Lockdown Protocol

This PC configuration pairs the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, targeting Lockdown Protocol. The data shows a system that comfortably handles the game across most common gaming resolutions, with clear limitations only at the very top end. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 36 MB of shared L3 cache, sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU lands in the 61st percentile, making this a lopsided pairing where the processor has significant headroom over the graphics card. What follows is a breakdown of measured performance, optimal settings, and how this combo stacks up against other tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, this combo delivers exceptional frame rates that will satisfy high-refresh-rate monitor owners. The Low preset produces an average of 214 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded for this setup across any resolution or setting. Moving to Medium yields 152 FPS average, with a minimum of 129 FPS and a maximum of 175 FPS, indicating tight frame pacing. The High preset still manages 133 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 99 FPS average. None of these 1080p results fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the minimum recorded FPS at Medium (129) is more than double that threshold.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the scaling trend is clear. Low settings produce 157 FPS average, which is a 27% reduction compared to the 1080p Low result. Medium averages 111 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS and maximum of 128 FPS—still very smooth for competitive play. High settings yield 97 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 73 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 84 FPS, showing that the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. Low settings still manage 101 FPS average, which is playable, but the higher presets begin to show strain. Medium averages 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and maximum of 83 FPS—the minimum is just barely above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings drop to 63 FPS average, which is technically playable but leaves almost no headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra falls to 47 FPS average, which misses the 60 FPS playable threshold entirely. The data indicates that 4K Ultra is not viable for this combo, and even High at 4K should be considered borderline.

The pattern across all resolutions shows that the Medium preset consistently provides the most stable minimum frame rates, with recorded minimums of 129 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. This suggests that Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and frame time consistency for this hardware pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, delivering 99 FPS average. This is the clear recommendation for full HD gaming, as it provides the maximum visual quality while still nearly doubling the playable threshold.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best choice, with an average of 73 FPS. While this is lower than the 1080p result, it still clears the 60 FPS threshold comfortably. The 73 FPS average means the game will feel responsive, though users with 144 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors may notice the reduction from the 1080p result.

At 3840x2160, the situation requires compromise. The best preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of exactly 63 FPS. This leaves only 3 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold, so users should expect occasional dips below 60 FPS in intense combat scenarios. The Medium preset at 72 FPS average offers more safety margin, and its minimum of 61 FPS suggests it may be the more practical choice for 4K gaming despite High technically being the "best" playable preset. For users prioritizing consistent frame delivery over maximum visual quality, Medium at 4K appears to be the safer recommendation.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 47, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data shows this combo cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset achieves 99 FPS average at 1080p, making it the most demanding preset that stays well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four tested presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How much performance difference is there between 1080p and 1440p?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 99 at 1080p to 73 at 1440p, a reduction of 26 FPS. At Medium settings, the drop is from 152 FPS to 111 FPS, a 41 FPS reduction. The resolution scaling penalty is consistent across presets.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data suggests yes. The CPU benchmarks place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile. The large performance gap between resolutions indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, particularly at 4K where Ultra falls to 47 FPS.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers an average of 111 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience with consistent frame delivery.

Q: Does this system meet the playable threshold at 4K?

A: Yes, but only with settings adjustments. The High preset averages 63 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 72 FPS with a 61 FPS minimum. The Low preset achieves 101 FPS. Ultra is the only 4K preset that fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93,785, placing it directly between several enterprise-focused processors. The Intel Xeon 6520P scores 93,786, essentially identical with a 0% delta, meaning users would see no meaningful difference in CPU-bound scenarios. The AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95,183, which is 1.5% higher, while the AMD EPYC 9175F scores 95,615 (1.9% higher), and the AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95,764 (2.1% higher). These deltas are all within a few percent, so any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the RTX 3070.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 17,208. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 17,083, which is 0.7% lower—effectively a wash in real-world gaming. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17,037 (1% lower) and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17,019 (1.1% lower), both of which would perform nearly identically. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17,468, which is 1.5% higher. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, any of these GPUs would deliver frame rates within a few FPS of the RTX 3070 across all tested resolutions and presets.

The practical takeaway is that this combo sits in a performance cluster where small benchmark deltas translate to minimal gameplay differences. Users with any of these alternative CPUs or GPUs should expect very similar measured FPS results in Lockdown Protocol.

How This Combo Ranks

The data ranks this specific CPU-GPU combination at 1,588 out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the upper-middle portion of all tested configurations, roughly in the 57th percentile of all pairings. The ranking reflects the fact that while the CPU is exceptionally strong (96th percentile), the GPU is only mid-pack (61st percentile), and the game's frame rates are clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

This ranking makes sense when considering the measured FPS data. The combo achieves playable performance at all tested resolutions except 4K Ultra, but it doesn't approach the top-tier results that would come from pairing this CPU with a more powerful GPU. The 1,588 rank out of 3,714 suggests there are over 2,000 tested combos that deliver higher frame rates in this game, but also over 2,100 that deliver lower performance.

For context, the gap between this combo and the top performers likely stems from the GPU rather than the CPU. Users who upgraded from the RTX 3070 to a higher-tier GPU would see significant rank improvement, while upgrading the CPU would have diminishing returns given that the RTX 3070 is already the bottleneck in most scenarios.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Lockdown Protocol, and it does so well across the board with one notable exception. At 1920x1080, the system runs every preset at or above 99 FPS average, with Ultra settings providing a comfortable 99 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets remain playable, with Ultra achieving 73 FPS average and Medium providing a stable 111 FPS with a 95 FPS minimum. At 3840x2160, the system can handle Low (101 FPS), Medium (72 FPS), and High (63 FPS) presets, but Ultra drops to 47 FPS and is not playable.

The verdict is clear: this is a strong 1440p gaming machine that can also handle 4K with reduced settings. For 1080p owners, this combo is overkill in the best way, delivering frame rates that exceed 200 FPS on Low settings. For 1440p users, Ultra settings at 73 FPS provide an excellent balance of visual quality and smoothness. For 4K users, the Medium preset at 72 FPS average with a 61 FPS minimum is the safest choice, though High at 63 FPS is technically playable.

The only scenario where this system disappoints is 4K Ultra, where the RTX 3070's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 performance simply aren't enough to maintain 60 FPS. Users who prioritize 4K Ultra gaming should look at more powerful GPU options, but for the vast majority of Lockdown Protocol players at 1080p or 1440p, this combo delivers a highly satisfying experience.