Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER

The pairing of AMD's Ryzen 5 5500 with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER creates a fascinating asymmetry for Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title. The measured data shows this combo ranks 387th out of 3,714 tested configurations — placing it in the top 10.4% of all systems — yet the underlying component benchmarks reveal a processor that sits at only the 73rd percentile among all CPUs while the graphics card reaches the 86th percentile. This gap between CPU and GPU capability is the central storyline of the performance data, and it manifests differently depending on resolution and settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture with a 7nm process. It runs at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boosts to 4.20 GHz, with 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support. Its 65W TDP and PCIe Gen 3 interface suggest a mainstream positioning, and the benchmark data backs that up: the CPU averages a benchmark score of 19,593 across all tests, placing it at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

When examining the CPU's synthetic performance profile, the single-thread score of 836 in 3DMark and 2,319 in Cinebench R23 indicate modest per-core capability. The multicore results are more encouraging — 16,429 in Cinebench R23 and 19,330 in Passmark multithread — showing that the 12 threads can be marshalled effectively when a workload scales across cores. In Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the game's threading model becomes critical: if it primarily relies on 2-4 threads, the Ryzen 5 5500's 2-thread score of 1,645 and 4-thread score of 3,151 in 3DMark suggest it will perform adequately but not spectacularly.

The nearest rival data contextualizes this CPU's position. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 scores 19,617 (0.1% higher), the Intel Core i5-12500 scores 19,668 (0.4% higher), and the Intel Core i5-11600KF scores 19,723 (0.7% higher). Meanwhile, the Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19,499 (0.5% lower). These deltas are all within 1%, meaning the Ryzen 5 5500 is effectively interchangeable with several mid-range options from both AMD and Intel in raw compute terms. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the CPU is unlikely to be the star of the show, but it also shouldn't be a bottleneck at higher resolutions where the GPU carries more of the load.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a substantially different beast. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5nm process, this card features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock runs at 2550 MHz, and the GPU packs 10,240 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The compute capabilities are equally impressive: 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 80 RT cores for ray tracing workloads.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its high-end positioning. It achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600, a Passmark G3D score of 34,245, and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 260,075. Its average benchmark score of 54,209 places it at the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show interesting dynamics: the RTX 4080 (non-SUPER) scores 54,247 (0.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (1.1% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (2.7% higher). These comparisons suggest the RTX 4080 SUPER is competitive with, though not dominant over, cards that might be considered peers or even slightly lower-tier options.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM provides ample headroom for high-resolution textures and effects. The measured FPS data shows the GPU can push very high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the CPU starts to limit performance as resolution drops. This is the classic signature of a GPU-bound system that becomes CPU-bound at lower resolutions — the GPU has so much headroom that the processor can't feed it fast enough.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combination ranks 387th out of 3,714 tested configurations, placing it in the top 10.4% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the CPU and GPU in this pairing?

A: The CPU sits at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 19,593, while the GPU reaches the 86th percentile with an average score of 54,209. This 13-percentage-point gap in relative performance is notable.

Q: Which resolution shows the highest frame rates?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 241 FPS average, while the same resolution with Ultra settings still delivers 154 FPS. The 2560x1440 Low setting produces 217 FPS, and 3840x2160 Low produces 157 FPS.

Q: What is the most demanding setting tested?

A: Ultra settings at 3840x2160 produce the lowest average FPS at 73, which is the most demanding configuration in the measured data.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more likely to be the limiting factor?

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the stronger component, so the CPU is more likely to limit performance, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can produce frames faster than the CPU can process them.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 scores within 1% of four rival CPUs: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (0.1% higher), Intel Core i5-12500 (0.4% higher), Intel Core i7-10700F (0.5% lower), and Intel Core i5-11600KF (0.7% higher).

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 387 out of 3,714 configurations places it in the top 10.4% of all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol. This is a strong overall position, but the component-level data suggests the ranking is driven more by GPU muscle than CPU capability. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 86th percentile standing among GPUs is the primary driver, while the Ryzen 5 5500's 73rd percentile shows it's a mid-range processor that happens to be paired with a high-end graphics card.

