Lockdown Protocol

This combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is an exceptional pairing for Lockdown Protocol, delivering a flawless experience across every resolution and preset tested. The data shows this combo ranks 241st out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems. This is a top-tier setup that crushes the 60 FPS playability threshold with substantial headroom, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays even at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured performance places this combo at rank 241 out of 3714 tested combinations, which puts it in the top 6.5% of all systems tested for Lockdown Protocol. This ranking reflects the sheer power of both components working in tandem. The CPU alone sits at the 96th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU is at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, indicating a balanced high-end pairing where neither component bottlenecks the other in this title.

Benchmark results confirm this is not a marginal performer. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 331 FPS, and even at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset, it maintains 73 FPS. The spread between the lowest and highest tested configurations is substantial—from 73 FPS at 4K Ultra to 331 FPS at 1080p Low—demonstrating that this system scales across the entire performance envelope. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus posts an average benchmark score of 84003, while the RTX 4080 SUPER achieves an average score of 54209, and their combined output clearly translates into one of the strongest gaming results in the database for this game.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals an interesting dynamic in how this game utilizes the hardware across resolutions. At 1080p, the system produces 331 FPS on Low settings and 154 FPS on Ultra, showing that the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU even at lower resolutions where CPU load typically dominates. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings shows a drop from 154 FPS to 113 FPS (a 27% reduction), while the drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is from 113 FPS to 73 FPS (a 35% reduction). This pattern indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes progressively more dominant in determining final frame rates.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, provides a strong foundation for this FPS title. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 suggest excellent per-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and physics in fast-paced shooters. The GPU's role becomes more pronounced when moving from Medium to Ultra presets at the same resolution—at 4K, the jump from Medium (111 FPS) to Ultra (73 FPS) represents a 34% performance cost, while at 1080p, the same preset jump costs 34% as well (235 FPS to 154 FPS). This consistent preset scaling indicates that the game's visual fidelity settings primarily tax the GPU, regardless of resolution, while the CPU maintains stable frame delivery throughout.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 73 FPS average at 3840x2160 Ultra settings, which clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by 22%.

Q: What is the best resolution for competitive play with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080 Low settings, the system reaches 331 FPS average, providing maximum responsiveness for competitive scenarios. Even at 1080p Ultra, it maintains 154 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in this context?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080's score of 54247. The difference is negligible, so gaming performance in Lockdown Protocol would be virtually identical between these two cards.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the system achieves 243 FPS on Low settings and 113 FPS on Ultra. The 53% performance drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution indicates the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck when visual settings increase, while the CPU handles lower presets effortlessly.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at Medium settings across all resolutions?

A: At Medium settings, the system delivers 235 FPS at 1080p, 172 FPS at 1440p, and 111 FPS at 4K. All of these are well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Does this combo ever drop below 60 FPS?

A: No. The lowest recorded average FPS across all tested configurations is 73 FPS at 4K Ultra. The minimum FPS recorded in any test was 95 FPS at 4K Medium settings, showing consistent frame delivery without dips below the playability threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Lockdown Protocol, and it does so with exceptional performance at every resolution and preset combination tested. The verdict data is unambiguous: all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are marked as playable at every resolution from 1920x1080 up to 3840x2160. At 4K, the "best settings" designation goes to Ultra with an average of 73 FPS, meaning players can enjoy maximum visual fidelity while staying comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, Ultra delivers 113 FPS, and at 1080p, Ultra hits 154 FPS.

The system's weakest tested configuration—4K Ultra at 73 FPS—still provides a 22% margin above the playability threshold. For gamers seeking competitive advantage, the 1080p Low setting at 331 FPS offers maximum frame throughput, while the 1440p Medium setting at 172 FPS balances visual quality with high refresh rates. This is a system that never struggles with Lockdown Protocol, regardless of how demanding the configuration.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the closest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807 on average compared to the 290K Plus's 84003—a difference of just 0.2%. In practical terms, these processors would deliver nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol. The AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090 average, 1.1% slower) and AMD EPYC 9135 (82980 average, 1.2% slower) are also nearby, though these server-class chips may have different platform requirements. The AMD EPYC 7F72 actually scores higher at 85072, making it 1.3% faster than the 290K Plus, though again this is a server-oriented part.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the direct sibling, with an average score of 54247 versus the SUPER's 54209—a 0.1% difference that translates to essentially identical frame rates. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828 average, 1.1% faster) and AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698 average, 2.7% faster) also appear in the nearest rivals list, though the RX 6750 GRE's higher benchmark score does not necessarily guarantee better Lockdown Protocol performance, as game-specific optimization varies. The AMD Radeon 8060S rounds out the list at 55757 average, 2.8% faster in synthetic benchmarks. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, any of these GPUs would provide a similar gaming experience, with differences likely within the margin of error.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers 154 FPS average. This provides a massive cushion above the threshold and enables high-refresh-rate gaming on 144Hz or 165Hz monitors.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings again qualify as the best choice, producing 113 FPS average. This remains well above 60 FPS and still offers enough headroom for 100Hz+ displays.

At 3840x2160, the best playable preset is Ultra with 73 FPS average. While this is the lowest frame rate of all tested configurations, it still exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, allowing 4K gamers to enable every visual feature without compromise. The system never requires dropping below Ultra at any resolution to maintain playability, which is the hallmark of a truly high-end gaming rig.