Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024-released FPS, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates CPU and GPU responsibilities. In this analysis, the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination is examined through measured frame rate data across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data reveals a configuration capable of high refresh rates at 1440p, but one where the processor’s six-core design becomes a limiting factor for maximum frame pacing at lower resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a six-core, twelve-thread processor built on the Zen 4 architecture, specifically the Phoenix codename. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. The chip has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 16 MB of L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

Benchmark data positions this CPU in the 82nd percentile against all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 25064. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing include the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, which scores nearly identically (25057, a 0% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, which trails by a negligible 0.3% (24993). This places the 8400F in a performance tier roughly equivalent to older eight-core parts, indicating that its six-core count is compensated by the higher IPC of Zen 4.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s influence is most visible when comparing frame rates across resolutions at the same settings. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 288.6 FPS, but this drops to 258.5 FPS at 1440p Low and 167.2 FPS at 4K Low. The significant drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings (a 35% reduction) suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts. However, at 1080p, the frame rate ceiling of 288.6 FPS appears constrained by the CPU’s single-thread and multi-thread capabilities, as the RTX 5080 is capable of far higher output in lighter scenes. The CPU’s single-thread score of 951 in 3dmark and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2943 indicate strong per-core performance, which is sufficient for the game’s primary game logic thread, but the six physical cores may struggle to maintain the highest possible frame pacing when the GPU is underutilized.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, using the GB203 chip. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC, with 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die. The GPU has a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2617 MHz, with memory clocked at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective). It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. The card has 10752 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, with 84 RT cores and 336 tensor cores. Its FP32 performance is rated at 56.28 TFLOPS.

In the GPU benchmark suite, the RTX 5080 ranks in the 89th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 59188. Its nearest rivals are notably lower-tier parts: the Intel Arc A570M is 1.6% behind (58239), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X trails by 2.6% (57661). This suggests that the RTX 5080’s synthetic average is heavily weighted by its compute performance, but its gaming-specific results in Lockdown Protocol are what matter here.

The GPU’s role is clearly demonstrated by the scaling of frame rates with settings. At 4K, the difference between Low (167.2 FPS) and Ultra (75.9 FPS) is 91.3 FPS, a 54.6% reduction. This is far more pronounced than the CPU-bound scaling at 1080p, where Low (288.6 FPS) to Ultra (164.4 FPS) represents a 43% drop. The 16 GB of VRAM is ample for the 4K Ultra preset, where the game’s texture and geometry demands are highest, and the 960.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures no memory starvation occurs in the measured rows. The GPU’s boost clock of 2617 MHz and its 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput provide the raw compute needed to sustain 104.9 FPS at 4K High, which is a demanding but playable level.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in the measured data?

A: The highest average frame rate is 288.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra compared to 1440p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is 75.9 FPS, while at 1440p Ultra it is 123.1 FPS. This represents a 38.3% decrease in performance when moving to the higher resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 288.6 FPS, which is significantly lower than the GPU’s potential output. The CPU’s six-core, twelve-thread configuration with a 4.70 GHz boost clock appears to be the limiting factor, as the gap between 1080p Low and 1440p Low (258.5 FPS) is much smaller than the gap between 1440p Low and 4K Low (167.2 FPS).

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield 187.1 FPS, while High settings yield 158.9 FPS. The difference is 28.2 FPS, which is a 15.1% reduction in frame rate when moving from Medium to High.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 59188, which is 1.6% higher than the Intel Arc A570M’s score of 58239, and 2.6% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X’s score of 57661.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 4K High?

A: Yes, the combo delivers an average of 104.9 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is above the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered playable for FPS titles.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 71st out of 1637 tested combos. This places it in the top 4.3% of all configurations, indicating that the system is exceptionally well-suited for this game. The high ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU’s strong performance, given that the CPU’s synthetic benchmark percentile (82nd) is lower than the GPU’s (89th). The rank also suggests that the combo outperforms many systems with more expensive or higher-core-count CPUs, as the RTX 5080’s raw rasterization power is the dominant factor in this FPS title.

The rank of 71 out of 1637 is notable because it shows that the six-core Ryzen 5 8400F is not a significant hindrance to overall game performance when paired with a top-tier GPU. The measured frame rates, particularly at 1440p where the combo achieves 158.9 FPS on High settings, are sufficient for competitive play. The combo’s ranking would likely be higher if the CPU could push more frames at 1080p, but the 288.6 FPS ceiling at Low settings is still excellent for most users. The data indicates that this pairing is a balanced choice for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, with the 4K performance being a bonus for those with capable displays.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and refresh rate priorities. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 249.4 FPS, which is only 39.2 FPS lower than Low (288.6 FPS) but offers significantly better visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p still provides 216.7 FPS, making it a strong choice for 144Hz displays without sacrificing much visual quality. Ultra at 1080p yields 164.4 FPS, which is still high but represents a 24% drop from High, making High the better value for most users.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides 187.1 FPS, which is well-suited for 165Hz or 180Hz monitors. The High preset at 158.9 FPS is also viable for 144Hz displays and offers better image quality. For users with 4K displays, the High preset at 104.9 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a smooth experience above 100 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 75.9 FPS, which is playable but may feel less responsive in fast-paced FPS action. The Low preset is only recommended for extreme competitive play where maximum frame rate is prioritized, but the data shows that Medium or High provide a better balance of performance and visuals across all resolutions. The sweet spot for this combo is 1440p High, where the 158.9 FPS average leverages the GPU’s power while keeping the CPU’s limitations minimal.