Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti presents a compelling dataset for Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title. The measured results reveal a system capable of high refresh rates at mainstream resolutions, though 4K demands careful settings management. The data suggests a balanced pairing where the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance and the GPU’s rasterization capabilities interact predictably across the tested spectrum of presets and resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS or higher is Medium, delivering an average of 66 FPS. The data shows that High settings drop to 57 FPS, just below the playable threshold, while Ultra falls further to 43 FPS. Low settings provide headroom at 93 FPS, but Medium is the optimal choice for balancing visual fidelity with smooth gameplay at 4K.

For 2560x1440, the system achieves playable performance across all tested presets, but the highest quality option that clears 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 67 FPS. This is a notable result, as it indicates the combination can handle maximum settings at this resolution without dropping below the playable threshold. High settings at 1440p yield 89 FPS, Medium produces 102 FPS, and Low reaches 144 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the story is similar but with more headroom. The best settings remain Ultra, which averages 91 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p at Ultra shows a 24 FPS increase, suggesting the GPU has additional capacity at this resolution. High settings reach 121 FPS, Medium hits 139 FPS, and Low peaks at 196 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 91 at Ultra to 196 at Low, a spread of 105 FPS. This wide gap suggests the GPU is heavily utilized, but the CPU’s 20 cores and 20 threads provide sufficient headroom to avoid bottlenecking even at lower settings where frame rates are highest.

Moving to 1440p, the FPS range narrows to between 67 and 144, a spread of 77 FPS. The reduction in maximum frame rate from 196 to 144 FPS at Low settings points to the GPU beginning to saturate, while the CPU still has capacity to spare. At 4K, the spread tightens further to between 43 and 93 FPS, a 50 FPS difference, confirming that the RTX 3060 Ti is the dominant factor at this resolution.

The CPU’s influence is most visible when comparing presets at the same resolution. At 1080p, dropping from Ultra to Low increases FPS by 105, which is a 115% improvement. At 4K, the same preset drop yields a 50 FPS increase, or 116%. The percentage improvement is similar, but the absolute gains shrink as resolution rises, reinforcing that GPU-bound scenarios at 4K limit the impact of CPU performance.

Benchmark data for the Core Ultra 7 265 shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and a single-core score of 5960, placing it in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs. This strong compute performance ensures the processor does not become a bottleneck in Lockdown Protocol, even when the GPU is producing high frame rates at 1080p. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 20349 and 59th percentile ranking indicate it is a mid-range performer, which aligns with the observed scaling behavior.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 93 FPS. This is the only preset at 4K that provides substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold.
• Medium: Average 66 FPS, with minimum 56 FPS and maximum 76 FPS. The minimum dips below 60 FPS, suggesting occasional stutter in demanding scenes.
• High: Average 57 FPS. This falls short of the playable threshold, making it unsuitable for consistent 60 FPS gameplay.
• Ultra: Average 43 FPS. The most demanding preset at 4K produces a frame rate that is significantly below playable standards.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 144 FPS. This matches the refresh rate of many high-end monitors, indicating the GPU can handle light loads easily.
• Medium: Average 102 FPS, with minimum 87 FPS and maximum 117 FPS. The frame times are consistent, with no drops below 60 FPS.
• High: Average 89 FPS. A solid result that maintains smooth gameplay with room to spare.
• Ultra: Average 67 FPS. This clears the threshold by 7 FPS, but the margin is thin compared to other resolutions.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 196 FPS. This is the highest measured frame rate in the dataset, suitable for 144Hz or even 165Hz displays.
• Medium: Average 139 FPS, with minimum 118 FPS and maximum 160 FPS. The minimum remains well above 60 FPS, indicating consistent performance.
• High: Average 121 FPS. This provides excellent smoothness for competitive play.
• Ultra: Average 91 FPS. The most demanding preset at 1080p still offers a comfortable margin above the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 4464P, which scores 64823 and is 0.3% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which scores 64438 and is 0.3% faster. These processors would behave nearly identically in Lockdown Protocol, as the performance delta is negligible. The AMD EPYC 7343 (64202, 0.7% faster) and AMD EPYC 9124 (65104, 0.7% slower) are also close, though their server-oriented design may affect gaming performance differently in other titles.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show similar performance envelopes. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014, which is 0.7% higher than the RTX 3060 Ti, suggesting it would produce nearly identical frame rates. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, making it 1.4% slower, while the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT scores 16361, also 1.4% slower. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, which is 1.7% faster. These cards would deliver comparable FPS in Lockdown Protocol, with differences of only a few frames per second at most settings.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and RTX 3060 Ti run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with High settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 57 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings are the highest playable option at this resolution, averaging 66 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 67 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the highest quality preset that remains playable, though the margin is smaller than at 1080p.

Q: How does the system perform at 1080p for competitive play?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 196 FPS, while Medium averages 139 FPS and High averages 121 FPS. Even Ultra settings maintain 91 FPS, making this resolution suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160. The FPS spread between Low and Ultra settings is 50 FPS, and the maximum frame rate at Low is 93 FPS, indicating the RTX 3060 Ti cannot push much higher even with reduced CPU load.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for Medium settings across resolutions?

A: At 4K Medium, the minimum is 56 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 87 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 118 FPS. Only the 4K minimum falls below 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 1854 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the middle of the database. This suggests it is a capable but not top-tier setup for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1854 out of 3714 places this system in the 50th percentile of tested configurations for Lockdown Protocol. This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the hardware’s individual percentiles: the CPU sits in the 93rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU is in the 59th percentile among all graphics cards. The GPU’s more modest standing drags the overall combo down, as the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary determinant of frame rates at higher resolutions.

The data indicates that the CPU is overqualified for this pairing in terms of raw compute, but the GPU’s mid-range position means the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 4K, the combo falls to the lower half of the ranking due to the GPU’s inability to maintain 60 FPS at High or Ultra settings. The ranking reflects a system that is strong for mainstream resolutions but not for enthusiast-level 4K.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 91 FPS and Low reaching 196 FPS. This makes it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1080p displays.

At 2560x1440, the system is also fully playable, with Ultra averaging 67 FPS and Low hitting 144 FPS. The 7 FPS margin at Ultra is acceptable, though users seeking more headroom may prefer High settings at 89 FPS.

At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets are playable. Medium averages 66 FPS, but the minimum of 56 FPS indicates occasional dips below the threshold. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they produce 57 FPS and 43 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, users should stick to Medium or consider lowering to Low for a more consistent experience. Overall, the combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it delivers smooth, high-quality performance.