability threshold. The High preset averages 47 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops further to 35 FPS. The data shows a steep performance cliff at 4K, where the GPU cannot maintain fluid frame rates on higher presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU in this pairing. At 1920x1080, the high frame rates across all presets, particularly the 159 FPS average on Low, suggest that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to keep it saturated. The drop from 159 FPS on Low to 74 FPS on Ultra shows that the GPU is still being progressively loaded, but the overall performance headroom indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is not the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

As the resolution increases to 2560x1440, the frame rate reduction from 117 FPS on Low to 54 FPS on Ultra demonstrates the GPU's growing workload. The 45 FPS drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution, compared to an 85 FPS drop at 1080p, shows that the CPU has less influence on the final frame rate. The GPU, with its 8 GB of memory and 256-bit bus, is handling the increased pixel count, and its performance limits become more apparent.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the clear limiting factor. The performance gap between Low and Ultra narrows to a 40 FPS difference (75 FPS to 35 FPS), but this is because even the Low preset at 4K is heavily taxing the RTX 2060 SUPER. The CPU's role is significantly diminished at this resolution, as the rendering load is almost entirely on the graphics card. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 5 225 provides sufficient single-thread performance for the game's logic, but the RTX 2060 SUPER cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K regardless of the CPU's capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this pairing ranks 2630 out of 3714 total combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems, meaning a majority of other CPU and GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this specific game. The rank is a function of the RTX 2060 SUPER's age and performance class, as the GPU sits in the 62nd percentile of all tested GPUs, while the CPU is in the 85th percentile of all tested CPUs.

The disparity in percentile rankings between the CPU and GPU suggests that the graphics card is the component holding this combo back from a higher overall rank. While the Core Ultra 5 225 is a strong performer relative to other CPUs, the GPU's lower standing in the database pulls the combined ranking down. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, which is a fast-paced FPS, this rank implies that the system will handle the game, but it will not provide the top-tier performance seen from higher-ranked combinations.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 in the database are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, and the Intel Core i9-12900T. The Ryzen 5 5600F has an average benchmark score nearly identical to the Core Ultra 5 225, with a delta percentage of 0%. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D trails by just 0.2%, and the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 and Core i9-12900T are 0.4% and 0.5% behind, respectively. These processors would produce very similar performance in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU, as their overall processing power is effectively equivalent.

On the GPU side, the RTX 2060 SUPER's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, which scores 0.4% higher on average, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700, which is 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 460 and Intel Arc A770M are 1.5% and 1.6% lower, respectively. A system with the Core Ultra 5 225 and any of these GPUs would deliver frame rates within a very small margin of the measured results. For example, swapping the RTX 2060 SUPER for an RTX 3060 Mobile would yield nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol, with only a negligible improvement in average frame rates.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 74 FPS. This is the most demanding preset at this resolution, and it remains above the 60 FPS playability threshold. Users can experience the full visual fidelity of the game without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the optimal selection, providing an average of 72 FPS. While the Medium preset also performs well at 83 FPS, the High preset offers significantly better visual quality while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset, at 54 FPS, is not recommended due to its sub-60 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option, averaging 75 FPS. The Medium preset drops below the playability threshold with a 53 FPS average and dips as low as 45 FPS. To maintain a consistent and smooth experience at 4K, users must accept the lowest graphical preset.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol with playable frame rates at every tested resolution, but the settings must be adjusted according to the display. At 1920x1080, all four presets, Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, clear the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset providing the best visual experience at 74 FPS. The system is fully capable of delivering a high-refresh experience at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the High, Medium, and Low presets all maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS, with High offering the best balance of quality and performance at 72 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 54 FPS, so users should avoid it at this resolution. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 75 FPS. The system can handle 4K gaming, but only with substantially reduced graphical detail. The overall assessment is that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K as a secondary option for users willing to compromise on visual settings.