Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a competitive FPS that stresses both CPU and GPU depending on the settings and resolution chosen. The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti produces a wide range of performance outcomes, from highly playable at 1080p on low settings to a slideshow at 4K on ultra. The measured data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions and quality presets, while the CPU’s strong cache configuration helps maintain frame rates when the graphical load is reduced. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all tested configurations and explains what the numbers mean for potential users of this hardware pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and clearly indicates that the GTX 1660 Ti is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 122 FPS at 1920x1080 to 90 FPS at 2560x1440, a 26% reduction, and then to 58 FPS at 3840x2160, a 52% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is being overwhelmed by the pixel count, as the rendering workload scales with resolution while the CPU’s job remains relatively constant.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at higher quality presets. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 87 at 1080p to 64 at 1440p (a 26% decrease) and then to 41 at 4K (a 53% decrease from 1080p). High settings show a similar trajectory: 76 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p (26% lower), and 36 FPS at 4K (53% lower). Ultra settings are the most punishing, with the average falling from 57 FPS at 1080p to 42 FPS at 1440p (26% lower) and finally to 27 FPS at 4K (53% lower). The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings suggests that the resolution scaling is almost purely a function of GPU fill rate and memory bandwidth, not CPU capabilities.

The data reveals that the GTX 1660 Ti’s 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus are simply not sufficient for 4K gaming in this title. Even at Low settings, 4K only achieves 58 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS threshold many consider smooth for a competitive shooter. At 1440p, the situation is better, with Low settings hitting 90 FPS and Medium achieving 64 FPS, but High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS. The 1080p resolution is where this combo shines, with all settings except Ultra exceeding 75 FPS average.

The frame time consistency also degrades at higher resolutions. The only measured minimum and maximum values are for Medium settings, and they show a widening gap as resolution increases. At 1080p Medium, the range is 74 to 100 FPS (a 26 FPS spread), while at 1440p Medium it is 54 to 73 FPS (a 19 FPS spread), and at 4K Medium it is 35 to 47 FPS (a 12 FPS spread). While the absolute spread narrows at lower frame rates, the percentage variation remains significant, indicating that even the average numbers hide noticeable stutter potential.

The CPU’s role in this scaling becomes evident when comparing the 1080p Low result of 122 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the Ryzen 5 5500X3D, with its 96 MB of shared L3 cache, is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to sustain high frame rates at lower resolutions. The fact that the 4K Low result is only 58 FPS, less than half the 1080p Low figure, confirms that the GPU’s rendering capacity is the limiting factor, not the CPU’s ability to process game logic or draw calls.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the decisive component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the measured performance envelope. The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, and it has 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The pixel rate is 84.96 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 169.9 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 5.437 TFLOPS.

These figures place the GTX 1660 Ti in the 41st percentile of all GPUs based on average benchmark scores, with a Passmark G3D score of 12871. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 540 (0.7% higher score), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (1.9% higher), AMD Radeon R7 250 (2.2% higher), and Intel Arc A310 (2.3% higher). The GTX 1660 Ti is essentially at parity with these older or lower-tier cards, which explains why it struggles at 4K in a modern FPS title like Lockdown Protocol.

The GPU’s memory constraints are particularly relevant. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 27, which is barely playable for any genre. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is likely being exhausted at this resolution and quality level, forcing the card to rely on slower memory access patterns. Even at 4K High, the average is 36 FPS, and 4K Medium achieves only 41 FPS. The only playable 4K result is at Low settings (58 FPS), which suggests that reducing texture quality and shadow detail relieves the memory pressure enough to approach playable frame rates.

The GTX 1660 Ti’s transistor count is 6,600 million on a 284 mm² die, fabricated on TSMC’s 12 nm process. This older architecture (Turing, but without ray tracing or tensor cores) has a TDP of 120 W and requires a 300 W recommended PSU. The card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which are sufficient for Lockdown Protocol’s requirements. The GPU’s Passmark DirectX 12 score of 51 and DirectX 11 score of 103 indicate that it performs better under older APIs, which may affect how the game engine utilizes the hardware.

The measured FPS data shows that the GTX 1660 Ti’s boost clock of 1770 MHz is not enough to compensate for its limited memory bandwidth at high resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the card achieves 87 FPS, but doubling the resolution to 4K Medium drops that to 41 FPS. This 53% reduction is consistent with the memory bandwidth being a hard limit, as the 288.0 GB/s bandwidth cannot sustain the increased pixel throughput required at 4K. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 5.437 TFLOPS is also modest by modern standards, further limiting its ability to handle complex shaders at high resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2441 out of 2828 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the bottom 14% of all system configurations, reflecting the GPU’s age and performance tier. The rank is determined by the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, and the data shows that this combo is not competitive for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p or 4K.

The CPU’s contribution to this rank is solid, if unspectacular. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0.2% higher score), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (0.2% lower), Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (0.2% higher), and Intel Core i9-12900T (0.3% lower). The CPU’s Passmark multi-thread score is 20363, with a single-thread score of 2941, which is adequate for gaming but not exceptional.

The GPU, however, drags the combo down significantly. With a percentile rank of 41 among all GPUs, the GTX 1660 Ti is in the lower half of the performance distribution. Its average benchmark score of 7723 is far below what modern GPUs achieve, and this is reflected in the Lockdown Protocol results. The combo rank of 2441 out of 2828 means that over 86% of tested systems outperform this pairing, making it a low-end option for this game.

