Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER presents a classic high-resolution GPU-first build in Lockdown Protocol. The data shows a system where the GPU is the dominant force at 4K, while the older six-core CPU begins to assert itself as resolutions drop. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to show exactly where this combo excels and where its limitations surface.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS deltas across resolutions reveal a system that scales predictably, but with a notable bottleneck emerging at 1080p. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 66.1 FPS. Dropping to 1440p Ultra increases that to 106.6 FPS, a gain of roughly 61%. Moving further down to 1080p Ultra yields 130.5 FPS, which is only about 22% higher than the 1440p result. This compression of gains between 1440p and 1080p is the first sign that the CPU is starting to limit frame rates at lower resolutions.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the jump from 4K (90.1 FPS) to 1440p (134.8 FPS) is substantial, but the step to 1080p (148 FPS) is comparatively modest. This pattern indicates that the GPU has ample headroom at 4K, but by 1080p, the Ryzen 5 2600’s single-thread performance becomes the constraining factor. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings is particularly telling: 159.7 FPS to 176 FPS represents only a 10% uplift, suggesting the CPU is heavily engaged in frame pacing at this resolution.

For a builder, this means the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the star of the show at 4K, delivering playable, high-refresh results. However, the data indicates that chasing maximum frame rates at 1080p will not yield the same proportional benefits as it would with a newer processor. The system is best suited for high-resolution gaming where the GPU can stretch its legs.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the clear performance driver in this configuration. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card offers 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the textures and effects in Lockdown Protocol. This is reflected in the 4K results, where the card maintains an average of 90.1 FPS at High settings, a strong indicator of its memory subsystem's efficiency.

The GPU’s clock behavior is also noteworthy. With a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, the card operates at high frequencies. The data suggests that at 4K Ultra, the card is fully utilized, pushing 66.1 FPS. In contrast, at 1080p Low, the card is likely idling more, as the CPU cannot feed it enough frames to sustain higher output. This is a classic sign of a GPU that is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions.

The GPU’s benchmark scores corroborate its position. Its Passmark G3D score of 31811 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and it sits within 2.1% of rivals like the Intel Arc A550M. This indicates that the card is a top-tier performer, and the measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol aligns with that standing. The 16 GB of VRAM is a forward-looking asset, ensuring that high-resolution textures will not cause stuttering or texture pop-in.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 484th out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 30% of all configurations, which is a solid result given the CPU’s age. The rank reflects the balance between a high-end GPU and a mid-range processor from 2018.

The CPU’s own benchmark data puts this into perspective. The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 19616, which is within 0.7% of the Intel Core i7-10700F and 0.6% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U. This shows that while the CPU is old, its multi-threaded capabilities are still competitive with much newer parts. However, its single-thread score of 2239 in Passmark tells a different story, and it is this metric that likely prevents the combo from ranking higher. The 484th rank reflects the GPU’s ability to carry the system in a GPU-bound title like Lockdown Protocol.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across resolutions and settings. At 4K, the results are as follows: Low settings yield 135.5 FPS, Medium drops to 103.2 FPS, High sits at 90.1 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 66.1 FPS. This is a clear progression showing the cost of visual fidelity at the highest resolution.

At 1440p, the frame rates are more comfortable. Low settings hit 159.7 FPS, Medium and High are nearly identical at 137.3 FPS and 134.8 FPS, respectively, and Ultra maintains 106.6 FPS. The small gap between Medium and High suggests that the GPU is still handling the load well, but the CPU is beginning to creep into the equation.

At 1080p, the CPU bottleneck becomes apparent. Low settings achieve 176 FPS, but Medium (155.7 FPS) and High (148 FPS) are closer than at higher resolutions. Ultra at 130.5 FPS is the lowest 1080p result, but it is still far above the 4K Ultra number. The data shows that the biggest FPS jump occurs when moving from 4K to 1440p, while the 1440p to 1080p transition offers diminishing returns.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. Its architecture is Zen, built on a 12 nm process. While it has 16 MB of shared L3 cache, its single-thread performance is its weakness in modern gaming. The Passmark single-thread score of 2239 is a clear indicator of this, especially when compared to its multi-thread score of 13160.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU. At 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck, and the CPU’s slower cores are sufficient. However, at 1080p, the CPU must work harder to maintain high frame rates. The data shows that the FPS ceiling at 1080p is 176 FPS on Low settings, which is likely close to the CPU’s maximum frame generation capacity. This is why the scaling between 1440p and 1080p is so poor.

The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it is still a capable multi-threaded part. However, its single-core score of 1579 in the same test highlights the age of the architecture. For a fast-paced FPS like Lockdown Protocol, this means players will see strong performance at high resolutions, but those with 1080p high-refresh monitors will not fully utilize the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s potential.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows suggest that the best experience balances visual quality with frame rate stability. At 4K, the High preset at 90.1 FPS is the sweet spot; it offers a significant improvement over Ultra’s 66.1 FPS while still looking substantially better than Medium’s 103.2 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra costs 24 FPS, which is a heavy price for the extra detail.

For 1440p users, the High preset at 134.8 FPS is the recommended choice. It is nearly identical in performance to Medium (137.3 FPS) but provides better visuals. Ultra at 106.6 FPS is still playable, but High offers a better margin above the 60 FPS threshold for demanding scenes.

At 1080p, the data recommends the High preset at 148 FPS. While Low (176 FPS) is faster, the visual degradation is not worth the 28 FPS gain, and the CPU bottleneck makes the difference less impactful. Ultra at 130.5 FPS is also a good option for those who prioritize image quality, as it remains well above 60 FPS. However, given the CPU’s limitations, High is the most efficient use of the hardware. In all cases, avoiding Ultra is advised unless the frame rate is secondary to visual fidelity.