Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol CPU/GPU Analysis — AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

This combination of an AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card delivers outstanding performance in Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS title released in March 2024. The data shows this pairing ranks 125th out of 2,828 tested combos, placing it in the top 4.4% of all configurations tested. The following analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the measured frame rates, what the numbers mean relative to similarly-scoring parts, and how the system behaves across different resolutions and settings presets.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is built on the Zen 4 Raphael architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process node, with a transistor count of 11,270 million on a 71 mm² die. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The processor carries a 65 W TDP and a substantial 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is the defining characteristic of the X3D lineup. This cache configuration is particularly relevant for Lockdown Protocol, as the game's engine appears to benefit from large on-die memory pools for frequently-accessed game assets.

In PassMark synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a multi-thread score of 25,047, a single-thread score of 3,494, and an average benchmark score of 44,573. The processor ranks in the 89th percentile among all CPUs tested, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of desktop processors in general compute workloads.

Looking at the nearest rival scores, the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H averages 44,466 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core i9-13950HX averages 44,342 (0.5% behind), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 averages 44,309 (0.6% behind). The Intel Core i5-14600 scores 44,889, which is 0.7% higher than the 7500X3D. These deltas are remarkably small, meaning the 7500X3D sits in a tightly-packed performance cluster where no single rival holds a meaningful advantage in aggregate CPU benchmarks.

For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the CPU's role is primarily maintaining a high frame rate floor. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the 7500X3D provides sufficient parallel processing headroom for the game's simulation and AI workloads. The 4.50 GHz boost clock ensures responsive single-threaded performance, which matters for game logic and input handling. The 96 MB L3 cache is the standout feature here — it allows frequently-used game data to stay on-die, reducing latency compared to fetching from system memory. The DDR5 memory support with dual-channel bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s further reduces potential memory bottlenecks.

The PassMark physics score of 2,779, while not directly translatable to gaming, indicates the CPU can handle complex physical simulations that FPS games often employ. The integer math score of 70,774 and floating-point math score of 43,594 show balanced compute capabilities across different instruction types. The data compression score of 271,649 and encryption score of 15,797 are less relevant to gaming but demonstrate the CPU's general throughput.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU built on TSMC's 5 nm process, featuring 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. It operates with a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The card is equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth.

The GPU's compute resources are extensive: 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 128 RT cores, and 512 tensor cores. This translates to a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s, and 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. These specifications support the high frame rates observed in Lockdown Protocol, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can push well beyond 200 FPS.

In PassMark benchmarks, the RTX 4090 scores 38,194 in G3D and 26,613 in GPU compute, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. The GPU ranks in the 88th percentile among all graphics cards. Its nearest rivals in aggregate scoring include the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60,326 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60,140 (0.3% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61,896 (-2.5% delta). These are workstation-class GPUs, which highlights that the RTX 4090's raw compute performance is comparable to professional-grade hardware, though its gaming-oriented feature set differs.

For Lockdown Protocol, the RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM is far beyond what the game requires, eliminating any possibility of VRAM capacity limiting performance. The memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s ensures texture streaming and high-resolution assets load without stutter. The boost clock of 2520 MHz, combined with the massive shading unit count, allows the GPU to sustain very high frame rates even at 4K resolution.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) aligns with modern FPS engine requirements, and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility provides alternative rendering paths. The 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs accommodate high-refresh-rate monitors, which is relevant given the measured frame rates at 1080p and 1440p.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 7500X3D compare to its nearest CPU rivals in aggregate benchmark scores?

A: The 7500X3D scores 44,573 on average. The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H scores 44,466 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i9-13950HX scores 44,342 (0.5% lower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 44,309 (0.6% lower). The Intel Core i5-14600 scores 44,889, which is 0.7% higher. All four rivals fall within a 1% band around the 7500X3D's score.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate measured for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 275 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 248 at 2560x1440 with Low settings, followed by 242 at 1920x1080 with Medium settings.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM provide any advantage in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The 24 GB GDDR6X VRAM with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensures memory capacity is never a limiting factor at any tested resolution or settings preset. The game's highest VRAM demand occurs at 3840x2160 Ultra settings, where the combo still delivers 81 FPS average, indicating no capacity-related performance degradation.

Q: How does this combo rank overall among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 125th out of 2,828 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.4% of all configurations benchmarked for Lockdown Protocol. This indicates it is a high-performing pairing that excels in this game.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 248 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 125 FPS average. This represents a 123 FPS difference, meaning Ultra settings deliver approximately half the frame rate of Low settings at this resolution.

Q: Does the CPU's 65 W TDP affect gaming performance in this title?

