Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents an interesting stress profile for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination. The measured data shows a system that is highly capable at standard resolutions but begins to show its limits when pushed to 4K with maximum detail. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, examining how the CPU and GPU divide their responsibilities, what settings provide the best experience, and how this specific hardware pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset achieves an average of 94 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Since all presets from Low to Ultra clear this threshold, Ultra is the recommended setting for the best visual fidelity at this resolution.

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 3840x2160 with High settings?

A: No. The data shows an average of 59 FPS at 4K with High settings, which falls just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset, with an average of 68 FPS, is the highest setting that maintains playable performance at this resolution.

Q: How much faster is this combo at 1080p compared to 4K?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 201 FPS. At 4K with the same Low settings, performance drops to 95 FPS. This represents a significant 106 FPS decrease when moving from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this system?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 57, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. This is the only instance where the minimum FPS dips below the 60 FPS threshold, despite the average being 68 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 1649 out of 3714 tested combinations. This places it in the upper half of all configurations, specifically in the 55.6th percentile of tested hardware pairings.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU appear to be the limiting factor at higher resolutions?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the primary constraint at 4K. At 1080p, the Low preset hits 201 FPS, but at 4K the same preset only reaches 95 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a larger performance drop than from 1080p to 1440p, indicating increased GPU load.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 changes dramatically depending on the resolution and quality preset. At 1920x1080, the system shows remarkable headroom, suggesting that neither component is fully saturated. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p only reduces the average FPS from 201 to 94, a 107 FPS drop that indicates the GPU is beginning to take on more work as settings increase, but the CPU maintains enough throughput to keep frame rates high.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern shifts. The Low preset still delivers 148 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 69 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 79 FPS, compared to the 107 FPS gap at 1080p. This narrowing suggests that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor, as the additional pixels at 1440p demand more from the graphics card, while the CPU has ample headroom to handle the frame-to-frame processing.

The 4K results reveal a clear GPU bottleneck. At 3840x2160, the Low preset produces 95 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 44 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is only 51 FPS, which is smaller than at lower resolutions. This compression of performance at higher settings points to the RTX 5060 being the limiting factor. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 128-bit bus width, with a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, are likely insufficient for the demands of 4K Ultra, causing the sharp decline.

The CPU's role is more pronounced at lower resolutions where frame rates are high. The Core Ultra 7 265's strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216, ensures that it can keep up with the high frame rates at 1080p. However, the 20-core, 20-thread processor with a 5.30 GHz boost clock appears to be underutilized at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the performance ceiling. The data indicates that for this game, the RTX 5060 is the primary determinant of performance at 1440p and 4K, while the CPU provides a solid foundation at 1080p.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. The benchmark shows an average of 94 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset offers 143 FPS, but since Ultra is still playable, there is no reason to compromise on visual quality. The High preset at 125 FPS and Low at 201 FPS are also viable, but Ultra provides the best balance of image quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also meets the playability standard with an average of 69 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS line, making it a valid choice for players who prioritize maximum detail. The High preset offers 91 FPS, which provides more headroom, but the data shows that Ultra is technically playable. The Medium preset at 105 FPS and Low at 148 FPS offer progressively more performance for those who prefer higher frame rates over visual fidelity.

The 3840x2160 resolution presents a different situation. The Ultra preset drops to 44 FPS, which is well below the playable threshold. The High preset at 59 FPS is also insufficient, missing the 60 FPS mark by a single frame. The Medium preset, with an average of 68 FPS, is the highest quality setting that maintains playable performance at 4K. The Low preset at 95 FPS is the alternative for those seeking higher frame rates, but Medium offers the best visual quality while staying above the 60 FPS line. The minimum FPS of 57 at 4K Medium indicates some frame dips below the average, but the overall experience remains playable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 sits alongside several other processors in terms of overall benchmark score. The AMD EPYC 4464P is the closest competitor, with an average score of 64823, which is 0.3% lower than the Core Ultra 7 265's score of 64640. This means the EPYC 4464P would likely deliver very similar frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F is essentially identical, with a score of 64438, just 0.3% lower. This is the same chip without the integrated graphics, so performance in this game would be indistinguishable. The AMD EPYC 7343 and EPYC 9124 are also nearby, with scores of 64202 and 65104 respectively, representing deltas of 0.7% and -0.7%. These processors would all perform within a narrow margin of each other, making any of them suitable alternatives for this game.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5060's nearest rivals are interesting. The AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 both have average scores that are 0.3% lower, at 26401 and 26421 respectively. These are notably different hardware classes, but the benchmark scores suggest they would produce comparable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% lower with a score of 26553, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is 1.2% higher with a score of 26011.

These GPU alternatives would likely provide similar performance, though the exact frame rates could vary depending on driver optimizations and specific game engine behavior. The data indicates that any of these GPUs would place the system in a similar performance tier for this game, with the CPU remaining a constant factor across all configurations.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, the PC is more than capable, with every preset from Low to Ultra clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 94 FPS is the recommended choice for the best visual experience, while the Medium preset at 143 FPS offers a smoother experience for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the system remains fully playable across all settings. The Ultra preset achieves 69 FPS, which is above the playable threshold, making this a viable option for high-resolution gaming. Players who want to ensure a more consistent frame rate might prefer the High preset at 91 FPS, but the data confirms that even the most demanding settings are playable.

The verdict at 3840x2160 is more nuanced. The system can run the game at 4K, but only with reduced settings. The Medium preset at 68 FPS is the best option, while the Low preset at 95 FPS provides additional headroom. The High and Ultra presets, at 59 and 44 FPS respectively, fail to meet the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for a smooth experience. The minimum FPS of 57 at 4K Medium indicates occasional dips, but these are infrequent enough to maintain overall playability.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all 3714 tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1649. This places it in the upper half of all configurations, specifically at the 55.6th percentile. This ranking suggests that while this system is not top-tier, it is better than the majority of tested setups.

The ranking reflects a balanced pairing where the CPU is relatively strong, with a percentile of 93 among all CPUs, but the GPU is more modest, with a percentile of 72 among all GPUs. The combination's overall rank of 1649 out of 3714 indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor for this game, as the CPU's high percentile is not fully utilized in this FPS title. The data implies that upgrading the GPU would yield a more significant improvement in Lockdown Protocol performance than upgrading the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 201 FPS, while the Medium preset achieves 143 FPS with a minimum of 121 FPS and a maximum of 164 FPS. The High preset reaches 125 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 94 FPS. All settings at this resolution provide a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold.

The 2560x1440 results show a slight decrease in performance. The Low preset averages 148 FPS, while the Medium preset achieves 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. The High preset delivers 91 FPS, and the Ultra preset reaches 69 FPS. Every setting at 1440p remains playable, with the Ultra preset being the only one that comes close to the 60 FPS line.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 95 FPS, while the Medium preset achieves 68 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. The High preset drops to 59 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 44 FPS. Only the Low and Medium presets maintain an average above 60 FPS at this resolution, with the Medium preset providing the best balance of visual quality and performance. The minimum FPS of 57 at Medium indicates that even this setting can experience dips below the threshold, but the overall average remains playable.