Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a top-tier combination in the benchmark database, ranking 5th out of 3,714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the top 0.1% of all configurations measured, indicating that it sits at the absolute peak of gaming performance for this title. The data shows a system that is overbuilt for the game’s demands, with every resolution tested clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold by a wide margin. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and practical implications for users considering this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 5 out of 3,714 tested combinations is exceptional, meaning only four other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. This near-top placement is consistent with the individual component percentiles: the CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits in the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards. The difference between these percentiles suggests the GPU is slightly less dominant relative to its peers than the CPU, but together they form one of the fastest configurations possible.

The measured average FPS across all settings and resolutions reinforces this ranking. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 88 FPS, which is 46.7% higher than the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p Ultra, the average jumps to 137 FPS, a 128.3% margin over the threshold. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 187 FPS, which is 211.7% above the playable minimum. These numbers indicate that the combo does not merely run the game—it dominates it, with headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors at every resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the best settings are defined as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average FPS at or above 60. The measured data shows that this combo achieves playable performance at Ultra settings across all three resolutions, making the choice straightforward.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the Ultra preset delivers an average of 88 FPS, which is the highest quality setting available and remains well above the 60 FPS floor. The Medium preset at this resolution produces 135 FPS average, with minimums of 115 FPS and maximums of 155 FPS, but Ultra is the clear recommendation since it does not sacrifice smoothness. The Low preset reaches 190 FPS, while High sits at 118 FPS, but neither is necessary given Ultra’s 88 FPS result.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), Ultra again is the best setting, with an average of 137 FPS. This is a 55.7% improvement over the 4K Ultra result, showing that the resolution drop from 4K to 1440p provides substantial performance headroom. Medium at 1440p averages 209 FPS with a minimum of 178 FPS, but Ultra’s 137 FPS is still far beyond the 60 FPS target, so there is no reason to lower quality.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), Ultra delivers 187 FPS on average, the highest quality setting at the lowest resolution tested. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 285 FPS with minimums of 243 FPS and maximums of 328 FPS, but Ultra remains the optimal choice for visual fidelity without any risk of dropping below 60 FPS. The data indicates that this combo can run the game at maximum settings at all tested resolutions, with no need to compromise.

CPU and GPU Roles

The relative importance of the CPU versus the GPU shifts across resolutions, and the measured scaling between presets reveals which component becomes the limiting factor. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the primary driver of performance, as the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial. The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 190 FPS, while Ultra drops to 88 FPS—a 53.7% reduction. This steep decline with increasing graphical load indicates that the RTX 5090 D is heavily utilized at 4K, and the CPU has ample headroom to feed it.

At 1440p, the scaling between presets narrows slightly. Low averages 295 FPS, Medium drops to 209 FPS, and Ultra reaches 137 FPS. The percentage drop from Low to Ultra is 53.6%, similar to 4K, but the absolute FPS values are much higher, suggesting the GPU is still the bottleneck but with more capacity to spare. The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at 1080p, where the Low preset hits 379 FPS. This is the highest FPS recorded in the entire dataset, and the fact that it is only 32.5% higher than the 1440p Low result (295 FPS) indicates that the CPU is beginning to limit performance at this resolution.

