Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a flagship-class combination designed to obliterate frame rate targets. In Lockdown Protocol, this pairing does exactly that, delivering playable performance at every preset across all tested resolutions. The measured data shows a system that is never constrained by the 60 FPS threshold, even under maximum load at 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and how this specific configuration stacks up against other tested hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol reveals a consistent pattern: this combo provides a massive performance headroom, with average frame rates that are multiples of the 60 FPS playability threshold. The results are presented across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the combo averages 108 FPS on High settings. Dropping to Medium yields an average of 124 FPS, with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 142 FPS. The Low preset pushes the average to 174 FPS, while the most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a robust 81 FPS average. This means even at 4K Ultra, the system holds an average that is 35% above the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), performance scales significantly. The High preset averages 167 FPS, while Medium delivers 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. The Low preset reaches an average of 270 FPS. At the top end, the Ultra preset averages 125 FPS, which is more than double the playability threshold.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the CPU and GPU combo shows its full strength. The High preset averages 228 FPS. Medium delivers 261 FPS with a minimum of 222 FPS and a maximum of 301 FPS. The Low preset hits an impressive 368 FPS average. Even at Ultra, the system maintains a 171 FPS average, ensuring buttery-smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors.

Notably, the data only provides min/max FPS figures for the Medium preset at each resolution. For other presets, only average FPS is available. The consistent pattern across all data points, however, indicates that the system never approaches a performance floor that would cause stuttering or frame drops below playable levels.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 81 FPS. This is 21 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold, confirming that the most demanding configuration is fully playable.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 368, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the system is capable of extremely high frame rates when graphical load is reduced.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Medium to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 192 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 125 FPS. This represents a 67 FPS drop, or approximately 35% lower performance, when selecting the highest quality settings.

Q: Is there a resolution where this combo struggles to maintain 60 FPS?

A: No. The lowest average FPS recorded across all tested configurations is 81 FPS at 4K Ultra. Every other setting and resolution combination exceeds this value, leaving no scenario where the system falls below the playable threshold.

Q: Does the 4K Ultra setting provide a smooth experience?

A: Yes, with an average of 81 FPS, the 4K Ultra setting provides a smooth experience. While this is the lowest average in the dataset, it still maintains a 35% margin above the 60 FPS target, which is generally sufficient for consistent frame pacing.

Q: How does the 1080p Medium preset compare to the 4K High preset?

A: The 1080p Medium preset averages 261 FPS, while the 4K High preset averages 108 FPS. The 1080p configuration is 153 FPS higher, illustrating the significant performance scaling when resolution is reduced.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the CPU and GPU share the workload in Lockdown Protocol. The data shows a classic pattern where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s headroom is exposed at lower resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves extremely high frame rates, with the Low preset reaching 368 FPS. This suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is capable of feeding the RTX 4090 with enough data to saturate its rendering capabilities. The 24-core, 24-thread processor with a 5.80 GHz boost clock provides ample single-thread performance for game logic and draw calls, as evidenced by the 4823 single-thread Passmark score and the 7303 Cinebench R23 single-core score.

Moving to 2560x1440, frame rates drop by approximately 27-31% across presets compared to 1080p. For example, the Ultra preset falls from 171 FPS at 1080p to 125 FPS at 1440p. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more influential, as the increased pixel count demands more from the RTX 4090’s 16384 shading units and 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s role becomes dominant. The Ultra preset drops to 81 FPS, a 53% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result. This steep scaling curve is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at 4K, where the RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are pushed to their limits. The CPU’s influence diminishes, as the 4K frame rates are primarily determined by the graphics card’s pixel throughput.

The settings scaling also provides insight into component roles. At 4K, moving from Low to Ultra reduces average FPS from 174 to 81, a 93 FPS drop. At 1080p, the same settings change reduces FPS from 368 to 171, a 197 FPS drop. The larger absolute drop at 1080p suggests that the CPU has more headroom to drive higher frame rates when the GPU is less stressed, while at 4K, the GPU’s rendering limits cap the overall performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific configuration of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 70th out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the top 1.9% of all tested configurations, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of hardware combinations in this game.

The ranking reflects the synergy between the two components. The RTX 4090, with its 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs, provides exceptional rasterization performance. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, ranking in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, ensures that the GPU is not starved of data. This combination of top-tier components results in a system that sits near the apex of the performance hierarchy.

While the rank of 70 might seem modest given the hardware, it is important to note that the database includes many overclocked and custom configurations that may edge out this stock pairing. The data indicates that the combo is firmly in the enthusiast tier, with only 69 other configurations achieving higher frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering similar hardware, the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide reference points for comparable performance.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is the closest CPU alternative, with an average benchmark score of 83807 compared to the 290K Plus’s 84003, a delta of just 0.2%. In practical terms, these processors are nearly identical in performance, and users would see virtually no difference in Lockdown Protocol frame rates.

The AMD EPYC 4584PX (avg score 83090, 1.1% slower) and AMD EPYC 9135 (avg score 82980, 1.2% slower) are also within a narrow margin. While these are server-class processors, their benchmark scores suggest they would deliver similar CPU-bound performance. The AMD EPYC 7F72 (avg score 85072) is 1.3% faster, representing a marginal step up.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, nearly identical to the RTX 4090’s 60347 (0% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, 0.3% slower) and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657, 2.9% slower) are also close, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61896) is 2.5% faster. These professional-grade cards would provide similar rendering performance in Lockdown Protocol, though the RTX 4090’s gaming-specific features may offer additional benefits not captured in these synthetic scores.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Lockdown Protocol, and it does so with exceptional headroom. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at every resolution tested, all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) achieve average frame rates above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system delivers 81 FPS at Ultra, 108 FPS at High, 124 FPS at Medium, and 174 FPS at Low. Every configuration clears the 60 FPS bar with room to spare.

At 2560x1440, performance is even stronger, with 125 FPS at Ultra, 167 FPS at High, 192 FPS at Medium, and 270 FPS at Low. This resolution is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming.

At 1920x1080, the system is virtually unstoppable, producing 171 FPS at Ultra, 228 FPS at High, 261 FPS at Medium, and 368 FPS at Low. These frame rates are suitable for competitive play on 240Hz or higher monitors.

The data confirms that this combination is not merely playable but excessively powerful for Lockdown Protocol. Users can enable maximum settings at any resolution without concern for performance drops.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users seeking the highest visual fidelity while maintaining at least 60 FPS, the optimal settings are as follows:

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra, which produces an average of 81 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold, offering the best visual quality while maintaining a comfortable performance margin.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, delivering an average of 125 FPS. This provides a 65 FPS headroom over the playable threshold, allowing for smooth gameplay with maximum graphical details.

At 1920x1080, the best settings remain Ultra, with an average of 171 FPS. This configuration offers the highest visual fidelity while still providing frame rates suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

In all cases, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice, as it is the most demanding setting that still maintains a 60 FPS average. Users who prioritize frame rate over visual quality can opt for lower presets, with the Low setting at 1080p offering up to 368 FPS for competitive play.