Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination delivers a distinctly tiered performance profile in Lockdown Protocol, scaling from a capable 1080p powerhouse to a 4K compromise. The data shows a system that is firmly playable at mainstream resolutions but requires strict settings discipline at higher pixel counts, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck in demanding scenarios.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Benchmark data places the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,995. Its nearest rivals are remarkably tightly clustered, with all four alternatives within one percentage point of the Ultra 5 245's score. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G scores 49,196, a negligible 0.4% difference, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 sits at 49,228, just 0.5% ahead. On the Intel side, the Xeon Gold 5318H trails by 0.6% with a score of 48,698, and the Core i5-14600K is 0.8% behind at 48,618. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, any of these processors would deliver nearly identical frame pacing and CPU-bound performance, meaning the choice between them is unlikely to alter gameplay experience.

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 occupies the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16,014. Its nearest rivals are equally close: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16,129, just 0.7% higher, while the AMD Radeon R9 370X and RX 7700 score 15,862 and 15,852 respectively, both within 1% of the RX 9060. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 trails by 2.1% at 15,679. In practical terms, swapping the RX 9060 for any of these alternatives would yield nearly indistinguishable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, particularly at 1440p and 4K where the GPU is the primary limiter. The RTX 3060 Ti is the closest match, offering virtually identical rasterization performance for this title.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal a clear division of labor between the Ultra 5 245 and RX 9060 in Lockdown Protocol. At 1080p, the CPU's high single-thread performance—evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,648—allows the GPU to stretch its legs. The jump from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p shows only a 94 FPS difference (175 to 81 FPS), but the absolute frame rates remain high enough that the CPU is not holding back the GPU. The data suggests the CPU handles the game's logic and draw calls efficiently, with the RX 9060 becoming the limiting factor as settings increase.

At 1440p, the GPU's role becomes more prominent. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings drops average FPS from 81 to 60, a 26% reduction that tracks closely with the pixel count increase. At Medium settings, the drop is from 124 to 91 FPS, again roughly proportional to resolution scaling. This indicates the CPU maintains adequate headroom, and the RX 9060's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are what determine performance at this resolution.

The 4K results confirm the GPU as the dominant bottleneck. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 39 FPS average, while 4K High reaches 51 FPS. Even 4K Medium averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS. The Ultra 5 245's multi-core strength—a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,924—does not translate into higher frame rates here because the RX 9060's compute resources are saturated. The 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs simply cannot sustain high frame rates at 8.3 million pixels. For players targeting 4K, the GPU is unquestionably the limiting component, and the CPU's role recedes to maintaining minimum frame stability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination shows strong performance across all presets. Low settings deliver an average of 175 FPS, which is the highest recorded for this combo in any configuration. Medium settings average 124 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings produce 109 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 81 FPS. All 1080p presets clear the 60 FPS playability threshold with substantial margin, making this resolution the most comfortable operating point.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains playable across the board but with tighter margins. Low settings average 128 FPS, Medium averages 91 FPS (minimum 77, maximum 105), and High averages 80 FPS. Ultra settings exactly hit the 60 FPS playability threshold with an average of 60 FPS. The data indicates that 1440p Ultra is the boundary case—playable but without headroom for demanding scenes or background tasks.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. Low settings are the only fully playable option, averaging 83 FPS. Medium settings average 59 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, with a minimum of 50 FPS and maximum of 68 FPS. High settings drop to 51 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 39 FPS. The 4K results clearly show that this combo is not suited for high-fidelity gaming at this resolution, with only the lowest preset maintaining consistent playability.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific CPU-GPU pairing at rank 2,194 out of 3,714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This positioning—roughly in the 59th percentile of all combos—reflects the RX 9060's mid-range standing more than the CPU's strength. The Ultra 5 245's 90th percentile CPU ranking suggests that pairing it with a stronger GPU would yield significantly better results, while the current configuration is held back by the graphics card's performance ceiling.

The rank indicates that a majority of tested combinations outperform this setup, but it also means the combo beats roughly 1,500 other configurations. Within the context of the RX 9060's nearest GPU rivals, the ranking is consistent: systems with similar graphics cards would land in the same general area. The Ultra 5 245's high CPU percentile does not rescue the combo's overall standing because Lockdown Protocol's frame rates at 1440p and 4K are largely GPU-bound, as the measured FPS data confirms.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + AMD Radeon RX 9060 playable at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the combo averages 81 FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. All four presets at this resolution exceed 60 FPS, with Low averaging 175 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p for this combo?

A: The Ultra preset averages exactly 60 FPS at 2560x1440, making it the most demanding playable option. Low, Medium, and High also all remain above 60 FPS, so players have full settings freedom at this resolution.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 83 FPS. Medium averages 59 FPS, just below the playability threshold, and High and Ultra average 51 and 39 FPS respectively. 4K gaming is severely limited with this GPU.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 16,129, which is 0.7% higher than the RX 9060's 16,014. This difference is negligible in practice, meaning frame rates in Lockdown Protocol would be nearly identical between the two cards.

Q: What CPU alternatives would perform similarly to the Ultra 5 245?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% higher score) and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.5% higher) are the closest matches, followed by the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.6% lower) and Intel Core i5-14600K (0.8% lower). All are effectively equivalent for this game.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU at any resolution in this game?

A: The data suggests no. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, with performance scaling down as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (4,648 in Cinebench R23 single-core) allows the GPU to reach its full potential, as evidenced by the 175 FPS Low preset result.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only preset that maintains an average at or above 60 FPS is Low, which delivers 83 FPS. Medium falls just short at 59 FPS, so players targeting 4K must accept the lowest visual quality to maintain smooth gameplay. The data shows no viable alternative preset for 4K.

At 2560x1440, all four presets clear the 60 FPS barrier, but Ultra is the most demanding option that remains playable, averaging exactly 60 FPS. This makes 1440p Ultra the recommended configuration for players who want maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing playability. The 60 FPS average leaves no margin for frame drops, but the minimum frame data for Medium (77 FPS) suggests the system handles demanding scenes reasonably well.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings average 81 FPS, providing both high visual quality and comfortable frame rates. This is the best overall configuration for this combo, offering the most demanding preset with 21 FPS of headroom above the playability threshold. For players who prefer maximum frame rates, Low settings deliver 175 FPS, but the Ultra preset at 81 FPS is the recommended balance of quality and performance.