Lockdown Protocol

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1588 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the upper half of all configurations in the database. This is a solid mid-to-high tier standing, driven primarily by the CPU's strong synthetic performance rather than the GPU's more modest position.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 sits at the 93rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 64640. That places it within striking distance of workstation-class processors: it trails the AMD EPYC 4464P by just 0.3% (64823 vs 64640), sits 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438), and beats the AMD EPYC 7343 (64202) by 0.7%. The only rival that edges it out by a wider margin is the AMD EPYC 9124 at 65104, which is 0.7% faster. In practical terms for this game, the CPU is delivering near the top of its class, with only server-grade parts separating it from the absolute leaders.

The GPU tells a different story. The RTX 3070 sits at the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 17083 (0.7% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037 (1% slower), and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019 (1.1% slower). The only card in its immediate vicinity that pulls ahead is the NVIDIA Tesla K40c at 17468, which is 1.5% faster. This clustering means the RTX 3070 is functionally interchangeable with these cards in raw compute terms, though game-specific optimizations can shift real-world results.

The combination's rank reflects the asymmetry: a top-tier CPU paired with a mid-tier GPU. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the system's ceiling is dictated by the GPU at higher resolutions, while the CPU headroom becomes evident at lower resolutions where frame rates climb well past what the GPU alone would typically sustain.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals for both components, several alternative configurations would behave nearly identically in Lockdown Protocol. On the CPU side, swapping the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 for the Core Ultra 7 265F (0.3% faster) would produce no perceptible difference in frame pacing. The AMD EPYC 7343 (0.7% slower) and AMD EPYC 4464P (0.3% slower) are also within the noise margin, though their server-oriented design may affect memory latency in ways not captured by these aggregate scores. The AMD EPYC 9124 (0.7% faster) is the only CPU rival that might show a slight edge in CPU-bound scenarios, but the delta is small enough that game performance would remain effectively unchanged.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% slower) is the closest match and would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (1% slower) and AMD Radeon HD 7970M (1.1% slower) are also comparable in raw benchmark terms, though their older architectures may exhibit different driver behavior in a 2024 FPS title. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c (1.5% faster) is the only rival with a slight edge, but it lacks the consumer-focused feature set of the RTX 3070.

In practice, any combination of the top four CPUs with the top four GPUs listed here would land within roughly 2% of this system's measured performance. The data indicates that Lockdown Protocol is not sensitive enough to these small synthetic deltas to produce meaningful FPS differences. Users seeking a drop-in replacement for either component should expect the same experience, provided the replacement comes from these nearest-rival pools.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the RTX 3070 across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system produces an average of 214 FPS on Low settings, which is 41.5% higher than the 4K Low result of 101 FPS. This scaling suggests the GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960) ensures the frame rate stays high enough that the GPU remains the bottleneck.

Moving to 2560x1440, the drop from 1080p is consistent across presets: Low falls from 214 to 157 FPS (a 26.6% reduction), High from 133 to 97 FPS (27.1% reduction), Medium from 152 to 111 FPS (27.0% reduction), and Ultra from 99 to 73 FPS (26.3% reduction). This near-uniform scaling indicates the workload is primarily GPU-bound at this resolution, with the CPU providing ample headroom.

At 3840x2160, the pattern shifts. The Low preset yields 101 FPS, Medium 72 FPS, High 63 FPS, and Ultra 47 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 54 FPS, compared to 115 FPS at 1080p and 84 FPS at 1440p. This compression at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU is the dominant constraint at 4K, while the CPU's role diminishes as pixel count rises. The RTX 3070's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are the likely limiting factors at 4K Ultra, where the 47 FPS average falls below the playable threshold.

The data supports a straightforward conclusion: at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU's 93rd percentile standing ensures the RTX 3070 is always the bottleneck, but the GPU's 61st percentile performance still delivers playable frame rates at all presets up to 1440p Ultra. At 4K, the GPU becomes the sole determinant, and only the High preset and below remain viable.

The Verdict

This system can run Lockdown Protocol at playable frame rates (60 FPS or above) across all tested resolutions, but with important caveats at the highest settings. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 99 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra maintains 73 FPS, making this resolution fully playable at maximum settings. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset falls to 47 FPS, which is unplayable, but High averages 63 FPS, Medium 72 FPS, and Low 101 FPS, all of which clear the bar.

The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p and 1440p are fully playable at all settings, while 4K requires dropping from Ultra to High for a comfortable margin. The 4K Medium preset offers 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS, which provides a buffer against frame dips. For players prioritizing visual fidelity, 1440p Ultra is the sweet spot, delivering 73 FPS without any settings compromises. For 4K enthusiasts, High settings at 63 FPS is the best balance of image quality and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings average 214 FPS, Medium averages 152 FPS with a minimum of 129 FPS and maximum of 175 FPS, High averages 133 FPS, and Ultra averages 99 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 115 FPS, indicating that the RTX 3070 has substantial headroom at this resolution. Even the most demanding preset stays well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Ultra running 65% faster than the minimum requirement.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but scales down predictably. Low averages 157 FPS, Medium averages 111 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS and maximum of 128 FPS, High averages 97 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The minimum frame rate at Medium (95 FPS) is notably higher than the playable threshold, suggesting consistent frame pacing. Ultra's 73 FPS average is 21.7% above the 60 FPS bar, leaving room for gameplay spikes without dropping below playability.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. Low averages 101 FPS, Medium averages 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and maximum of 83 FPS, High averages 63 FPS, and Ultra averages 47 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 61 FPS is barely above the playable threshold, indicating that occasional dips could approach 60 FPS. High averages 63 FPS, which is only 5% above the threshold, making it a riskier choice for sustained play. Ultra's 47 FPS average is 21.7% below the playable threshold, ruling it out for smooth gameplay.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, which averages 99 FPS. This is the most demanding preset available, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold by 65%. There is no reason to drop below Ultra at this resolution, as even the heaviest settings leave ample performance margin. The frame rate headroom suggests the system could handle additional graphical demands without issue, though none are available in this test.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the best playable setting, averaging 73 FPS. This is 21.7% above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a comfortable buffer for action-heavy scenes. The 73 FPS average at 1440p Ultra is only 26 FPS lower than the 1080p Ultra result, indicating that the resolution increase costs roughly 26% of the frame rate. Players seeking maximum fidelity should choose this configuration, as the visual upgrade from 1080p is substantial while performance remains solid.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is High, averaging 63 FPS. This is just 5% above the playable threshold, so players should be aware that demanding scenes may cause dips. The Medium preset offers a safer alternative at 72 FPS with a 61 FPS minimum, providing both a higher average and a guaranteed floor above 60 FPS. For players who prioritize stability over the modest visual gains from High, Medium is the recommended choice at 4K. Ultra is not playable at this resolution, as its 47 FPS average falls well below the threshold.