Examining the FPS data across all resolutions and settings, the system demonstrates a wide performance envelope. At 1080p Low, it hits 241 FPS average, which is near the ceiling of what most displays can show. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 73 FPS, which is still playable but shows the GPU being pushed to its limits. The rank of 387 suggests there are 386 configurations that outperform this combo, likely those with more powerful CPUs paired with similar or better GPUs — but the fact that this combo outperforms 3,327 other configurations indicates the pairing is well-balanced for most gaming scenarios.

The percentile gap between CPU and GPU creates an interesting dynamic: this combo might rank higher in GPU-heavy games and lower in CPU-heavy titles. For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the FPS data shows the system is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K being more demanding but still delivering respectable numbers.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 241 FPS on Low, 212 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 180 and maximum of 243), 202 FPS on High, and 154 FPS on Ultra. This shows a clear scaling pattern: dropping from Low to Ultra costs 87 FPS, a 36% reduction.

Moving to 2560x1440, the numbers decrease as expected. Low produces 217 FPS, Medium delivers 172 FPS (min 147, max 198), High reaches 151 FPS, and Ultra drops to 113 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 104 FPS, representing a 48% reduction — a larger percentage drop than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. Low still delivers 157 FPS, but Medium drops to 111 FPS (min 95, max 128), High produces 97 FPS, and Ultra falls to 73 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 84 FPS, but proportionally it's a 54% reduction, showing that 4K resolution places significant stress on the GPU.

The Medium settings rows include min and max FPS data, which provides insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range spans from 180 to 243 FPS (a 63 FPS spread), at 1440p Medium it's 147 to 198 FPS (a 51 FPS spread), and at 4K Medium it's 95 to 128 FPS (a 33 FPS spread). This tightening range at higher resolutions suggests that frame pacing becomes more consistent when the GPU is more heavily utilized.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, all settings levels produce playable frame rates, but the data suggests that Medium settings at 212 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance — the jump from Medium to High costs only 10 FPS (212 to 202), while Ultra costs another 48 FPS (down to 154). For players with 144Hz displays, High settings at 202 FPS provides headroom above the refresh rate, while Ultra at 154 FPS still exceeds 144Hz.

At 2560x1440, the recommendations shift. High settings at 151 FPS is solid for 144Hz displays, but Medium at 172 FPS offers more headroom. Ultra at 113 FPS drops below 144Hz, making it less ideal for high refresh rate gaming. For 165Hz displays, Medium at 172 FPS is the only setting that consistently exceeds the refresh rate, while High at 151 FPS would require VRR to avoid tearing.

At 3840x2160, the data tells a different story. Low settings at 157 FPS is the only option that exceeds 144Hz, but Medium at 111 FPS is the sweet spot for 60Hz displays — it provides a 51 FPS margin above 60 FPS. High at 97 FPS and Ultra at 73 FPS are both playable but offer diminishing returns relative to the visual quality improvements. For 4K gaming, Medium settings at 111 FPS appears to be the best balance of visual fidelity and performance in the measured data.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights about the limiting component in this system. At Low settings, the progression is 241 FPS at 1080p → 217 FPS at 1440p → 157 FPS at 4K. This represents a 10% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 35% drop from 1080p to 4K. The relatively modest decline at 1440p suggests the system isn't yet GPU-limited at that resolution on Low settings — the CPU is likely the constraint at 1080p.

At Medium settings, the progression is 212 FPS at 1080p → 172 FPS at 1440p → 111 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 19% and 48% respectively, showing a more pronounced scaling penalty as resolution increases. This pattern indicates the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at Medium settings, particularly at 4K.

High settings show 202 FPS at 1080p → 151 FPS at 1440p → 97 FPS at 4K, representing 25% and 52% drops. Ultra settings show 154 FPS at 1080p → 113 FPS at 1440p → 73 FPS at 4K, with 27% and 53% drops. The increasing percentage drops at higher settings levels suggest that as the graphics load intensifies, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck.

This scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p and even 1440p on lower settings, the Ryzen 5 5500 is limiting the system's peak FPS — the RTX 4080 SUPER could likely produce more frames if fed by a stronger CPU. At 4K, however, the GPU's workload becomes dominant, and the CPU's limitations are masked by the graphics card's rendering demands. The data implies that for this combo, 1440p represents the sweet spot where the CPU and GPU are reasonably balanced, while 1080p leaves GPU performance untapped and 4K pushes the GPU to its limits.