Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra X9 2.10 GHz to 5.1 GHz mobile processor paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 1x 16-pin, 16 GB GDDR7 graphics card delivers a wide range of frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. The recorded data covers three resolutions and four settings, with the most demanding combinations dropping below the 60 FPS playable threshold while the lighter options exceed it by a wide margin. This analysis walks through the measured results step by step, identifies the optimal settings for each resolution, and places the combination within the broader database of tested hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combination produces very high frame rates across all settings. The Low preset averages 256 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure in the entire dataset. Medium averages 182 FPS, with a minimum of 155 FPS and a maximum of 209 FPS. High averages 159 FPS, while Ultra averages 119 FPS. Even at the most demanding preset, the average remains nearly double the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that the CPU and GPU have substantial headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale downward as expected, but the margins remain comfortable. Low averages 188 FPS, Medium averages 133 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 153 FPS, and High averages 116 FPS. Ultra at this resolution averages 87 FPS, which still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a margin of 27 FPS. The step from 1080p to 1440p reduces the Low preset average by 68 FPS, from 256 to 188, while the Ultra preset drops by 32 FPS, from 119 to 87. This suggests that the lower presets are more sensitive to resolution changes, likely because they rely more heavily on the CPU and memory subsystem.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the frame rates begin to approach the playable limit. Low averages 121 FPS, Medium averages 86 FPS with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS, and High averages 75 FPS. Ultra drops to 56 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 65 FPS, compared to a 137 FPS gap at 1080p, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, compressing the differences between presets.

The Medium preset is the only configuration with recorded minimum and maximum values at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the spread from minimum to maximum is 54 FPS, at 1440p it is 40 FPS, and at 4K it is 26 FPS. This tightening of the frame time distribution at higher resolutions reinforces the interpretation that the GPU limits performance more consistently as pixel count increases.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that remains playable, averaging 119 FPS. Since all four settings clear the 60 FPS threshold, the recommendation is to use Ultra for the maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The recorded data shows no reason to reduce quality at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, Ultra again provides the best visual experience while staying above the threshold, averaging 87 FPS. The margin of 27 FPS above the playable limit gives some room for scene complexity, though the minimum FPS is not recorded for this preset. Medium at this resolution averages 133 FPS, which could be preferred by users seeking higher refresh rates, but Ultra remains the best choice for image quality.

For 3840x2160, the situation changes. Ultra averages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold, so it is not recommended. High averages 75 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Medium averages 86 FPS, offering a larger buffer, and Low averages 121 FPS for those who prioritize frame rate over fidelity. The verdict data confirms High as the best settings at this resolution, with an average of 75 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component dominates at each setting. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more influence because the GPU can render frames quickly, leaving the processor to handle game logic and draw calls. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 137 FPS, from 256 to 119, which is a 46% reduction. This large gap indicates that the preset changes significantly alter the CPU workload, and the Core Ultra X9 388H with its 16 cores and 16 threads must keep up with the higher settings.

At 2560x1440, the gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 101 FPS, from 188 to 87, a 46% reduction as well. The percentage change is similar, but the absolute numbers are lower, suggesting that the GPU is starting to take on more responsibility. The CPU still matters, but the RTX 5080 with 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 performance begins to become a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Low to Ultra gap is 65 FPS, from 121 to 56, a 46% reduction again. The consistent percentage decline across resolutions is notable, but the absolute frame rates at 4K are much lower. The GPU is clearly the dominant constraint at 4K, as evidenced by the Ultra preset falling below 60 FPS while the CPU remains capable. The RTX 5080 has a 256 bit memory bus and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is substantial, but the raw pixel throughput at 4K Ultra is still insufficient for this title.

The Medium preset minimum FPS values provide additional insight. At 4K, the minimum is 73 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, while the average is 86 FPS. At 1440p, the minimum is 113 FPS with an average of 133 FPS. At 1080p, the minimum is 155 FPS with an average of 182 FPS. The minimum values scale consistently with resolution, indicating that the frame time spikes are proportionally similar across all three.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 978 out of 3714 combinations. This places it in the top 26% of all tested systems, which is a strong result given the game’s demands. The rank reflects the average performance across all presets and resolutions, weighted by the playability at each setting.

The CPU alone has an average benchmark score of 44466, which places it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D with an average score of 44573, which is 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i9-13950HX with a score of 44342, which is 0.3% lower. The differences are minimal, suggesting that the CPU is not a differentiating factor in this game compared to other high-end mobile processors.

The GPU has an average benchmark score of 56083, placing it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 8060S, scores 55757, which is 0.6% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE scores 57367, which is 2.2% higher, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, which is 2.3% lower. The RTX 5080 sits in a tight cluster of similar performance parts, meaning that users with any of these GPUs would see comparable frame rates in this game.

The combination rank of 978 out of 3714 is better than the individual percentiles might suggest, because the CPU and GPU work well together for this title’s workload. The CPU’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and the GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR7 memory provide ample resources for the game’s data requirements.

FAQ

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

A: No. The recorded data shows an average of 56 FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings average 75 FPS and are the best playable option at this resolution.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 average 87 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets at this resolution are playable, with Low averaging 188 FPS, Medium 133 FPS, and High 116 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H has an average benchmark score of 44466, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D’s score of 44573 and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i9-13950HX’s score of 44342.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low averages 256 FPS while Ultra averages 119 FPS, a difference of 137 FPS. The Medium preset averages 182 FPS and High averages 159 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important at 4K?

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops from 121 FPS at Low to 56 FPS at Ultra, and the Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS, indicating the RTX 5080 is the limiting component.

Q: What is the best settings selection for a 60 Hz display?

A: For a 60 Hz display, the system can run Ultra at 1080p (119 FPS), Ultra at 1440p (87 FPS), or High at 4K (75 FPS). All of these options provide a comfortable margin above the refresh rate.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lock