Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents an interesting hardware scaling profile when paired with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 7700. The measured data indicates a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s capabilities become increasingly relevant as resolution drops. This analysis walks through the FPS measurements across resolutions and settings, contextualizing the results against the component benchmarks.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data for this combo shows a classic scaling curve from 1080p up to 4K. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 124 FPS at 1920x1080 to 91 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 33 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 59 FPS. This progression indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, a sign that the Radeon RX 7700 is the limiting factor in this configuration at these settings.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at the Ultra preset. At 1080p, the system averages 93 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 124 FPS seen at High. At 1440p, the average is 68 FPS, and at 4K, it bottoms out at 44 FPS. The gap between resolutions widens as settings increase, suggesting that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are being saturated by the combination of high resolution and high graphical fidelity. The data shows a 49 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra, compared to a 65 FPS difference at High, which is counterintuitive but indicates that at Ultra, the GPU is already so stressed that the relative cost of each additional pixel is higher.

Interestingly, the Low preset shows a different dynamic. Here, the average FPS at 1080p is 200, at 1440p it is 147, and at 4K it is 95. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 26.5%, and from 1440p to 4K is 35.4%. While the GPU is still clearly important, the massive headroom at 1080p (200 FPS) suggests that the CPU might be nearing its limit. The Ryzen 5 3600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, may struggle to feed frames much beyond this point in this FPS title, even if the GPU has more to give.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data with min and max FPS figures. At 1080p, the average is 142 FPS with a minimum of 121 and a maximum of 163. At 1440p, the average is 104 FPS (min 88, max 120), and at 4K, the average is 67 FPS (min 57, max 77). The consistency of the frame times, as evidenced by the min/max ranges, remains stable across resolutions, which points to a well-behaved engine without severe stuttering. The data suggests that for a locked 60 FPS experience, 4K Medium is viable, while 1440p Medium offers a high refresh rate experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 with High settings is 124 FPS.

Q: Can this system achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 67, with a recorded minimum of 57 FPS. This indicates that a stable 60 FPS is achievable with some headroom. At High settings, the average is 59 FPS, which is borderline.

Q: How does the CPU benchmark relative to its closest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1260P, scores 17007, which is a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i5-11400 scores 17067, a -0.2% difference. The data shows these CPUs are virtually tied in aggregate performance.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking compared to all other GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 falls into the 58th percentile when compared to all GPUs in the benchmark database.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum recorded FPS is 88, and the maximum is 120, with an average of 104 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 44. The GPU's benchmark score (20974 in Passmark G3D) and its 58th percentile ranking suggest it lacks the raw pixel throughput for this demanding setting.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In this system, its role is to feed the Radeon RX 7700 with draw calls and game logic. The benchmark data shows it has a modest single-thread score of 696 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2562 in Passmark, which are adequate for gaming but not class-leading.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is remarkably tight. Its average benchmark score of 17035 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-1260P (17007, +0.2%) and the Intel Core i5-11400 (17067, -0.2%). This indicates that while it is not the fastest processor, it is not a significant outlier in either direction. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the CPU provides a consistent baseline that will not hold back the GPU at lower resolutions where frame rates are high.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 200 FPS average. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is being pushed to its limits, as the GPU has significant headroom at this low graphical load. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 4605 and the passmark_multithread score of 17700 suggest that the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are sufficient for the game's engine, but the single-thread performance is the likely ceiling for peak FPS. The data implies that in less demanding scenes, the Ryzen 5 3600 will be the component that determines the maximum achievable frame rate, not the GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1709 out of 3714. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning it performs better than 46% of the systems tested. This is a mid-pack result, which aligns with the individual component rankings: the CPU is in the 71st percentile, while the GPU is in the 58th percentile.

The ranking suggests that while the GPU is capable, it is not a top-tier performer. The combo rank of 1709 indicates that there are many other combinations that yield higher frame rates in this game. However, it also means this system is far from the bottom. The data shows a balanced pairing where the CPU is slightly more capable relative to its peers than the GPU. This balance results in a system that can handle the game well at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

The combo’s ranking relative to the total number of tested combos (3714) shows that a significant portion of the tested systems are more powerful. This is expected given the GPU's 58th percentile ranking. The system is not designed for extreme 4K gaming, but rather for high-refresh-rate play at more common resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700, based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, is the primary driver of visual output. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. This memory configuration is substantial and helps the GPU at higher resolutions, but the core compute performance is where it falls short of top-tier cards.

The GPU's benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 20974, placing it in the 58th percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, scores 15862, which is a -0.1% difference. This is an anomaly in the data, as the RX 7700 is a much newer card. The more relevant rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129, a -1.7% difference. This indicates that the RX 7700 is only marginally faster than the RTX 3060 Ti in synthetic benchmarks, despite being a newer release.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's role is evident in the resolution scaling. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 44, which is unplayable for a fast-paced FPS. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck here, as its compute units (2560 shading units) and pixel rate (236.1 GPixel/s) are insufficient for the workload. The 16 GB VRAM is not the limiting factor at these settings, as the game likely does not exceed this amount, but the raw shader throughput is the constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings. The Low preset offers the highest frame rates: 200 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 95 FPS at 4K. These numbers show that the GPU is capable of high throughput when graphical effects are minimized. The 95 FPS at 4K Low is particularly notable, showing that the GPU can handle the pixel count if the shading load is light.

The Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo. At 1080p, the average is 142 FPS (min 121, max 163). At 1440p, the average is 104 FPS (min 88, max 120). At 4K, the average is 67 FPS (min 57, max 77). The min FPS at 4K (57) is close to the 60 FPS target, indicating that there may be occasional dips below it, but the overall experience is smooth.

The High preset shows a significant drop from Medium. The averages are 124 FPS at 1080p, 91 FPS at 1440p, and 59 FPS at 4K. The drop from Medium to High is more pronounced than from Low to Medium, suggesting that the High preset introduces expensive effects that heavily tax the GPU. The 59 FPS average at 4K High is just under the 60 FPS threshold.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding. The averages are 93 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is the only one that falls below 60 FPS, and it does so significantly. This preset is only recommended for users with high refresh rate 1080p or 1440p monitors who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Radeon RX 7700 combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset is the most balanced choice. It delivers an average of 124 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for 144Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 1080p (93 FPS) is also viable if visual fidelity is a priority, as it still maintains a high frame rate. The Low preset (200 FPS) is only necessary for competitive play at the absolute highest refresh rates.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. The average of 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 FPS provides a fluid experience that is well-suited for 1440p monitors with 100Hz+ refresh rates. The High preset (91 FPS) is also acceptable, but the drop in minimum FPS is noticeable. The Ultra preset (68 FPS) is playable but may not provide a consistent high-refresh experience.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience. The average of 67 FPS is above 60, but the min of 57 FPS indicates occasional dips. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline and may result in noticeable stutters in intense scenes. The Ultra preset at 44 FPS is not recommended for this FPS title. Users with 4K displays should accept Medium settings to achieve a playable frame rate.