Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a broad spread of frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, and the pattern across resolutions reveals which component is doing the heavy lifting. At 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 260 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 57 FPS. That is a massive 203 FPS swing, and it tells a clear story about how this game scales with pixel count and graphical load. The data indicates that Lockdown Protocol is highly sensitive to resolution and settings, with the GPU becoming the dominant constraint as the workload increases. At lower resolutions, the frame rates are so high that the CPU’s role becomes more apparent, but even then, the Ryzen 5 9600X’s six-core, twelve-thread design with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz appears sufficient to keep feeding the RTX 4070.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable yet steep decline as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the average is 260 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 191 FPS, a decrease of 69 FPS or roughly 26.5%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 123 FPS, which is another 68 FPS drop from 1440p, representing a further 35.6% reduction. The pattern is consistent across settings. For Medium, 1080p averages 185 FPS, 1440p averages 135 FPS, and 4K averages 87 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 50 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 48 FPS. High settings show 161 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p, and 76 FPS at 4K. The differences are 43 FPS and 42 FPS, respectively. Ultra settings yield 121 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and 57 FPS at 4K, with gaps of 32 FPS and 32 FPS.

The consistency of these gaps—roughly 40 to 70 FPS between each resolution step—suggests that the limiting factor scales almost linearly with pixel count. The RTX 4070’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is likely the primary constraint at higher resolutions, as the demand for fill rate and memory throughput increases. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz and its 5888 shading units are being pushed harder as resolution rises, and the data shows that the frame rate penalty is substantial. At 4K Ultra, the 57 FPS average is the lowest recorded, indicating that the GPU is saturated. The CPU, with its 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, is unlikely to be the bottleneck at 4K, given that even the Low preset at 4K hits 123 FPS, which is still well above 60 FPS.

What is more telling is the gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution. At 1080p, Low is 260 FPS and Ultra is 121 FPS, a difference of 139 FPS. At 1440p, Low is 191 FPS and Ultra is 89 FPS, a 102 FPS difference. At 4K, Low is 123 FPS and Ultra is 57 FPS, a 66 FPS difference. This narrowing gap at higher resolutions implies that the GPU is becoming the bottleneck even on Low settings at 4K, whereas at 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to push higher frame rates before the GPU limits. The data strongly suggests that this combo is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but 4K Ultra pushes the RTX 4070 to its limits.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a six-core, twelve-thread processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with a 4 nm process. Its base clock is 3.90 GHz and boost clock is 5.40 GHz. The CPU’s benchmark scores provide context for its gaming performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 17528.5 in multi-core and 2183.5 in single-core. Geekbench shows 14438 in multi-core and 2923 in single-core. The PassMark single-thread score is 4570, and the multithread score is 30027. The CPU’s percentile vs all CPUs is 81, meaning it outperforms 81% of CPUs in the database. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, has an average score of 29656, which is 0.2% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868, a 0.5% delta in the other direction.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the 260 FPS average suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough frames to reach extremely high rates. The single-core performance, as indicated by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 1253, is strong. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2456 and 4-thread score of 4649 show that the CPU scales well with additional threads, but the game likely benefits most from the high boost clock. The 5.40 GHz boost clock is a key factor in maintaining high frame rates in a fast-paced FPS where per-core performance matters.

However, the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. Even at 4K Low, the frame rate is 123 FPS, which is still high. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions at the same settings, but that is not the case. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this game. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache also helps with data locality. The CPU’s percentile rank of 81 and its proximity to rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (which has a deltaPct of -0.6) indicate that it is a mid-to-high-tier processor, but not a top-tier one. For Lockdown Protocol, the CPU appears to provide enough headroom to avoid being the primary constraint, except perhaps at the very highest frame rates where the GPU is not fully loaded.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the more critical component in this pairing. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, with a memory clock of 1313 MHz and 21 Gbps effective speed, yielding 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 1920 MHz and boost clock is 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The RTX 4070’s benchmarks show a PassMark G3D score of 26927 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854. Its percentile vs all GPUs is 81, and its average benchmark score is 37648. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, has an average score of 37628, a 0.1% delta, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a 0.4% delta.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is dominant, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling. The RTX 4070’s 12 GB VRAM is ample for this game, even at 4K, as the High preset at 4K still achieves 76 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is sufficient to handle the texture and geometry data at 4K, but the frame rate drops to 57 FPS at Ultra, suggesting that the GPU’s compute and shading capabilities are the limiting factor. The boost clock of 2475 MHz and the 29.15 TFLOPS FP32 performance are being taxed at 4K Ultra. The 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores are present, but this game likely does not rely heavily on ray tracing, so the standard shading units are the main workhorses.

