Lockdown Protocol

This analysis examines the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT for Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title released on 2024-03-11. The CPU sits in the 96th percentile of all processors with an average benchmark score of 84003, while the GPU occupies the 72nd percentile with an average score of 27425 and a launch MSRP of 479 USD. Measured frame rates across three resolutions and four presets show a system that clears the 60 FPS playable threshold in most configurations, though 4K requires a settings compromise. The pairing combines a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a 12 GB RDNA 2 graphics card, and the benchmark data indicates that the GPU is the dominant constraint in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are tightly clustered, which means system builders have several options that would behave nearly identically in Lockdown Protocol. The Core Ultra 9 285K scores 83807, a 0.2% gap that makes it functionally interchangeable with the 290K Plus in CPU-bound scenarios. The AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090) and EPYC 9135 (82980) trail by 1.1% and 1.2% respectively, while the EPYC 7F72 (85072) leads by 1.3%. None of these differences would meaningfully alter Lockdown Protocol frame rates given the GPU-bound behavior observed in the measured data. In practical terms, a user moving from the 285K to the 290K Plus would gain a negligible frame rate improvement in GPU-bound scenes.

For the GPU, the RX 6700 XT's 27425 average score places it alongside the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile (27435, 0% delta), making the two effectively identical in this title. The 0% delta means the two GPUs are statistically indistinguishable in aggregate benchmark terms, and the measured FPS data would reflect that equivalence in Lockdown Protocol. The RTX 3090 (27565) is 0.5% faster, and the Radeon Pro Vega 20 (27839) is 1.5% faster. On the slower side, the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell (27135) trails by 1.1%. A system builder swapping the 6700 XT for an RTX 4070 Mobile would see no measurable change, while the RTX 3090 would offer only a marginal uplift, well within run-to-run variance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS scaling reveals a GPU-bound system. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 191 at 1920x1080 to 140 at 2560x1440 and then to 90 at 3840x2160. The consistent, resolution-driven decline is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain roughly flat across resolutions, since the CPU workload does not scale with pixel count.

The CPU's capabilities — 24 cores, 24 threads, a 5.80 GHz boost clock, a 36 MB L3 cache, and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 — are far beyond what Lockdown Protocol demands at these settings. Its single-thread performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4823. The CPU's Cinebench R15 scores of 5214 multi-core and 736 single-core, along with Cinebench R20 scores of 21727 multi-core and 3067 single-core, further illustrate the processor's headroom. None of these figures suggest any CPU-side constraint at the frame rates observed. Even at 1080p Low, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the system reaches 191 FPS. The GPU, with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 384.0 GB/s bandwidth, becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

At Ultra settings, the same pattern holds: 89 FPS at 1080p, 65 at 1440p, and 42 at 4K. The GPU's 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput and 2560 shading units are the relevant constraints. The CPU's 96th-percentile standing versus the GPU's 72nd-percentile standing reinforces this interpretation. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19786 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 93500 place it firmly in the mid-range, while the CPU's Passmark multi-thread score of 60860 is in the top tier. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU means the GPU will almost always be the first to saturate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the system averages 90 FPS on Low, 64 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 74), 56 FPS on High, and 42 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset's minimum of 54 FPS is notable: although the average clears 60, frame-time variance can dip below the playable threshold. The 4K Low preset at 90 FPS is the only 4K setting that provides a wide margin over the threshold.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 140 FPS, Medium averages 99 (min 84, max 114), High averages 87, and Ultra averages 65. Every preset stays above 60 FPS on average, and the Medium minimum of 84 FPS provides a comfortable margin. The 1440p Medium minimum of 84 FPS and 1080p Medium minimum of 115 FPS both indicate stable frame pacing at those settings.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 191 FPS, Medium averages 135 (min 115, max 156), High averages 118, and Ultra averages 89. The minimum at Medium, 115 FPS, is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the resolution where the pairing is most comfortable. Even the most demanding preset, Ultra at 89 FPS, leaves a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

The Verdict

The verdict data is clear: this combination can run Lockdown Protocol at every resolution tested, but not at every preset. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium as the best option at 64 FPS average. High (56 FPS) and Ultra (42 FPS) fall short of the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, and Ultra delivers 65 FPS average. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra at 89 FPS average.

The practical takeaway: 1080p and 1440p users can run the game at maximum settings, while 4K users must drop to Medium. The 4K Medium minimum of 54 FPS means occasional dips below 60, so players sensitive to frame pacing may prefer Low at 90 FPS for a more consistent experience. At 1440p, the Ultra minimum is not recorded in the measured data, but the average of 65 FPS suggests a generally stable experience near the threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

Among 3714 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Lockdown Protocol, this pairing ranks 1950th. That places it just past the midpoint of the field — a majority of the tested combos deliver higher frame rates. The ranking reflects the GPU's mid-pack standing (72nd percentile) rather than the CPU's elite position (96th percentile). In a title that scales primarily with GPU throughput, the 290K Plus's considerable headroom does little to lift the combo above the median when paired with a 72nd-percentile GPU. For context, the GPU's 72nd percentile and the CPU's 96th percentile bracket the system's overall standing; the combo rank of 1950 sits between these two positions, weighted toward the GPU's lower percentile.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 89 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the answer, averaging 65 FPS. At 3840x2160, the best playable preset is Medium, averaging 64 FPS; High and Ultra both fall below the threshold. These recommendations follow directly from the verdict data, which lists the playable settings and best settings for each resolution. At 4K, dropping to Low sacrifices visual quality but raises the average to 90 FPS, which may be preferable for competitive play in this FPS title.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only on Low (90 FPS average) or Medium (64 FPS average). High (56) and Ultra (42) do not clear the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra, at 65 FPS average, which clears the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RX 6700 XT compare to the RTX 3090 in this context?

A: The 6700 XT's average benchmark score is 27425, which is 0.5% behind the RTX 3090's 27565. In Lockdown Protocol, this would translate to a negligible FPS difference.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. FPS scales strongly with resolution (191 FPS at 1080p Low vs 90 FPS at 4K Low), while the CPU's 96th-percentile benchmark standing and 24-core configuration provide ample headroom.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested systems?

A: It ranks 1950th out of 3714 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Lockdown Protocol.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 115 FPS; at 1440p Medium, 84 FPS; at 4K Medium, 54 FPS.