Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER in Lockdown Protocol delivers a playable experience primarily at 1080p, with performance falling off sharply as resolution climbs. The data shows a system where the GPU is the clear bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom for the game's demands.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 120.5 FPS, but this drops to 92.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 55.7 FPS at 4K. This represents a 23.6% decline from 1080p to 1440p and a 53.8% decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The pattern is consistent across all quality presets, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER's rendering capabilities are the primary limiting factor as pixel count grows.

Looking at High settings, the frame rate falls from 76.7 FPS at 1080p to 58.1 FPS at 1440p (a 24.3% drop), then to 34 FPS at 4K (a 55.7% drop from 1080p). The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 58.8 FPS at 1080p, 42.3 FPS at 1440p, and just 28.3 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p remains relatively consistent across presets, but the jump to 4K creates a significant cliff, particularly at High and Ultra where the card falls below 35 FPS.

This scaling behavior suggests that at 1080p, the system has enough throughput to maintain reasonable frame rates even at Ultra (58.8 FPS). However, the GTX 1660 SUPER's memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s and 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM become increasingly strained at higher resolutions. The 4K results, where even Low settings only produce 55.7 FPS, clearly indicate that the GPU is saturated and cannot keep pace with the pixel workload regardless of quality settings.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 5 7600X brings substantial processing power to this pairing. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, the CPU's benchmark results show strong single-thread performance, scoring 1060 in 3DMark single-thread and 3406 in Cinebench R23 single-core. This is crucial for Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title where frame pacing and responsiveness matter.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24128 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 12905. The 3DMark results show good scaling from 2 threads (2028) to 8 threads (5715), but the jump from 8 threads to max threads (6845) indicates diminishing returns beyond 8 threads, which aligns with typical FPS game behavior that rarely utilizes more than 6-8 threads effectively.

The 7600X's boost clock of 5.30 GHz and base clock of 4.70 GHz provide the raw frequency needed for high-refresh gaming. In the 1080p Low setting result of 120.5 FPS, the CPU demonstrates it can feed frames fast enough to approach the GTX 1660 SUPER's limits. However, the fact that performance scales down consistently with resolution indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. Even at 4K Ultra (28.3 FPS), the CPU has substantial headroom, as evidenced by the fact that lowering settings at the same resolution (4K Low at 55.7 FPS) produces a significant boost in frame rate.

The CPU sits at the 83rd percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26272. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U (26262, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 7735U (26305, -0.1%), and AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (26214, 0.2%). This places the 7600X in a competitive position, though the delta percentages are minimal, suggesting that CPU performance is not a differentiator in this game's results.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience with this hardware. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 120.5 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play on high-refresh monitors. The Medium preset at 89 FPS offers a good balance, while High (76.7 FPS) is still smooth for most players. Ultra at 58.8 FPS is playable but sacrifices the frame rate headroom that FPS games benefit from.

For 1440p, the situation becomes more constrained. Low settings produce 92.1 FPS, which is excellent for this resolution. Medium (62.3 FPS) and High (58.1 FPS) are acceptable for casual play, but Ultra at 42.3 FPS will feel noticeably less responsive. At 4K, only Low (55.7 FPS) approaches playability, with Medium (38.6 FPS), High (34 FPS), and Ultra (28.3 FPS) all dipping into uncomfortable territory.

The practical recommendation is to prioritize resolution over quality settings. At 1080p, the Medium preset (89 FPS) provides a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance, with Low (120.5 FPS) reserved for players who need maximum frame rates. At 1440p, sticking to Low (92.1 FPS) is advisable for a consistent experience, as the jump to Medium (62.3 FPS) incurs a 32.4% performance penalty. The 4K resolution should only be considered with Low settings, and even then, the 55.7 FPS result is below what most FPS players would consider optimal.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Technically yes, but only at Low settings (55.7 FPS). Medium (38.6 FPS), High (34 FPS), and Ultra (28.3 FPS) all fall below smooth playability thresholds.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The Medium preset at 89 FPS offers the best combination of visual quality and performance. Low (120.5 FPS) is better for competitive play, while High (76.7 FPS) and Ultra (58.8 FPS) remain playable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting component at higher resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 120.5 FPS shows CPU capability, but the steep drop to 55.7 FPS at 4K Low demonstrates GPU saturation. The CPU's benchmark scores and 83rd percentile ranking indicate it has ample headroom.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 14286 places it at the 55th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314, -0.2%), Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14315, -0.2%), and AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (14389, -0.7%). The performance differences are minimal.

Q: What 1440p settings should I use?

A: Low settings at 92.1 FPS are recommended for a smooth experience. Medium (62.3 FPS) is acceptable, but High (58.1 FPS) and Ultra (42.3 FPS) will show noticeable frame rate dips during intense scenes.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7600X a strong match for this game?

A: Yes. Its single-thread score of 3406 in Cinebench R23 and boost clock of 5.30 GHz provide strong FPS game performance. The CPU's average benchmark score of 26272 and 83rd percentile ranking confirm it is not holding back the system.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the decisive factor in this system's Lockdown Protocol performance. Based on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip, this GPU features 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 raster operation units. Its boost clock of 1785 MHz and base clock of 1530 MHz drive a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s.

The GPU's memory configuration is a critical consideration. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, the 336.0 GB/s bandwidth is substantial for this class of card. However, the measured FPS data suggests that at 4K resolution, both the memory capacity and bandwidth become limiting factors. The 4K results (34 FPS at High, 38.6 FPS at Medium) show that the card cannot maintain playable frame rates regardless of settings, indicating the memory subsystem is overwhelmed.

In terms of raw compute, the GTX 1660 SUPER delivers 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The benchmark scores reflect its capabilities: a PassMark G3D score of 12699, a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1278, and Geekbench scores of 62664 (OpenCL) and 59933 (Vulkan). The DirectX 12 score of 50 in PassMark is notably low, which may explain the significant performance drop when moving from Medium to High/Ultra settings in the game.

The GPU's percentile ranking at 55th versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14286, indicates it is a mid-range performer. Its nearest rivals—AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314), Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14315), and AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (14389)—are all within 0.7% of its average score, showing this is a tightly contested performance tier. The fact that the GTX 1660 SUPER sits slightly below these rivals in average score (-0.2% to -0.7%) suggests that the card's 6 GB VRAM and older architecture are beginning to show their age in modern titles.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Lockdown Protocol shows a clear hierarchy based on resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the results range from 120.5 FPS at Low to 58.8 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset delivers 89 FPS, while High produces 76.7 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 61.7 FPS, representing a 51.2% performance difference.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop significantly across all presets. Low settings yield 92.1 FPS, Medium produces 62.3 FPS, High achieves 58.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 42.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 49.8 FPS, but the percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent at roughly 23-28% for each preset.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal. Low settings produce 55.7 FPS, Medium drops to 38.6 FPS, High achieves 34 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 28.3 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 27.4 FPS, showing that quality settings have a smaller absolute impact at this resolution due to the GPU being heavily constrained.

The data reveals an interesting pattern: at 1080p, moving from Low to Medium costs 31.5 FPS, but from Medium to High costs only 12.3 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 17.9 FPS. This non-linear scaling suggests that certain settings within the Medium to High range have a disproportionate impact on performance. The same pattern holds at 1440p, where Low to Medium costs 29.8 FPS, Medium to High costs 4.2 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 15.8 FPS.

For players seeking the highest frame rates, the 1080p Low preset at 120.5 FPS is the clear choice. The system's overall rank of 1464 out of 1637 combos in this game indicates that while this pairing is not at the top of the performance charts, it remains viable for 1080p gaming, particularly at Low or Medium settings.