Lockdown Protocol

# CPU Role — Cores, Clocks, and How They Relate to This Game's Results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on TSMC's 7 nm process node, using the Zen 3 architecture with the Vermeer codename. It belongs to AMD's 5000 series family, designed for the AMD Socket AM4 platform. The chip operates with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. Its cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache — a defining feature for the X3D variant, as this large pool of L3 memory is typically leveraged by gaming workloads to reduce latency.

In terms of synthetic CPU performance, the data shows the Ryzen 5 5500X3D scoring 20,363 in the Passmark multithread test, 2,941 in single-thread, and 2,282 in the physics test. Its average benchmark score sits at 37,018, placing it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs tested in the database. This percentile indicates that the processor outperforms a significant majority of the field, which aligns with expectations for a gaming-focused chip. The nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F averages 36,945 (0.2% ahead), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 averages 37,093 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 averages 36,938 (0.2% ahead), and the Intel Core i9-12900T averages 37,112 (0.3% behind). These deltas, all within a fraction of a percent, suggest that the 5500X3D is positioned right at the edge of a competitive performance tier, with its X3D cache providing no meaningful edge in these generic CPU benchmarks.

For Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS title, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing and handling game logic, physics, and AI. The 6-core/12-thread configuration is sufficient for modern FPS workloads, while the 96 MB L3 cache is a notable asset for reducing memory latency in scenarios where game data is repeatedly accessed. However, the measured FPS data for this combo reveals that at 1080p Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 85 FPS — a strong result that suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at lower resolutions where the graphics card is less of a bottleneck. The Passmark single-thread score of 2,941 is moderate, and the physics score of 2,282 further indicates that the CPU can handle the simulation aspects of the game without being a limiting factor in most scenarios. The data implies that the 5500X3D's strengths are more pronounced in cache-sensitive workloads, though the synthetic benchmarks do not isolate that advantage directly.

# GPU Role — VRAM, Clocks, and How They Relate to This Game's Results

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is a graphics card built on the Polaris 20 chip using GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process. It features 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, with a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The memory subsystem comprises 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The GPU is equipped with 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, delivering a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s, and 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. Its TDP is rated at 185 W, requiring a 450 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin power connector. The card is a dual-slot design, 241 mm long, and uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 580 scores 8,813 in Passmark G3D, 3,488 in GPU compute, and 43 in Passmark DirectX 12. Its average benchmark score is 12,928, placing it in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs — essentially midfield. The nearest rivals are extremely close: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile averages 12,940 (0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER averages 12,986 (0.4% ahead), the AMD Radeon 740M averages 12,870 (0.5% behind), and the AMD FirePro W5100 averages 12,847 (0.6% behind). This clustering indicates the RX 580 is positioned squarely in a performance tier where minute variations separate competitors, though the card's age (released in 2017) is evident in its end-of-life production status.

For Lockdown Protocol, the RX 580's 8 GB VRAM is a critical asset, as modern FPS titles often exceed 4 GB at higher settings and resolutions. The 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is adequate for the card's compute capabilities, but the data shows that the GPU becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 85 FPS, indicating the GPU can handle low-detail rendering comfortably. However, as resolution and settings escalate, the FPS drops markedly, reflecting the Polaris architecture's age and its 14 nm process limitations. The DirectX 12 benchmark score of 43 is notably low, which may contribute to performance inconsistencies in API-heavy workloads, though Lockdown Protocol's specific behavior is captured in the measured FPS data rather than synthetic scores.

# Resolution Scaling — How FPS Drops from 1080p to 4K and What It Says About the Limiting Component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is symptomatic of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 85 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 62 FPS — a 27% reduction — and at 4K Low, the average falls to 40 FPS, representing a 53% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep scaling curve is classic behavior for a GPU that is nearing its limits, as pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, placing exponentially more strain on the ROPs and memory bandwidth. The RX 580's 32 ROPs and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, regardless of settings.

The settings hierarchy further emphasizes the GPU's role as the bottleneck. At 1080p, the difference between Low (85 FPS) and Ultra (40 FPS) is 45 FPS, a 53% drop. At 1440p, the spread shrinks to 33 FPS (62 FPS Low vs 29 FPS Ultra), and at 4K, it narrows to 21 FPS (40 FPS Low vs 19 FPS Ultra). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is saturated even at Low settings, so additional graphical detail has diminishing impact on frame rates — the card is already at its compute and memory limits. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU has more headroom, allowing the GPU to stretch its legs, but the 85 FPS ceiling suggests that the RX 580, not the Ryzen 5 5500X3D, is the primary constraint even at the lowest resolution.