The disparity between the CPU’s high percentile (85) and the GPU’s low percentile (41) creates a mismatch. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has ample processing power for Lockdown Protocol, as evidenced by the 122 FPS result at 1080p Low. However, the GPU cannot translate that CPU capability into high frame rates at higher resolutions. This is a classic case of a CPU that is several generations newer than the GPU, and the combo rank reflects the weakest link in the chain.

For context, the combo rank of 2441 is based on all tested configurations, which likely include newer GPUs with more VRAM and higher memory bandwidth. The GTX 1660 Ti’s 6 GB VRAM is a significant liability in a 2024 FPS game, as modern titles often require more memory at high settings. The measured data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the combo only manages 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for competitive play. This suggests that the combo rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s inability to handle Ultra settings at any resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results. Low settings produce an average of 122 FPS, which is excellent for a competitive FPS and indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution. Medium settings drop to 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100 FPS, showing some frame time variance but still smooth gameplay. High settings average 76 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Ultra settings average 57 FPS, which is borderline for competitive play and suggests that the GPU is beginning to struggle.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 90 FPS, which is still good, but the 32 FPS drop from 1080p Low (122 FPS) highlights the GPU’s resolution scaling limitations. Medium settings average 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73 FPS, which is playable but with occasional dips below 60 FPS. High settings average 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings average 42 FPS, which is not recommended for any serious gaming.

At 3840x2160, the combo is largely out of its depth. Low settings average 58 FPS, which is barely playable but shows that even the lowest quality preset cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47 FPS, indicating significant frame drops during intense scenes. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS, both of which are too low for a competitive FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming with this combo is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is marginal.

The Medium settings measurements are the only ones with minimum and maximum FPS values, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the 74-100 FPS range (87 average) shows a 26 FPS spread, which is acceptable. At 1440p, the 54-73 FPS range (64 average) shows a 19 FPS spread, indicating more stable frame times relative to the average. At 4K, the 35-47 FPS range (41 average) shows a 12 FPS spread, which is a larger percentage variation and could lead to noticeable stutter. This pattern suggests that as the GPU becomes more loaded, the frame time variance increases proportionally.

The settings scaling within each resolution is also revealing. At 1080p, the difference between Low (122 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) is 65 FPS, a 53% reduction. At 1440p, Low (90 FPS) to Ultra (42 FPS) is a 48 FPS difference, also a 53% reduction. At 4K, Low (58 FPS) to Ultra (27 FPS) is a 31 FPS difference, again a 53% reduction. This consistent 53% penalty for moving from Low to Ultra across all resolutions confirms that the quality settings have a uniform impact on the GPU’s workload, independent of resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings achieve at least 57 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium settings exceed 60 FPS, while at 3840x2160, even Low settings only reach 58 FPS. For competitive play, 1080p is the recommended resolution.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in terms of GPU benchmark scores?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has a Passmark G3D score of 12871 and an average benchmark score of 7723. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon 540 (0.7% higher score), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (1.9% higher), AMD Radeon R7 250 (2.2% higher), and Intel Arc A310 (2.3% higher). The GTX 1660 Ti is essentially at parity with these cards, with a 41st percentile rank among all GPUs.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5500X3D a bottleneck for the GTX 1660 Ti?

A: The CPU benchmark data shows the Ryzen 5 5500X3D has a Passmark multi-thread score of 20363 and a single-thread score of 2941, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (122 FPS) indicates the CPU can drive high frame rates, but the GPU’s 41st percentile rank limits overall performance. The CPU is not the bottleneck; the GPU is.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 64 FPS at 2560x1440 Medium settings, with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 73 FPS. This is playable but with occasional dips below 60 FPS during demanding scenes.

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

A: The measured results show that 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, which averages 58 FPS. Medium settings average 41 FPS, High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. None of these are ideal for a competitive FPS, and even Low settings are marginal.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings achieve 122 FPS average, while Ultra settings achieve 57 FPS average. This represents a 65 FPS reduction, or a 53% performance penalty, for enabling the highest quality presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s performance priorities. For competitive play at 1080p, Low settings provide the highest average FPS at 122, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and offers the smoothest experience for fast-paced gameplay. The 90 FPS average at 1440p Low is also a strong option for users with higher-resolution monitors who want to maintain high frame rates.

For users who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, Medium settings at 1080p offer a balanced experience with an 87 FPS average and a measured range of 74 to 100 FPS. This preset provides better visual fidelity than Low while still maintaining playable frame rates. At 1440p, Medium settings drop to 64 FPS average, which is acceptable for casual play but may not be smooth enough for competitive matches.

High settings are only recommended at 1080p, where the average FPS is 76. At 1440p, High settings fall to 56 FPS, and at 4K, they drop to 36 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings are not recommended for any resolution, as even at 1080p the average is only 57 FPS, and at 4K it falls to an unplayable 27 FPS.

The data suggests that users should avoid 4K resolution entirely with this combo, as even Low settings only achieve 58 FPS. The best overall experience is at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, depending on whether the user prefers maximum frame rate or better visuals. For 1440p, Low settings are the only consistently smooth option, with Medium being a compromise that may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS.

Given the combo rank of 2441 out of 2828, this system is not designed for high-end gaming, and the settings recommendations reflect that. The GTX 1660 Ti’s 6 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-quality presets at higher resolutions, so users should prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The measured data shows that the best balance of performance and playability is achieved at 1080p Medium, which offers an 87 FPS average while still providing a decent visual experience. For users with 1440p monitors, Low settings at 90 FPS is the recommended choice, as it is the only 1440p configuration that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.