A: The 65 W TDP with a 4.50 GHz boost clock demonstrates that power efficiency does not come at the cost of gaming performance. The CPU maintains sufficient clock speeds to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4090, as evidenced by the high frame rates across all resolution and settings combinations.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination holds a rank of 125 out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the pairing in the top 4.4% of all configurations tested, which is an exceptional result. The rank reflects the combined capability of both components working together without significant bottlenecks.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs individually suggest both components are high performers in their respective categories. When paired, they achieve a combined rank that is even stronger than either component's individual percentile, indicating good synergy in this game's workload.

The nearest CPU rivals, all scoring within 0.7% of the 7500X3D, would likely produce similar in-game results when paired with the RTX 4090. However, the 7500X3D's 96 MB L3 cache may provide an edge in Lockdown Protocol's specific access patterns, though the data does not isolate this effect. The GPU's nearest rivals in aggregate scoring are professional workstation cards, which are not directly comparable in gaming scenarios; the RTX 4090's gaming-oriented design with 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores likely contributes to its strong gaming performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 275. Medium settings yield 242 FPS average, with a minimum of 206 and maximum of 278. High settings produce 228 FPS average. Ultra settings reduce the average to 171 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 104 FPS, showing that settings have a substantial impact even at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, Low settings still produce a very high 248 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 192 FPS average, with a minimum of 163 and maximum of 220. High settings yield 167 FPS average. Ultra settings produce 125 FPS average. The resolution increase from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 10-27 FPS depending on the settings preset, with the largest absolute drop occurring at Low settings (27 FPS) and the smallest at Ultra (46 FPS difference from 1080p Ultra).

At 3840x2160, Low settings produce 174 FPS average. Medium settings yield 124 FPS average, with a minimum of 105 and maximum of 142. High settings drop to 108 FPS average. Ultra settings produce 81 FPS average. The transition from 1440p to 4K costs between 44 and 74 FPS depending on settings, with Low settings suffering the largest absolute drop (74 FPS) and Ultra settings the smallest (44 FPS).

The Medium settings rows include minimum and maximum FPS data, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 206-278 FPS (72 FPS spread). At 1440p Medium, the range is 163-220 FPS (57 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range is 105-142 FPS (37 FPS spread). The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests the GPU becomes more consistently utilized as resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS values, the most balanced experience appears to be High settings at 2560x1440, which delivers 167 FPS average. This provides excellent visual quality while maintaining frame rates well above 144 Hz, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 167 FPS average at 1440p High represents a good compromise between the 248 FPS at Low and the 125 FPS at Ultra.

For players prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, 3840x2160 Ultra delivers 81 FPS average, which is playable but below the 100+ FPS threshold that competitive FPS players often prefer. The 4K High setting at 108 FPS average offers a better balance for 4K displays, maintaining smooth motion while preserving most visual enhancements.

At 1920x1080, Medium settings at 242 FPS average provide an excellent competitive experience for esports-style play, with frame rates high enough to fully utilize 240 Hz monitors. The 228 FPS at High settings is also viable for such displays. Low settings at 275 FPS offer the highest possible frame rate but sacrifice visual quality.

The data suggests that Ultra settings are best reserved for showcases or screenshot purposes, as the jump from High to Ultra costs between 43 and 57 FPS depending on resolution, while providing diminishing visual returns. Medium settings provide the most stable frame delivery, as evidenced by the available minimum FPS values showing the smallest relative drops from average.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data shows how frame rates scale from 1080p to 4K across all four settings presets. At Low settings, the progression is 275 FPS at 1080p, 248 FPS at 1440p, and 174 FPS at 4K. This represents a 27 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (9.8% decrease) and a 74 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K (29.8% decrease). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 101 FPS, a 36.7% reduction.

At Medium settings, the progression is 242 FPS at 1080p, 192 FPS at 1440p, and 124 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is 50 FPS (20.7%), and the 1440p to 4K drop is 68 FPS (35.4%). The total reduction is 118 FPS, a 48.8% decrease from 1080p.

At High settings, the progression is 228 FPS at 1080p, 167 FPS at 1440p, and 108 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is 61 FPS (26.8%), and the 1440p to 4K drop is 59 FPS (35.3%). The total reduction is 120 FPS, a 52.6% decrease.

At Ultra settings, the progression is 171 FPS at 1080p, 125 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is 46 FPS (26.9%), and the 1440p to 4K drop is 44 FPS (35.2%). The total reduction is 90 FPS, a 52.6% decrease.

The pattern across all settings shows that the 1080p to 1440p transition costs between 9.8% and 26.9% of frame rate, while the 1440p to 4K transition costs between 29.8% and 35.4%. The larger percentage drop at 4K indicates the GPU is being pushed significantly harder at that resolution. The fact that frame rates remain above 80 FPS even at 4K Ultra demonstrates that the RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom to avoid becoming a limiting factor even at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 270 FPS.