Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS that responds clearly to both resolution and graphics preset changes. The recorded data for this combination of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 shows a wide performance spread, from a demanding 4K Ultra experience down to a very fluid 1080p Low run. The measurements cover three resolutions and four quality settings, providing a complete picture of what this mobile-oriented CPU and desktop-class GPU can deliver together.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the system produces an average of 48 FPS on High settings. Dropping to Medium improves the average to 55 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 63 FPS. Low settings at this resolution jump to an average of 77 FPS, while Ultra is the most demanding, yielding only 36 FPS on average. The spread from 36 FPS to 77 FPS across the four presets shows that 4K is highly sensitive to the quality level selected.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance ceiling rises considerably. Low settings deliver an average of 120 FPS, which is a strong result for a 1440p panel. Medium follows at 85 FPS on average, with minimum and maximum readings of 72 FPS and 98 FPS respectively. High settings produce 74 FPS on average, and Ultra trails at 56 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 64 FPS, indicating that the preset choice has a major impact on the experience.

At 1920x1080, the combination shows its strongest overall performance. Low settings reach an average of 163 FPS, making it the fastest configuration in the entire dataset. Medium averages 116 FPS, with a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS. High settings produce 101 FPS on average, and Ultra still maintains a comfortable 76 FPS. Even the most demanding preset at 1080p stays well above the 60 FPS threshold, which is notable for a game with this genre's pacing.

The min and max data for Medium settings across all three resolutions shows consistent frame pacing. At 4K, the 47 to 63 FPS range is narrow, suggesting a stable load. At 1440p, the 72 to 98 FPS range is similarly tight. At 1080p, the 99 to 133 FPS range indicates headroom for high refresh rate displays. The absence of min and max values for the other presets means the analysis relies on averages for those settings, but the Medium data points offer a useful window into frame consistency.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the primary constraint. The average FPS drops from 77 on Low to 36 on Ultra, a decline of 41 FPS that aligns with the increased pixel shading load. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 16 threads, has less influence here because the rendering work at 4K scales with the GPU's pixel rate and texture rate.

At 2560x1440, the balance starts to shift. Low settings hit 120 FPS, which suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively at this resolution. The drop to 56 FPS on Ultra indicates that the GPU is still the limiting factor when visual effects intensify. The CPU's single-thread performance, reflected in its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2200.5, appears sufficient to keep frame rates high on lower presets.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes more apparent. Low settings reach 163 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the CPU's per-core performance and cache configuration matter. The Core Ultra X9 388H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, and the data suggests these features support high frame rates at this resolution. The GPU still handles the visual workload, but the CPU is not holding the system back at 1080p.

The scaling between resolutions reinforces this interpretation. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 55 at 4K to 85 at 1440p to 116 at 1080p. That is a consistent improvement as pixel count drops, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the averages are 77, 120, and 163 FPS respectively, a steeper curve that indicates the CPU has more headroom to express itself when the GPU's load is light. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely sufficient for all tested configurations, as no data points suggest a memory capacity limit.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold is Low, which averages 77 FPS. Medium falls short at 55 FPS, and High and Ultra are further behind at 48 and 36 FPS respectively. For a 4K display, Low is the recommended setting to maintain smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, three presets are playable: Low at 120 FPS, Medium at 85 FPS, and High at 74 FPS. Ultra misses the threshold at 56 FPS. The best setting that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 74 FPS. This offers a solid visual upgrade over Medium while still providing a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS line.

At 1920x1080, all four presets clear 60 FPS. Ultra averages 76 FPS, which is the most demanding setting that remains playable. High averages 101 FPS, Medium averages 116 FPS, and Low averages 163 FPS. The best choice for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness is Ultra at 76 FPS, since it stays above the threshold and provides the highest fidelity of any tested configuration at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D, which scores 0.2 percent lower than the Core Ultra X9 388H's average of 44466. The Intel Core i9-13950HX scores 0.3 percent higher, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 0.4 percent higher, and the Intel Core i5-13600 scores 0.5 percent higher. These deltas are all within half a percent, meaning any of these processors would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5060's nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The AMD Radeon 860M scores 0.3 percent lower, the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 0.3 percent lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 0.8 percent lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 1.2 percent higher. None of these differences exceed 1.2 percent, so a system built with any of these GPUs and the same CPU would behave almost identically in terms of average FPS.

For users considering a CPU swap, the data suggests that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D or Core i9-13950HX would not meaningfully change the measured results. For a GPU swap, the RX 6750 XT is the closest higher-performing option, while the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is the closest lower-performing option. The overall ranking of this combo at position 2473 out of 3714 tested combinations indicates that while this is not a top-tier configuration, it sits comfortably within the middle range of the database.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience depends heavily on the display resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra averaging 76 FPS and Low reaching 163 FPS. This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution for this combination, suitable for both high-fidelity visuals and high refresh rate play.

At 2560x1440, the system is playable on High, Medium, and Low, with High averaging 74 FPS. Ultra drops to 56 FPS, so it should be avoided on a 1440p monitor. At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, averaging 77 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, so 4K users must make significant visual compromises.

The verdict data confirms this: the playable settings list for 4K includes only Low, for 1440p it includes High, Low, and Medium, and for 1080p it includes all four presets. The best setting at each resolution is Low at 4K with 77 FPS, High at 1440p with 74 FPS, and Ultra at 1080p with 76 FPS. Users targeting a locked 60 FPS experience should choose their resolution and preset accordingly.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 1920x1080?

A: Ultra is the highest playable preset at 1080p, with an average of 76 FPS.

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

A: No, Ultra at 1440p averages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. High, Medium, and Low are the playable options.

Q: What is the only playable setting at 3840x2160?

A: Low is the only playable setting at 4K, averaging 77 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS.

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

A: 1080p Low averages 163 FPS, while 4K Low averages 77 FPS, a difference of 86 FPS in favor of 1080p.

Q: Which GPU rival is closest in performance to the RTX 5060?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M scores 0.3 percent lower, making it the closest rival in the recorded data.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: The data does not show a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 163 FPS, indicating the CPU can support high frame rates when the GPU load is low.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 2473 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. That places it in the 66th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly two-thirds of tested combos perform better. The CPU alone sits in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, so the overall ranking is lower than either component's individual percentile would suggest.

The gap between the component percentiles and the combo ranking indicates that Lockdown Protocol is demanding enough that this pairing does not reach the top tier of the database. The 4K results, where only Low is playable, contribute to this position. The 1080p results are strong, but the combo's overall standing reflects the challenges at higher resolutions. Users with this hardware should target 1080p or 1440p for the best experience, reserving 4K for Low preset play only.