Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS that stresses both CPU and GPU, and this pairing of an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 creates a unique bottleneck scenario. The data shows a massive GPU with a mid-range Zen 3 processor, and the benchmark results clearly illustrate where each component's influence begins and ends. This analysis focuses strictly on the measured performance of this specific combo.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep, but the pattern reveals a classic shift in system limitation. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo hits an average of 251.7 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low, the average drops to 223.7 FPS, a decline of about 11%. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 176.6 FPS, which is roughly 21% lower than the 1440p figure. This scaling is relatively mild, indicating that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is holding the system back from pushing even higher frame rates.

The picture changes dramatically when you raise the settings. At High settings, the 1080p average is 209.4 FPS, which drops to 167.8 FPS at 1440p (a 20% reduction) and then to 107.6 FPS at 4K (a 36% reduction from 1440p). The Ultra preset tells an even clearer story: 171.9 FPS at 1080p, 123.8 FPS at 1440p, and 82 FPS at 4K. The percentage gaps between resolutions widen as settings increase, which is the signature of the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the RTX 4090 is clearly working hard, and the CPU has enough headroom to keep up. The data indicates that at 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5600G's six cores are the ceiling, while at 4K, the RTX 4090's rendering load takes over as the dominant constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 1,637 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing ranks 95th. That places it in the top 6% of all configurations, which is impressive on its face, but the context matters. The ranking reflects the combined potential of the parts, but the benchmark results suggest the CPU is preventing the system from achieving a higher position. The GPU alone sits in the 91st percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 78th percentile among all CPUs. The gap between these percentiles indicates a mismatch; the RTX 4090 is a top-tier part, while the 5600G is a competent but decidedly mainstream processor. The combo rank of 95 suggests that many other pairings, likely with stronger CPUs, are able to leverage the RTX 4090's power more effectively, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU bottleneck is most pronounced.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has 16 MB of L3 cache and a 65W TDP. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, this CPU's role is to feed the RTX 4090 with enough data to keep it saturated. At 1080p, the data shows it cannot fully do so. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 251.7, but the gap between Low and Medium is just 14% (217.6 FPS), and the gap between Medium and High is only 4% (209.4 FPS). This clustering of scores at 1080p indicates that the CPU is hitting its limits, and increasing GPU load through higher settings has diminishing returns on frame rate.

The CPU's single-thread performance, measured by a 3DMark single-thread score of 872 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2365, is solid but not exceptional. Its multi-thread capabilities are more modest, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16758. In a game like Lockdown Protocol, which likely relies on strong single-core performance for game logic and physics, the 5600G's scores are adequate for 60+ FPS but not for pushing the RTX 4090 to its full potential at high refresh rates. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s and PCIe Gen 3 interface also contribute to the bottleneck, as the RTX 4090 is a PCIe 4.0 part, though the practical impact of this is not directly measured here.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full dataset provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest raw numbers. Low settings produce an average of 251.7 FPS, which is the peak for the entire test suite. Medium settings drop to 217.6 FPS, and High settings yield 209.4 FPS. Ultra settings, which likely enable more demanding effects, bring the average down to 171.9 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 79.8 FPS, or about 32%, which is a significant range but shows that even at the highest settings, the system remains well above 144Hz refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the averages are still high but start to show the GPU's workload. Low settings produce 223.7 FPS, Medium drops to 193.6 FPS, and High comes in at 167.8 FPS. Ultra is the outlier at 123.8 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 99.9 FPS, or about 45%, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a factor. These numbers are all playable for competitive FPS, with even the Ultra preset clearing 120 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4090's rendering power is fully engaged. Low settings average 176.6 FPS, Medium drops to 121.9 FPS, and High yields 107.6 FPS. Ultra is the most demanding, averaging 82 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 94.6 FPS drop, or about 54%. The 4K Ultra result of 82 FPS is notable because it is the only configuration that dips below the 100 FPS mark, suggesting that for a 4K 120Hz display, users would need to compromise on settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600G a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: Yes, particularly at 1080p. The data shows that at 1080p, the FPS difference between Low (251.7) and High (209.4) is only 42.3 FPS, indicating the CPU is limiting performance. At 4K, the difference between Low (176.6) and High (107.6) is 69 FPS, showing the GPU is the primary factor.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain high FPS?

A: 1440p offers a strong balance. At 1440p High, the system averages 167.8 FPS, which is excellent for a high-refresh monitor. The 1080p results are higher, but the CPU bottleneck limits the benefits of the RTX 4090.

Q: How does the Ultra preset perform at 4K?

A: The 4K Ultra average is 82 FPS. This is playable for a single-player experience but may not be ideal for competitive play on a 120Hz or 144Hz 4K display. Lowering to High settings at 4K yields 107.6 FPS, a substantial improvement.

Q: Is the 5600G's integrated graphics relevant here?

A: No. The Radeon Vega 7 iGPU is present but is not used when the RTX 4090 is installed. The measured FPS data comes exclusively from the discrete GPU.

Q: How does the 5600G compare to its nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: Its average benchmark score of 19983 is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-11600H and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, and within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-11800H and AMD EPYC 7713P. This indicates it trades blows with these parts in general compute.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average is 251.7 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play at 1080p, the Low preset is the clear choice, as it delivers the highest average FPS at 251.7 and minimizes input latency. The CPU bottleneck means that raising settings to Medium or High only reduces the frame rate without providing a proportional visual benefit in terms of performance headroom. The Ultra preset at 1080p, averaging 171.9 FPS, still offers a high refresh rate experience, but the gains from lower settings are more significant for esports.

For players using a 1440p monitor, the High preset is the sweet spot. It delivers 167.8 FPS, which is high enough for a 165Hz display, while offering better visual fidelity than Low or Medium. The Medium preset at 193.6 FPS is also a viable option for those who prioritize frame rate over visuals. The Ultra preset at 123.8 FPS is still playable but represents a notable drop from the other presets.

At 4K, the recommendation depends on the display's refresh rate. For a 60Hz display, the Ultra preset at 82 FPS is more than sufficient, and the visual quality will be maximized. For a 120Hz display, the High preset at 107.6 FPS is the better choice, as it stays above 100 FPS. The Low preset at 176.6 FPS is the only way to approach 144Hz at 4K, but it sacrifices too much visual quality for most users. The data suggests that for a balanced 4K experience, High settings provide the best compromise between frame rate and image quality, as the 107.6 FPS average is smooth and the visual uplift over Medium (121.9 FPS) is likely worth the 12% frame rate cost.