Lockdown Protocol

This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 in Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title released on March 11, 2024. The CPU has a launch MSRP of $299, and the GPU has a launch MSRP of 599 USD. Measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets indicate that this combination delivers smooth gameplay at most settings, with the exception of 4K Ultra, which falls just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides average FPS for every resolution and preset combination, with minimum and maximum values recorded only for the Medium preset. The following table lists all measured values:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 76 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 123 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 87 | 74 | 101 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 57 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 118 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 191 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 135 | 115 | 156 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 89 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 161 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 260 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 185 | 157 | 213 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 121 | - | - |

At 4K, the average FPS spans from 123 on Low to 57 on Ultra, a spread of 66 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101, indicating some frame-time variance but staying comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is the only one that dips below 60, with an average of 57. At 1440p, all presets exceed 60 FPS, with Low reaching 191 FPS and Ultra still holding 89 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 115 FPS and maximum of 156 FPS show a tighter range than at 4K. At 1080p, the performance headroom is substantial: Low averages 260 FPS, and even Ultra averages 121 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p ranges from 157 to 213 FPS, confirming that the combo is well above the playable threshold across the board.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU. At Low settings, the GPU has less work per frame, so the CPU's ability to feed frames becomes more apparent. The data shows that from 1080p Low (260 FPS) to 1440p Low (191 FPS), the average FPS drops by 69, and from 1440p Low to 4K Low (123 FPS), it drops by another 68. This near-linear drop with resolution indicates that the GPU is still the primary limiter even at Low settings, because the pixel count increases significantly. However, the absolute FPS values at Low are very high, suggesting that the CPU is not holding back the GPU at lower resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the GPU load is heavier. From 1080p Ultra (121 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (89 FPS), the drop is 32 FPS, and from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (57 FPS), the drop is 32 FPS again. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is about 26%, while at Low it is about 27% — similar. But the key observation is that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls below 60, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck at that extreme preset. The CPU, with an average benchmark score of 93785 and a 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs, has ample headroom; the GPU, ranked in the 81st percentile, is more likely to be the limiting component at high resolutions and presets.

The narrowing gap between Low and Ultra as resolution increases further supports this: at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 139 FPS (260-121), while at 4K it is only 66 FPS (123-57). This compression suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes saturated regardless of preset, reducing the relative impact of CPU-driven settings. Conversely, at 1080p, the large gap indicates that the CPU can push many more frames when the GPU is less stressed, but the GPU still caps the maximum at 260 FPS on Low. Overall, the data indicates a balanced pairing where the GPU dictates performance at 4K, while the CPU provides enough throughput to keep the GPU fed at 1080p and 1440p.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, based on average benchmark score, are within a narrow band. The Intel Xeon 6520P has an average score of 93786, a delta of 0% from the 270K Plus's 93785. The AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95183 (-1.5%), the AMD EPYC 9175F scores 95615 (-1.9%), and the AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95764 (-2.1%). These processors would be expected to deliver frame rates very close to those measured with the 270K Plus in Lockdown Protocol, assuming the game scales similarly with CPU performance. The small deltas (all within 2.1%) suggest that any of these CPUs paired with the same RTX 4070 would yield nearly identical FPS in this title.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (score 37628, delta 0.1%), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, 0.4%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38135, -1.3%), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37157, 1.3%). These GPUs are within 1.3% of the RTX 4070's average score, so in Lockdown Protocol they would likely produce similar frame rates, with the RTX 4080 Mobile being slightly faster and the RX Vega 56 slightly slower. However, the exact FPS could differ due to driver optimizations or thermal behavior, which are not captured in the benchmark score.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Lockdown Protocol, this pairing ranks 874th out of 3714 combinations. This places it in the top 23.5% of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 76.5% of the combinations in the database. The rank is based on the measured FPS across all resolutions and presets, so it reflects the overall capability of the combo. Given that the CPU and GPU are both high-performing parts individually (96th and 81st percentiles, respectively), the combo's rank is consistent with expectations. The 874th position indicates that while the system is strong, there are many higher-end combinations that achieve better frame rates, particularly at 4K Ultra where this combo falls short of 60 FPS.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear. At 3840x2160, the playable settings (those averaging at least 60 FPS) are High, Low, and Medium. The best playable setting is High, with an average FPS of 76. Ultra is not playable, as it averages 57 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets — High, Low, Medium, and Ultra — are playable, with Ultra delivering the highest average at 89 FPS. At 1920x1080, all presets are also playable, and Ultra achieves an average of 121 FPS. Therefore, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or above at all resolutions and presets except for 4K Ultra. For players targeting 4K, High settings are recommended, as they provide a comfortable margin above the threshold. For 1440p and 1080p, Ultra settings are fully viable.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The average FPS is 260, the highest measured value across all resolutions and presets.

Q: Which setting at 1440p gives the highest average FPS while staying above 60?

A: Ultra settings at 1440p average 89 FPS, which is the best playable preset at that resolution.

Q: Is 4K Ultra playable with this combo?

A: No, the average FPS at 4K Ultra is 57, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: It ranks 874th out of 3714 combinations, placing it in the top 23.5% of all tested systems.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is in the 81st percentile, indicating it outperforms 81% of all GPUs in the benchmark database.

Q: What is the CPU's average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93785, with a 96th percentile ranking.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at each resolution is as follows:

• 3840x2160: High settings, average FPS 76. Ultra is not playable (57 FPS), so High is the highest preset that clears the threshold.
• 2560x1440: Ultra settings, average FPS 89. All presets are playable, but Ultra offers the highest visual quality while staying well above 60 FPS.
• 1920x1080: Ultra settings, average FPS 121. The system has ample headroom at 1080p, allowing the maximum preset to run with a large margin.

These settings provide the best visual fidelity without sacrificing the 60 FPS playability requirement. For players who prioritize frame rate over graphics, lower presets at each resolution will yield even higher FPS, as shown in the measured data.