The RTX 4070’s performance at 1080p is particularly strong. At Low settings, the 260 FPS average indicates that the GPU is not the bottleneck at all; the CPU is likely the limiting factor at that point. However, at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 121 FPS, showing that the GPU’s load increases significantly with settings. The data suggests that the RTX 4070 is well-suited for 1440p gaming, where it can maintain high frame rates across all settings. At 1440p Ultra, it achieves 89 FPS, which is still playable. The GPU’s 81st percentile ranking and its close competition with the RTX 4080 Mobile (which has a deltaPct of -1.3) indicate that it is a solid mid-range to upper-mid-range card, but not a flagship. For Lockdown Protocol, the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences across resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 260 FPS, which is the highest recorded. Medium averages 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS. High averages 161 FPS, and Ultra averages 121 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 139 FPS, showing that settings have a huge impact at 1080p. At 2560x1440, Low averages 191 FPS, Medium averages 135 FPS (with a min of 115 and max of 156), High averages 118 FPS, and Ultra averages 89 FPS. The spread is 102 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low averages 123 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS (with a min of 74 and max of 101), High averages 76 FPS, and Ultra averages 57 FPS. The spread is 66 FPS.

The Medium preset is the only one with min and max FPS recorded, and it shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p, the range is 157 to 213 FPS; at 1440p, it is 115 to 156 FPS; and at 4K, it is 74 to 101 FPS. These ranges indicate that the frame rate is relatively stable, with the minimum being about 85% of the average at 1080p, 85% at 1440p, and 85% at 4K. This suggests that the game does not have severe frame time spikes, at least on Medium settings. The lack of min and max data for other presets means we cannot assess their stability, but the averages alone are informative.

The data also shows that the RTX 4070 can handle 4K at playable frame rates, but only on lower presets. At 4K Medium, the 87 FPS average is good for a competitive FPS, and even 4K High at 76 FPS is acceptable. However, 4K Ultra at 57 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players prefer. The 1080p and 1440p results are more impressive, with 1440p Ultra at 89 FPS being particularly noteworthy. The CPU’s role at 1080p Low is highlighted by the 260 FPS figure, which is likely near the CPU’s limit. This combo is capable of delivering high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and solid performance at 1440p, with 4K being viable only at lower settings.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 260, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K on Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 121, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 57 FPS, a decrease of 64 FPS or roughly 52.9%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 123, which is still high, and the frame rate drops to 57 FPS at Ultra, indicating the GPU is being saturated.

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

A: At 1440p, Low averages 191 FPS, while Ultra averages 89 FPS, a difference of 102 FPS.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 9600X hold back the RTX 4070 at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 260 FPS, which is extremely high. The CPU’s single-thread performance, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5, appears sufficient, but the 260 FPS figure suggests the CPU may be nearing its limit, as the GPU could potentially push higher.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combos in this game?

A: The combo ranks 874 out of 3714 combos, placing it in the top 23.5% of all tested combinations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, even Ultra settings provide 121 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset at 1080p offers 185 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, and the min FPS of 157 ensures smooth performance. Given that the jump from Medium to Ultra at 1080p costs 64 FPS (185 to 121), the Medium preset provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. For 1440p, the Ultra preset delivers 89 FPS, which is playable for most users, but the High preset at 118 FPS offers a significant improvement with only a minor visual downgrade. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 135 FPS, making it the best choice for high refresh rate 1440p monitors. The data shows that the difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is 29 FPS (118 vs 89), so High is recommended for a smoother experience.

At 4K, the options are more constrained. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is below 60 FPS, which may result in noticeable stutter on some displays. The High preset at 76 FPS is a better choice, as it stays above 60 FPS and provides good visual quality. The Medium preset at 4K averages 87 FPS, which is the best combination of performance and quality for 4K. The Low preset at 123 FPS is viable for players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, but the Medium preset offers a substantial visual upgrade for a 36 FPS cost (123 to 87). For a balanced experience, the Medium preset at 4K is recommended. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset appears to offer the best value in terms of frame rate per visual setting, as it consistently provides high FPS with a reasonable visual fidelity. The 1080p Medium at 185 FPS, 1440p Medium at 135 FPS, and 4K Medium at 87 FPS all represent strong choices for competitive and casual play alike.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combo ranks 874 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 23.5% of all combos, which is a solid result for a mid-range to upper-mid-range pairing. The rank reflects the overall performance across the measured resolutions and settings. The CPU’s percentile of 81 and the GPU’s percentile of 81 are consistent with this ranking, indicating that both components are above average. The combo’s performance is likely limited by the RTX 4070 at higher resolutions, as the CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates at 1080p. The data shows that this combo can handle 1440p Ultra at 89 FPS, which is impressive, and 4K High at 76 FPS, which is playable.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing sits in the upper quartile. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with a deltaPct of 0.1% and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 with a deltaPct of 0.4%, are close in average benchmark scores, but the RTX 4070’s 12 GB VRAM and Ada Lovelace architecture give it an edge in modern games. The CPU’s nearest rivals, like the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE with a deltaPct of 0.2%, are similarly close, but the 9600X’s higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz and Zen 5 architecture provide strong single-thread performance. The rank of 874 suggests that there are many combos with faster CPUs and GPUs, but this pairing is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The data indicates that the combo is not a top-tier performer, but it is well above average and capable of delivering high frame rates in Lockdown Protocol across most settings and resolutions.