Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is a lopsided pairing for Lockdown Protocol, where the GPU is decisively the bottleneck at every resolution. The CPU sits in the 96th percentile of all processors, while the GPU lands in the 70th percentile, creating a system where frame rates are governed almost entirely by graphics card headroom. Benchmark data confirms this split: at 1080p Low, the combo produces 159 FPS on average, but that figure drops to 74 FPS at 1080p Ultra, a clear sign that the Radeon RX 6600 XT is doing the heavy lifting. The CPU’s immense single-threaded and multi-threaded scores — 7,303 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 51,731 in multi-core — mean it will never be the limiting factor in a fast-paced FPS title.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080. At that resolution, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 74 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra drops to 54 FPS average, and at 3840x2160, Ultra falls to 35 FPS average.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS, producing an average of 72 FPS. Medium runs at 83 FPS, while Low reaches 117 FPS. Ultra is not playable at this resolution, averaging 54 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Radeon RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24,442. It is 0.7% faster than the GeForce GTX 1630 (24,277), 0.8% faster than the GTX 780 Ti (24,236), and 1.1% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170). It is 0.8% slower than the Intel Arc A350M (24,647).

Q: Is the CPU overkill for this game?

A: The data suggests yes. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus scores 96th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rival, the Core Ultra 9 285K, scores 83,807, a mere 0.2% difference. For Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s 70th percentile ranking is the binding constraint.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p Medium?

A: The measured average is 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with enough headroom for smooth gameplay.

Q: Does the CPU’s performance vary significantly from its closest alternatives?

A: No. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is 0.2% above the Core Ultra 9 285K, 1.1% above the EPYC 4584PX, and 1.2% above the EPYC 9135. It is 1.3% below the EPYC 7F72. All five processors are effectively in the same performance class.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor in this system is stark. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz and a 36 MB L3 cache, placing it in the top 4% of all CPUs. The Radeon RX 6600 XT, by contrast, is a mid-range RDNA 2 part with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 2048 shading units, ranking in the 70th percentile. In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU dictates performance scaling across resolutions and presets.

At 1920x1080, the GPU has enough headroom to push frame rates from 74 FPS at Ultra to 159 FPS at Low, a 115% swing. The CPU is never the constraint here; even the most demanding preset leaves the processor with plenty of idle capacity. Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to strain. The average drops from 117 FPS at Low to 54 FPS at Ultra, with the gap between presets widening as pixel count rises. At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmed: Low averages 75 FPS, Medium drops to 53 FPS, and Ultra collapses to 35 FPS. The CPU’s role is static — it provides a stable foundation, but the Radeon RX 6600 XT determines whether the game is playable.

The scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, dropping from Ultra to Low yields an 85 FPS improvement. At 1440p, the same preset change yields 63 FPS. At 4K, it yields 40 FPS. This diminishing return as resolution increases confirms that the GPU’s pixel throughput is the limiting factor, not the CPU’s compute capability. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is effectively a spectator in this pairing, waiting for the GPU to feed it frames.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080: The system is fully playable across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 159 FPS. Medium averages 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. High averages 99 FPS. Ultra averages 74 FPS. Every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold with room to spare, making 1080p the sweet spot for this combo.

2560x1440: Performance remains strong but starts to show limits. Low averages 117 FPS. Medium averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 95 FPS. High averages 72 FPS. Ultra drops to 54 FPS, falling below the playable threshold. The High preset is the most demanding option that maintains 60+ FPS, though Medium offers a safer margin with its 70 FPS minimum.

3840x2160: The GPU struggles at 4K. Low averages 75 FPS, which is the only playable preset. Medium averages 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS. High averages 47 FPS. Ultra averages 35 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the margin above 60 FPS is modest.

The min/max data points, where available, reveal stability. At 1080p Medium, the 96-130 FPS range shows a tight spread, indicating consistent frame pacing. At 1440p Medium, the 70-95 FPS range is similarly stable. At 4K Medium, the 45-61 FPS range shows more variance, with dips below the playable threshold. This suggests that 4K Medium is borderline, while 1080p and 1440p Medium are comfortable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in a tight cluster of high-end processors. The Core Ultra 9 285K is the closest match, with an average benchmark score of 83,807 versus 84,003 for the 290K Plus, a 0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090) and EPYC 9135 (82,980) are 1.1% and 1.2% slower, respectively. The EPYC 7F72 (85,072) is 1.3% faster. For Lockdown Protocol, any of these CPUs would deliver identical frame rates, since the GPU is the bottleneck in all cases. The choice between them would be irrelevant for this game.

For the GPU, the Radeon RX 6600 XT’s nearest rivals are a mixed bag. The Intel Arc A350M (24,647) is 0.8% faster, while the GeForce GTX 1630 (24,277), GTX 780 Ti (24,236), and RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170) are 0.7%, 0.8%, and 1.1% slower, respectively. In practice, all five GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The RTX 2080 SUPER is particularly interesting — despite being a much older architecture, its benchmark score is within 1.1% of the RX 6600 XT, meaning it would deliver essentially the same playable settings at each resolution.

The implication is that this system’s performance profile is defined by the GPU’s 70th percentile standing. Swapping the CPU for any of its nearest rivals would change nothing. Swapping the GPU for any of its nearest rivals would also change nothing, at least in terms of average FPS. The pairing is effectively a mid-range GPU with a top-tier CPU, and the GPU’s class dictates the outcome.

Best Settings per Resolution

1920x1080: The Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 74 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, and it provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing playability. The 74 FPS average leaves a 14 FPS margin above the threshold.

2560x1440: The High preset is optimal, averaging 72 FPS. Medium runs at 83 FPS and Low at 117 FPS, but High offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. Ultra is not viable at 54 FPS. The 72 FPS average at High gives a 12 FPS buffer over the 60 FPS threshold.

3840x2160: The Low preset is the only playable option, averaging 75 FPS. Medium falls to 53 FPS, High to 47 FPS, and Ultra to 35 FPS. Low is the sole preset that clears 60 FPS, and it does so with a 15 FPS margin. This is the least demanding setting, but it is the only way to achieve smooth gameplay at 4K.

The pattern is clear: as resolution increases, the maximum playable preset drops by one step. At 1080p, Ultra is playable. At 1440p, High is the ceiling. At 4K, only Low works. This staircase reflects the GPU’s limited memory bandwidth (256.0 GB/s) and 8 GB VRAM, which become increasingly strained at higher pixel counts.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies sharply by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four presets — Low (159 FPS), Medium (113 FPS), High (99 FPS), and Ultra (74 FPS) — clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is playable and recommended, offering the best visual quality at 74 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at Low (117 FPS), Medium (83 FPS), and High (72 FPS), but Ultra drops to 54 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The High preset at 72 FPS is the best choice for 1440p gaming. At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, averaging 75 FPS. Medium (53 FPS), High (47 FPS), and Ultra (35 FPS) all fall short of 60 FPS.

The verdict is straightforward: this is a 1080p and 1440p machine for Lockdown Protocol, with 4K limited to Low settings. The CPU is never the limiting factor — the Radeon RX 6600 XT is the bottleneck, and its 70th percentile standing defines the system’s capabilities. The data shows that 1080p Ultra and 1440p High are the sweet spots, delivering 74 FPS and 72 FPS respectively, both with acceptable margins above the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, the system is barely playable at Low, making it a secondary option rather than a primary target. Overall, the combo ranks 2,630 out of 3,714 tested combinations, which is below the median, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range positioning despite the CPU’s top-tier performance.