Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 580 pairing represents a well-trodden mid-range combination from the previous hardware generation. In Lockdown Protocol, this duo delivers its most compelling results at 1080p, but struggles significantly at higher resolutions, revealing a system where the GPU is the primary performance governor.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 5 3600 brings a 6-core, 12-thread configuration based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. This processor is built on a 7 nm process and features a 32 MB shared L3 cache, which is critical for gaming workloads that require rapid data access across cores. The CPU posts an average benchmark score of 17035, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs tested. Benchmark results indicate this is a balanced performer; its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1260P (0.2% higher) and the Intel Core i5-11400 (0.2% lower), showing the 3600 sits in a tightly contested performance band.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 85 FPS, which is nearly double the 4K Low result of 40 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that as resolution increases, the load shifts heavily onto the GPU. The 3600's multi-threaded capability, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045, is sufficient to avoid stalling the RX 580 at lower resolutions. The single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2124, is also adequate for typical FPS gameplay logic. However, the data does not suggest the CPU is pushing beyond its limits; rather, it appears to be providing a stable foundation that allows the GPU to be the limiting factor.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the clear performance ceiling for this combo. Built on the Polaris 20 chip with a GCN 4.0 architecture and a 14 nm process, it features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, with memory running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). This configuration yields a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s and an FP32 throughput of 6.175 TFLOPS.

The RX 580's percentile rank of 53rd among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928, places it in the middle of the pack. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% higher) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% lower), indicating the RX 580 is competitive with that generation of graphics hardware. In Lockdown Protocol, the consequences of this GPU's age are stark. The transition from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K shows a steep decline in frame rates across all settings, confirming the GPU is the dominant constraint. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely sufficient for the textures at these settings, but the raw compute power is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The data shows that at 1440p Ultra, the system drops to 29 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to a nearly unplayable 19 FPS.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 85 FPS. Dropping to 1440p Low yields 62 FPS, a 27% reduction. Moving to 4K Low produces only 40 FPS, which is a 53% drop from the 1080p result. This pattern repeats across all settings. For High settings, the system goes from 53 FPS at 1080p to 39 FPS at 1440p and 25 FPS at 4K. The Medium settings show a similar trend: 60 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The Ultra settings are the most punishing, with 40 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K.

This scaling behavior is a textbook indication that the RX 580 is the limiting component. The CPU's performance does not degrade with resolution, but the GPU's workload increases proportionally with the number of pixels rendered. The fact that the 1080p to 4K drop is so significant—often halving the frame rate—demonstrates that the GPU is saturated at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions, as the CPU work would remain constant. Instead, the data shows a linear degradation tied to pixel count, clearly pointing to the GPU as the primary constraint.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For a smooth gaming experience, the data points toward the Low preset as the most viable option. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 85 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This is the only resolution and setting combination that provides a substantial headroom for consistent frame pacing.

The Medium preset at 1080p also provides a playable experience, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS. This is a reasonable compromise if visual fidelity is desired, as it maintains playability while offering better texture quality than Low. However, the High preset at 1080p dips to 53 FPS, which, while playable, is closer to the edge of comfort for competitive FPS titles. The Ultra preset at 1080p, at 40 FPS, is not recommended for serious play.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more difficult. The Low preset achieves 62 FPS, which is acceptable, but the Medium preset drops to 44 FPS, and High falls to 39 FPS. At 4K, no setting provides a playable experience; even the Low preset only manages 40 FPS, with Medium at 29 FPS and High at 25 FPS. The data suggests that for the best balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p with the Medium preset is the sweet spot, offering 60 FPS average with a respectable minimum of 51 FPS. For players prioritizing frame rate above all else, 1080p Low at 85 FPS is the clear choice.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of the Ryzen 5 3600 and RX 580 ranks 3384 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the bottom 10% of all systems tested, which aligns with the performance data suggesting this is an older, mid-range setup. The rank reflects that while the CPU is a solid performer (71st percentile), the GPU's 53rd percentile rank drags the combined experience down significantly.

This ranking is consistent with the measured frame rates. A combo ranking near the bottom of the list indicates that most other systems tested can achieve higher frame rates, likely due to more modern GPUs. The data shows that this combo is outclassed by the vast majority of alternatives, making it suitable only for 1080p gaming at moderate settings. The ranking is a stark reminder that the GPU is the weakest link in this chain, and any upgrade path would need to address the graphics card first to see meaningful improvements in Lockdown Protocol.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is the complete measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol with this hardware configuration.

1080p (1920x1080):

• Ultra: Average 40 FPS. This is the lowest frame rate at this resolution, indicating the GPU is heavily taxed.
• High: Average 53 FPS. A playable but not ideal result for fast-paced action.
• Medium: Average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This is the most balanced option for a consistent experience.
• Low: Average 85 FPS. The highest performance tier, providing significant headroom above 60 FPS.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Ultra: Average 29 FPS. This dips below the playable threshold for most users.
• High: Average 39 FPS. Marginal performance that would struggle in intense firefights.
• Medium: Average 44 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS. The frame rate is inconsistent and often drops below 40 FPS.
• Low: Average 62 FPS. The only 1440p setting that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

4K (3840x2160):

• Ultra: Average 19 FPS. This is a slideshow and is not viable for gameplay.
• High: Average 25 FPS. Still far below playable levels.
• Medium: Average 29 FPS, with a minimum of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS. The frame rate is highly variable but consistently low.
• Low: Average 40 FPS. While the best 4K result, it remains below the 60 FPS target.

The data paints a clear picture: this combo is designed for 1080p gaming. The 1080p Medium and Low presets are the only configurations that deliver a performance level suitable for a competitive FPS. At higher resolutions, the RX 580's limitations become insurmountable, and the system struggles to maintain fluid motion.