Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination. The measured data reveals a system that is capable of high refresh rates at standard resolutions but begins to strain at 4K with maximum settings. The benchmark results indicate a clear hierarchy of performance across the three tested resolutions, with the GPU emerging as the primary bottleneck in the most demanding scenarios. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, setting recommendations, and the relative roles of the CPU and GPU in determining playability.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: According to the measured data, the system achieves a 102 FPS average at 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset. This is the highest preset tested and it stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making Ultra the best settings choice for 1080p.

Q: Can this PC handle 4K resolution at a playable frame rate?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the High preset delivers a 64 FPS average, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset also remains playable at 74 FPS average with a 63 FPS minimum. However, the Ultra preset drops to a 48 FPS average, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: How does the system perform at 1440p Ultra settings?

A: The data shows a 75 FPS average at 2560x1440 with the Ultra preset. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that 1440p Ultra is a viable option for this hardware combination.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High settings, the average FPS is 136. When moving to 2560x1440 High settings, the average FPS drops to 100. This represents a 36 FPS decrease, showing a significant performance scaling cost with increased resolution.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 60 FPS in the tested scenarios?

A: The measured data includes minimum FPS values for Medium settings only. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 63 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 97 FPS. At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 132 FPS. No minimum FPS data is available for other presets, but the average FPS for Ultra at 4K is 48, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the performance rank of this specific CPU and GPU combo among tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1397 out of 3714 tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the upper half of all tested systems, indicating above-average performance for this specific game.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains a 60 FPS average or higher varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system has enough headroom to run the Ultra preset, which yields a measured average of 102 FPS. This is the highest fidelity option available and remains well above the playable threshold.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains playable, with an average of 75 FPS. This is a substantial drop from the 1080p result but still provides a smooth experience. The data suggests that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, balancing visual fidelity with high frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset falls to a 48 FPS average, which is unplayable. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which achieves a 64 FPS average. While playable, this is a significant compromise in visual quality compared to the lower resolutions. The Medium preset also remains playable at 74 FPS, offering an alternative with slightly lower fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals a clear shift in workload distribution. At 1920x1080, the performance delta between Low and Ultra presets is substantial: 219 FPS for Low versus 102 FPS for Ultra. This 117 FPS difference indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher graphical settings, while the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames at lower settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset still delivers a high 161 FPS average, but the Ultra preset drops to 75 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 86 FPS, suggesting the GPU is becoming a more significant limiting factor as pixel count increases. The CPU's role remains consistent, providing enough throughput to maintain high frame rates even at lower settings.

At 3840x2160, the trend accelerates. The Low preset achieves 104 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 48 FPS. The 56 FPS difference between these presets is the smallest of the three resolutions, indicating that the GPU is now the dominant constraint. The CPU is likely no longer the bottleneck even at Low settings, as the sheer pixel load at 4K overwhelms the graphics card. The data shows the GPU's influence grows with resolution, while the CPU's relative importance diminishes.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 with a score of 46030 and a 0.1% delta, and the Intel Core i9-13900HX with a score of 46098 and a -0.1% delta. These processors would behave nearly identically to the Core Ultra 5 235 in this game. Also nearby are the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303, with scores of 45970 and 45960 respectively, showing deltas of 0.2%. Systems with these CPUs would likely produce very similar FPS results.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, with an average score of 22435 and a 0.5% delta, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, with a score of 22729 and a -0.8% delta. The desktop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is also a close match, scoring 22895 with a -1.5% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 5700, with a score of 22170 and a 1.7% delta, is the final listed rival. Any of these graphics cards would offer comparable performance in Lockdown Protocol, meaning a system with one of these GPUs paired with a similar CPU would fall within a few percentage points of the measured FPS values.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at all tested presets, including Ultra with a 102 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is also playable, with a 75 FPS average. The verdict for both of these resolutions is a clear yes, with settings headroom to spare.

At 3840x2160, the answer becomes conditional. The High preset, with a 64 FPS average, and the Medium preset, with a 74 FPS average, both meet the 60 FPS playability standard. However, the Ultra preset falls short at 48 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming is possible, but only if the user is willing to reduce settings from the absolute maximum. The system is capable, but not at the highest fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1397 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 62nd percentile of all systems tested, meaning it performs better than the majority of configurations. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier ranking, reflecting the balanced nature of the CPU and GPU pairing. The system is not at the top of the charts, but it outperforms most other tested hardware in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Resolution and settings data reveal the full performance picture. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 104 FPS. Medium settings produce a 74 FPS average, with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS. The High preset averages 64 FPS. Ultra settings are the weakest, averaging 48 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 161 FPS. Medium settings deliver a 114 FPS average, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. High settings average 100 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 75 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves a 219 FPS average. Medium settings produce a 156 FPS average, with a minimum of 132 FPS and a maximum of 179 FPS. High settings average 136 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers a 102 FPS average. The minimum FPS data is only provided for Medium settings, but the averages for other presets indicate that the system holds up well across the board.