Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 shows a clear performance curve in Lockdown Protocol, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint at higher resolutions while the CPU keeps minimum frame rates stable at lower settings. The recorded data spans three resolutions and four quality presets, with the most complete frame time information available at Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 168 FPS, which drops to 119 FPS at Medium with a recorded minimum of 102 FPS and maximum of 137 FPS. High settings average 104 FPS, while Ultra remains very playable at 78 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 90 FPS, indicating that the GPU scales well with reduced workload. The Medium preset numbers show a tight frame window, with the minimum landing only 17 FPS below the average, suggesting consistent frame pacing at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance tier shifts noticeably. Low settings average 123 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. Medium averages 88 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS, keeping the worst-case frame rate above the playable mark. High settings average 76 FPS, which remains comfortable. Ultra drops to 57 FPS, falling just short of the 60 FPS threshold, meaning this preset is not recommended at this resolution if strict 60 FPS adherence is required.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 begins to struggle with the heavier presets. Low settings average 80 FPS, which is the only preset that clears the playable threshold. Medium averages 57 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS, indicating that frame times become inconsistent under load. High averages 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 43 FPS, a smaller absolute gap than at 1080p because the GPU is already saturated at this resolution. The Medium frame window at 4K shows a 17 FPS difference between minimum and maximum, which is wider in percentage terms than at lower resolutions.

The data shows that the CPU's 16-thread configuration does not bottleneck the GPU at any tested setting. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2200.5 and multi-core score of 18911 place it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, providing enough headroom for the GPU to reach its limits. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19545 and 61st percentile ranking explain why 4K Ultra remains out of reach.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 78 FPS. This is the recommended choice for users who prioritize visual quality, as the 18 FPS buffer above the threshold provides some safety margin for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, High settings deliver an average of 76 FPS, making it the best preset that maintains 60 FPS or higher. Medium is also viable at 88 FPS, but High offers better visuals while still clearing the threshold by 16 FPS. Ultra at 57 FPS does not meet the requirement, so users must step down one preset level.

At 3840x2160, Low settings are the only option that clears 60 FPS, averaging 80 FPS. Medium falls to 57 FPS, which is below the playability threshold. Users at 4K must accept Low quality to maintain smooth gameplay, though the 80 FPS average leaves some headroom for minor tweaks that might not push the average below 60 FPS.

The playability threshold is defined as 60 FPS in the database. The verdict data confirms exactly which settings qualify at each resolution, and the measured FPS values align with those classifications.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 37 FPS, which is 23 FPS below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The database lists only Low as playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best 1440p preset for this combination?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 76 FPS, which is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. Ultra averages 57 FPS and does not qualify as playable.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 104 at 1920x1080 High to 76 at 2560x1440 High, a reduction of 28 FPS. This represents a 27% decrease in frame rate for the resolution increase.

Q: Does the RTX 4060 struggle with frame consistency at any settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum FPS is 48 while the average is 57, a 9 FPS gap. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 74 and the average is 88, a 14 FPS gap. The 4K Medium preset shows the lowest absolute minimum frame rate in the dataset.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this hardware in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average is 168 FPS, recorded at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: It ranks 2276 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database. This is consistent with the GPU's 61st percentile ranking among all GPUs.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have nearby rivals in the database that would produce similar overall frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. On the CPU side, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores 44573 on the aggregate benchmark, which is 0.2% below the Ultra X9 388H's 44466 average. The Intel Core i9-13950HX scores 44342, a 0.3% deficit, and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 44309, a 0.4% deficit. The Intel Core i5-13600 rounds out the group at 44240, 0.5% lower. These differences are within noise for gaming workloads, so swapping to any of these CPUs would not meaningfully change the FPS results in Lockdown Protocol.

On the GPU side, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with an average score of 17666, which is 0.2% above the RTX 4060's 17639. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, 0.3% lower, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17551, 0.5% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 460 scores 17509, 0.7% lower. These GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in the game, meaning users with any of these alternatives should expect the same playability classifications at each resolution and preset.

The practical takeaway is that this system sits in a specific performance band. The CPU is strong enough that it will not be the limiting factor in Lockdown Protocol, while the GPU determines the ceiling. Any of the listed rival GPUs would behave similarly, so the 1080p Ultra, 1440p High, and 4K Low recommendations would remain the same.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable settings depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 78 FPS, so users can enable maximum visual quality without concern. At 2560x1440, High settings average 76 FPS and are the best option, though Medium at 88 FPS offers a larger safety margin. Ultra at 57 FPS is not playable by the database's standard.

At 3840x2160, the system is limited to Low settings, which average 80 FPS. Medium dips to 57 FPS and High drops to 49 FPS, neither meeting the playability requirement. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus contribute to this 4K limitation, though the database does not isolate VRAM usage from the measured results.

For users with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this combination delivers a smooth experience at high quality settings. For 4K users, the system is playable only at reduced settings. The 80 FPS average at 4K Low does provide some headroom, but there is no path to High or Ultra at this resolution with this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 2276 out of 3714 tested systems in the database, placing it in the bottom 39% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's 61st percentile standing among all GPUs rather than the CPU's 88th percentile, confirming that the GeForce RTX 4060 is the performance bottleneck for Lockdown Protocol.

The CPU's aggregate benchmark score of 44466 places it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU's 17639 average score sits in the 61st percentile. This imbalance means that upgrading the GPU would yield significantly larger FPS gains than upgrading the CPU for this game. The recorded frame rates show no evidence of CPU limitation, as even the highest average FPS of 168 at 1080p Low does not appear to be capped by processor throughput.

The rank of 2276 out of 3714 means that roughly 1438 tested combinations performed worse, while 2275 performed better. This places the system in the lower half of the database, but the playability data shows that it still handles Lockdown Protocol competently at mainstream resolutions. The combination is well matched for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K available only at minimal settings.