The core evidence for CPU involvement comes from comparing the Low preset across resolutions. At 4K Low, the average is 190 FPS; at 1440p Low, it is 295 FPS; at 1080p Low, it is 379 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p is a 55.3% increase, while the jump from 1440p to 1080p is only 28.5%. This diminishing return suggests that at 1080p, the GPU has so much unused capacity that the CPU’s single-thread performance, which is strong (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303), becomes the constraining factor. For Ultra settings, the pattern is similar but less pronounced: 4K Ultra at 88 FPS, 1440p Ultra at 137 FPS (55.7% increase), and 1080p Ultra at 187 FPS (36.5% increase). The data implies that at 1080p, the CPU matters more than at higher resolutions, but the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is powerful enough to avoid being a significant bottleneck.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users seeking comparable performance, the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide useful reference points. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, with its closest rival being the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at 83,807, a mere 0.2% difference. This means the 285K would deliver virtually identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, making it a direct alternative if the 290K Plus is unavailable. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83,090, just 1.1% lower, and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82,980, 1.2% lower, both of which are server-grade processors that would perform similarly in this game, though they are not typical consumer choices. The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85,072, which is 1.3% higher, indicating it is marginally faster but again from the server segment.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D has an average score of 77,712. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, scores 76,904, which is 1.1% lower—a surprisingly close match for a mobile GPU, suggesting that the 5090 D’s raw compute is not drastically ahead of this particular laptop chip in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, 1.6% higher, meaning it could offer slightly better performance in some scenarios. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB and 16 GB variants score 79,396 and 79,605, respectively, which are 2.1% and 2.4% higher, but these are data-center accelerators without gaming drivers, so they are not practical alternatives for Lockdown Protocol. In practice, the RTX 5090 D’s nearest real-world gaming competitor would be the RX 6850M XT, but the delta of 1.6% is negligible for in-game frame rates.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Lockdown Protocol at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 88 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: Ultra is the best preset at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 137 FPS. All lower presets (High, Medium, Low) also exceed 60 FPS, but Ultra provides the highest quality without dropping below the threshold.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems for this game?

A: It ranks 5th out of 3,714 tested combos, placing it in the top 0.1% of all configurations measured for Lockdown Protocol.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for performance at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes more relevant at 1080p. The FPS increase from 1440p Low (295 FPS) to 1080p Low (379 FPS) is only 28.5%, compared to a 55.3% increase from 4K Low (190 FPS) to 1440p Low (295 FPS), indicating the GPU has excess capacity at 1080p and the CPU is starting to limit performance.

Q: What GPU alternative would perform similarly to the RTX 5090 D?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT has an average benchmark score 1.6% higher than the RTX 5090 D, making it the closest rival with slightly better synthetic performance. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT is 1.1% lower.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at all resolutions with any preset?

A: Yes. All tested presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K produce average FPS above 60. The lowest measured average is 88 FPS at 4K Ultra.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at the highest quality settings across all tested resolutions, and it does so with substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at 3840x2160, the Ultra preset achieves 88 FPS average; at 2560x1440, Ultra achieves 137 FPS; and at 1920x1080, Ultra achieves 187 FPS. Every single setting combination in the measured data clears 60 FPS, including the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration.

The system’s ranking of 5th out of 3,714 combos confirms that it is one of the fastest configurations available for this game. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the 1440p and 1080p results are particularly impressive, with Ultra settings producing 137 FPS and 187 FPS respectively. At 4K, the 88 FPS average at Ultra is suitable for 60 Hz displays and even allows for some headroom, though it would not fully saturate a 120 Hz panel. The data indicates that this combo is overkill for Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS, but it is precisely the kind of hardware that enables maximum visual fidelity without compromise.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for every resolution and settings combination, with minimum and maximum values provided where recorded.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 190 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Medium: 135 FPS average, 115 FPS minimum, 155 FPS maximum
• High: 118 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Ultra: 88 FPS average (no min/max recorded)

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 295 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Medium: 209 FPS average, 178 FPS minimum, 241 FPS maximum
• High: 183 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Ultra: 137 FPS average (no min/max recorded)

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 379 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Medium: 285 FPS average, 243 FPS minimum, 328 FPS maximum
• High: 249 FPS average (no min/max recorded)
• Ultra: 187 FPS average (no min/max recorded)

The Medium preset is the only setting where minimum and maximum FPS values were captured, and those readings show consistent frame times. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 115 FPS is still 91.7% above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating no risk of stutter. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 178 FPS is nearly three times the playable threshold. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 243 FPS is over four times the threshold. These minimums confirm that even in the most demanding scenes, the combo maintains frame rates far above what is required for smooth gameplay. The data overall shows a system with exceptional consistency, not just high averages, making it a reliable choice for competitive play or high-fidelity experiences.