Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a consistently smooth experience in Lockdown Protocol, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and presets. The data shows that this combination is capable of high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires a modest reduction in graphical fidelity to maintain fluid gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination produces exceptional frame rates across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 260 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the dataset. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS. The High preset delivers 161 FPS on average, while the Ultra preset still maintains a robust 121 FPS average. These numbers indicate that the CPU-GPU pairing is far from being a bottleneck at this resolution, leaving substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate displays.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected scaling curve. The Low preset averages 191 FPS, which is a reduction of 69 FPS compared to 1080p Low. Medium settings yield an average of 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS. High settings produce 118 FPS on average, while Ultra drops to 89 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 102 FPS, indicating that the graphics card is becoming more influential as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K resolution become apparent. The Low preset still manages an average of 123 FPS, which is playable by any standard. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS. High settings produce 76 FPS on average, which remains above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset, however, falls to 57 FPS on average, dipping below the playable mark. This represents a significant drop from the 121 FPS seen at 1080p Ultra, showcasing the heavy toll that 4K rendering takes on the GPU.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the processor benchmarks, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 sits in a tight cluster of comparable CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 36938 places it nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 36945 with a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is marginally ahead at 37018, representing a 0.2% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093, which is 0.4% higher, and the Intel Core i9-12900T rounds out the group at 37112, just 0.5% above. These deltas are negligible, meaning any of these processors would deliver virtually indistinguishable performance in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU.

On the graphics side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 shows a similar pattern of close competition. Its average benchmark score of 37648 is bracketed by the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628 (0.1% lower) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 at 37507 (0.4% lower). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% higher at 38135, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 trails by 1.3% at 37157. These small margins suggest that swapping the RTX 4070 for any of these alternatives would produce nearly identical frame rates in this game, with the RTX 4080 Mobile offering a slight edge and the RX Vega 56 or PRO W6400 being marginally slower.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080, the performance scaling from Low to Ultra is pronounced: 260 FPS down to 121 FPS, a 54% reduction. This large swing indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance even at lower resolutions, as the Ultra preset's additional graphical effects place a heavy load on the graphics card. The CPU, with its strong single-thread score of 3655 in Cinebench R23, is sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern continues but with a steeper decline. The Low preset averages 191 FPS, while Ultra drops to 89 FPS, a 53% reduction. The absolute numbers are lower than at 1080p, confirming that the GPU's workload scales with pixel count. The CPU's role diminishes slightly here, as the frame rates are lower and thus less demanding on the processor's ability to issue draw calls.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes overwhelmingly dominant. The Low preset still produces 123 FPS, but Ultra falls to 57 FPS, a 54% decrease. The fact that the Low preset at 4K (123 FPS) is nearly identical to the Ultra preset at 1080p (121 FPS) highlights how resolution and settings interact. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, while the Core Ultra 5 225 has ample headroom to keep up with the GPU's output at all tested settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of tested combinations, this pairing holds a respectable position. The combo ranks 874th out of 3714 total combinations, placing it in the top 24% of all systems tested for Lockdown Protocol. This percentile placement is consistent with the component-level benchmarks: the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile among all processors, and the GPU ranks in the 81st percentile among all graphics cards. The combination's rank suggests that it outperforms the majority of systems while not being at the absolute state-of-the-art.

The ranking data becomes more meaningful when considering the resolution-specific verdicts. At 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, the combination achieves playable performance at every preset, including Ultra. At 3840x2160, it maintains playability through the High preset but fails at Ultra. This indicates that the system is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions, with only the most demanding 4K ultra settings pushing it past its limits.

The Verdict

The capability of this system to run Lockdown Protocol is confirmed by the measured data. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold, with the lowest average being 121 FPS at Ultra. The 2560x1440 results follow the same pattern, with every preset averaging above 60 FPS, including the Ultra preset at 89 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system remains playable at Low (123 FPS), Medium (87 FPS), and High (76 FPS), but the Ultra preset falls short with an average of 57 FPS.

The practical takeaway is straightforward: this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or higher at 1080p and 1440p with all settings maxed out. For 4K gaming, the High preset is the ceiling for smooth performance, and the Ultra preset would require either a reduction to High or a lower resolution. The data does not include any ray tracing or DLSS measurements, so the assessment is based solely on native rendering performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 121 FPS. This is the optimal choice for players seeking maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains viable, averaging 89 FPS, making it the best-performing setting that maintains playability. For 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding option that clears the 60 FPS bar, with an average of 76 FPS. Choosing Ultra at 4K would result in an average of 57 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold and is therefore not recommended.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: Yes, at 4K resolution the system achieves playable frame rates at Low (123 FPS), Medium (87 FPS), and High (76 FPS). The Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, which does not meet the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the highest quality preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 89 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that remains playable. All lower presets also exceed 60 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 161 FPS at 1920x1080 to 76 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 85 FPS. At the Low preset, the drop is from 260 FPS to 123 FPS, a decrease of 137 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The data shows a 54% reduction in average frame rate from Low to Ultra at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is the primary performance driver. The CPU's strong single-thread score of 3655 in Cinebench R23 suggests it is not a bottleneck at these frame rates.

Q: How does this combination compare to other tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 874th out of 3714 combinations, placing it in the top 24% of tested systems for Lockdown Protocol. The CPU and GPU individually rank in the 85th and 81st percentiles, respectively.

Q: What is the best playable setting for 4K gaming?

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 76 FPS, which is the most demanding setting that stays at or above 60 FPS. Medium (87 FPS) and Low (123 FPS) also work, but High offers the best visual quality among playable options.