Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with 4K Ultra proving to be the only setting that dips below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Across the three tested resolutions, the combination shows a clear pattern: the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance keeps frame rates high at lower settings. The measured data indicates that this is a well-balanced pairing for a fast-paced FPS, though the most demanding preset at 4K requires a slight reduction in visual fidelity to maintain smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates, with the Low preset averaging 260 FPS. The Medium preset averages 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS. High settings produce an average of 161 FPS, while Ultra averages 121 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a drop of roughly 53%, but even the most demanding preset remains far above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates remain strong. Low settings yield 191 FPS, while Medium averages 135 FPS with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS. High settings average 118 FPS, and Ultra averages 89 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows compared to 1080p, with Ultra being 53% slower than Low — a similar relative drop, but the absolute numbers are lower by roughly 30-70 FPS across presets.

At 3840x2160, the performance hit becomes more pronounced. Low settings produce an average of 123 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS, and High averages 76 FPS. Ultra is the only preset that falls below the 60 FPS playability line, averaging 57 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Ultra represents a 36% reduction in average FPS, highlighting the GPU’s workload at higher pixel counts.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 121 FPS. This leaves substantial margin above the threshold, making Ultra the recommended setting for full visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, Ultra also remains the best playable setting, averaging 89 FPS. The data shows that even with maximum settings, the system maintains a comfortable buffer above 60 FPS, allowing for consistent performance in intense combat scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are High, averaging 76 FPS. While Medium and Low also clear the threshold, High offers the highest visual fidelity that still holds an average above 60 FPS. Ultra averages 57 FPS, which falls short of the playable threshold, so it should be avoided at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU’s performance is more influential, as evidenced by the large frame rate differences between presets — Low averages 260 FPS while Ultra averages 121 FPS. This wide spread indicates that the GPU is not fully saturated at lower settings, allowing the CPU’s 24 cores and 24 threads to push frame rates higher.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a larger role. The average FPS at Low drops from 260 to 191, a 27% reduction, while Ultra drops from 121 to 89, a 26% reduction. The similar relative drops across presets suggest that both components are scaling together, but the GPU is starting to limit the upper bound of performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. Low settings average 123 FPS, which is 36% lower than at 1440p, and Ultra averages 57 FPS, a 36% drop as well. The consistent percentage reduction across all presets when moving from 1440p to 4K points to the GPU’s rendering capabilities being the primary constraint, while the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames even at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 1440p Ultra is 89 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 3840x2160?

A: High settings, with an average of 76 FPS. Ultra averages 57 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 4K Ultra?

A: 1080p Low averages 260 FPS, while 4K Ultra averages 57 FPS, making the former roughly 4.5 times faster in average frame rate.

Q: Does the system maintain a stable frame rate at 1440p Medium?

A: Yes, the average is 135 FPS with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS, indicating consistent performance without significant dips.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for performance at 1920x1080?

A: The CPU appears more influential at 1080p, as the frame rate spread between Low and Ultra is large (260 FPS vs 121 FPS), suggesting the GPU is not the limiting factor at lower settings.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Low settings?

A: The average is 123 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, making Low a viable option for high-refresh-rate 4K displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 874th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 24% of all configurations. This ranking reflects a strong overall performance profile, with the CPU’s 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU’s 81st percentile among all GPUs contributing to a balanced system. The rank suggests that while this combo is not at the absolute top tier, it outperforms the majority of tested setups and is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or higher across all tested resolutions, with one exception. At 1920x1080, all presets from Low to Ultra clear the threshold, with Ultra averaging 121 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets also clear 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 89 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low, Medium, and High all average above 60 FPS, but Ultra averages 57 FPS, making it the only non-playable setting. For a smooth experience at 4K, High settings are recommended, while 1080p and 1440p users can enable Ultra without concern.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 0.2% higher, and the AMD EPYC 4584PX, which scores 1.1% higher. The AMD EPYC 9135 is 1.2% higher, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 1.3% lower. These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, making them suitable substitutes if the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is unavailable.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 0.1% higher in average benchmarks, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 0.4% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 1.3% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 1.3% lower. The RTX 4070’s nearest rivals show that a swap to any of these cards would result in very similar frame rates, with differences of only a few percentage points in synthetic tests translating to minor real-world FPS variations. For users seeking comparable performance, the RTX 4080 Mobile offers a slight edge, while the RX Vega 56 would be a close match in terms of overall throughput.