The data strongly indicates that this combo is GPU-limited across all tested configurations. The CPU's 85th percentile standing and robust multithread score suggest it has ample headroom, while the GPU's 53rd percentile and the aggressive FPS scaling with resolution point to the RX 580 as the limiting component. For players targeting 1440p or 4K, the GPU will consistently hold back performance, while 1080p gaming is more viable but still capped by the card's capabilities.

# Measured FPS Breakdown — Resolution by Resolution, Settings by Settings, Exact Numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels.

1920x1080:

• Low: 85 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Medium: 60 FPS average, with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS
• High: 53 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Ultra: 40 FPS average (no min/max data)

At 1080p, the combo delivers playable frame rates up to High settings, with Low offering a smooth 85 FPS. The Medium setting's min/max range of 51-69 FPS indicates some frame pacing variance but remains within an acceptable range for competitive play. Ultra dips to 40 FPS, which may feel less responsive for a fast FPS title.

2560x1440:

• Low: 62 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Medium: 44 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 51 FPS
• High: 39 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Ultra: 29 FPS average (no min/max data)

At 1440p, the frame rates drop significantly. Only Low settings maintain an average above 60 FPS, while Medium and High fall into the 39-44 FPS range. Ultra drops to 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium min/max of 38-51 FPS shows that even moderate settings induce noticeable frame time spikes.

3840x2160:

• Low: 40 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Medium: 29 FPS average, with a minimum of 24 FPS and maximum of 33 FPS
• High: 25 FPS average (no min/max data)
• Ultra: 19 FPS average (no min/max data)

At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Only Low settings break 30 FPS, and even then, it's marginal. Medium's min of 24 FPS and max of 33 FPS illustrates severe inconsistency, while Ultra at 19 FPS is effectively unplayable for a competitive FPS. The 4K data confirms that this hardware combination is not suited for high-resolution gaming on Lockdown Protocol.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combo of AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and AMD Radeon RX 580 holds a rank of 2,590 out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the bottom 8% of all combinations, which is a stark contrast to the CPU's individual 85th percentile and the GPU's 53rd percentile. The rank reflects the combined performance in this specific game, and the data shows that the pairing underperforms relative to what the CPU alone might suggest. This is a direct consequence of the GPU bottleneck: the RX 580 drags the overall ranking down, despite the 5500X3D's strong synthetic scores.

The rank of 2,590 out of 2,828 indicates that the vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings tested in Lockdown Protocol achieve higher frame rates. This is not surprising given the GPU's age and performance tier, but it underscores that the 5500X3D's capabilities are largely wasted in this configuration for this title. The combo's position near the bottom of the list suggests that for Lockdown Protocol specifically, the GPU is the dominant factor in overall performance, and any upgrade path would prioritize replacing the RX 580 before considering a CPU change. The data does not provide a direct comparison to other combos' FPS numbers, but the rank alone tells a clear story of a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card.

# FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D a bottleneck for the RX 580 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU scores in the 85th percentile with a multithread score of 20,363, while the GPU's 53rd percentile and the steep FPS drops across resolutions (from 85 FPS at 1080p Low to 40 FPS at 4K Low) point to the RX 580 as the primary constraint.

Q: What is the best settings/resolution combination for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 85 FPS average, which is the highest measured frame rate. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p High at 53 FPS is the most playable high-detail option, while 1440p Low at 62 FPS is viable but below the 1080p Low result.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 580 averages 12,928 in benchmark scores, with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile at 12,940 (0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER at 12,986 (0.4% ahead), the AMD Radeon 740M at 12,870 (0.5% behind), and the AMD FirePro W5100 at 12,847 (0.6% behind). All rivals are within a fraction of a percent.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data shows 4K performance is poor. At 4K Low, the average is 40 FPS, but Medium drops to 29 FPS (min 24, max 33), High to 25 FPS, and Ultra to 19 FPS. These results indicate 4K is not a viable target for this hardware.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500X3D's performance compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 5500X3D averages 37,018. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F averages 36,945 (0.2% ahead), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 averages 37,093 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 averages 36,938 (0.2% ahead), and the Intel Core i9-12900T averages 37,112 (0.3% behind). The differences are negligible.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 2,590 out of 2,828 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8%. This low ranking is primarily attributed to the GPU's performance limitations rather than the CPU.