Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol scales predictably across resolutions with this AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Radeon RX 7700 pairing, but the shape of that scaling reveals where the bottleneck sits. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 200 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 93 FPS. That is a 107 FPS swing, or roughly a 53% reduction from Low to Ultra at the same resolution. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset still posts 147 FPS, but Ultra falls to 68 FPS. At 3840x2160, the spread tightens in absolute terms: Low hits 95 FPS, Medium 67 FPS, High 59 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 44 FPS.

The resolution scaling pattern is telling. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the average FPS drops from 200 to 147, a 26.5% decrease. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, it drops from 147 to 95, another 35.4% decrease. These are large relative losses, indicating that even at Low settings, the GPU is being pushed harder as pixel count rises. However, the gap between presets narrows at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 107 FPS; at 1440p it is 79 FPS; at 4K it is 51 FPS. This convergence suggests that at 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant limiter regardless of settings, whereas at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to let the graphics card stretch its legs on lower presets.

The data points to a system that is GPU-bound in most scenarios, but the CPU still matters at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 200 FPS average indicates the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently, but the drop to 93 FPS at 1080p Ultra shows the GPU struggling with added visual complexity. By 4K, even Low settings only produce 95 FPS, which is below the 1080p Ultra result. This is classic GPU-bound behavior: the render resolution dominates the frame time, and settings have a diminishing impact as pixel count grows.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse, built on TSMC's 7nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with 32 MB of L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 2092 points in Cinebench R15 multicore and 204 points in single-core, 8899 in Geekbench multicore and 1593 in single-core, and 22458 in Passmark multithread. Its Passmark single-thread score is 2656. The processor sits at the 84th percentile among all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 34260 places it near the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (34222, 0.1% ahead) and AMD EPYC 4244P (34220, 0.1% ahead), while trailing the Intel Core i5-13450HX (34333, -0.2%) and leading the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (34083, 0.5%).

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p with Low settings, where the 200 FPS average suggests the 3700X can sustain high frame rates without becoming the limiting factor. The 16 threads and 4.40 GHz boost clock provide enough single-thread performance for the game's logic, and the 32 MB L3 cache helps with data locality. However, the CPU's 84th percentile ranking relative to all CPUs indicates it is not a top-tier part, and the nearest rivals show it is competitive with modern mid-range options. The data does not show a scenario where the CPU causes a hard frame cap; instead, the FPS scales with resolution and settings in a way that consistently favors GPU load.

At 4K Ultra, the 44 FPS average is far below the CPU's potential, confirming the processor is not the constraint there. The 3700X's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR4 support are adequate for this game, as no benchmark row shows a CPU-induced stall. The processor's Passmark physics score of 1181 and integer math score of 66399 suggest it can handle the game's simulation and AI workloads without issue, but the game itself appears to be graphically intensive rather than CPU-heavy, given how FPS scales with resolution.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the clear workhorse in this pairing. It uses the Navi 32 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5nm process, and packs 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. It has 40 ray tracing cores and operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory runs on a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. In synthetic tests, it scores 2865 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 106028 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 20974 in Passmark G3D. Its Passmark GPU compute score is 10963. The GPU ranks at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, -0.1% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014, -1% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, 1.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, -1.7% delta).

The GPU's performance in Lockdown Protocol directly explains the FPS numbers. At 1080p Low, the 200 FPS average is a GPU-limited result, meaning the card can process frames quickly when visual effects are minimal. The 16 GB VRAM and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth ensure that memory capacity is not a constraint even at 4K Ultra, since the game's asset loads fit within the frame buffer. The 44 FPS at 4K Ultra reflects the GPU's raw compute limits, not a memory shortfall. The RX 7700's 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 performance provides the shader throughput needed for the game's effects, but the 58th percentile ranking shows it is a mid-range part, and the 4K Ultra result confirms it cannot handle maximum settings at that resolution.

The GPU's clock behavior is also relevant. The boost clock of 2459 MHz is not sustained in all scenarios, as the game clock of 2041 MHz is a more realistic sustained figure. The difference between Low and Ultra at the same resolution shows how the GPU's shading units and ROPs are taxed differently. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Ultra costs 107 FPS, while at 4K it costs 51 FPS. This indicates the GPU is more sensitive to settings at lower resolutions, where pixel fill rate is less of a bottleneck, and more sensitive to resolution at higher settings, where the render workload dominates.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience, depending on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 200 FPS average, which is well above the 142 FPS at Medium and 124 FPS at High. Ultra drops to 93 FPS. For competitive play where high refresh rates matter, Low is the optimal choice because it maximizes frame rate with no visible downside in the data. Medium, with a 142 FPS average and a minimum of 121 FPS, is also viable for users who want some visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. High at 124 FPS is acceptable, but Ultra's 93 FPS is a significant step down and only recommended for those prioritizing visuals over responsiveness.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset still produces 147 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced gameplay. Medium drops to 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High falls to 91 FPS, and Ultra to 68 FPS. For 1440p users, Low is the best choice for frame rate, but Medium offers a good balance if the monitor supports adaptive sync, since the 88 FPS minimum is still playable. High and Ultra are best avoided if frame pacing is a concern, as they fall below the 100 FPS mark.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Low yields 95 FPS, which is playable but not high-refresh territory. Medium produces 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience. High drops to 59 FPS, and Ultra to 44 FPS. For 4K, Low is the only preset that keeps the average above 60 FPS, making it the recommended setting for playable performance. Medium is acceptable if the user can tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS, but High and Ultra are not recommended due to sub-60 averages. The data suggests that the RX 7700 is not a 4K Ultra card for this game, so users should adjust expectations accordingly.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gameplay?

A: Low is the best choice, delivering 200 FPS average. Medium (142 FPS) and High (124 FPS) are alternatives, but Ultra drops to 93 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K at 60 FPS?

A: Only at Low settings, which produces 95 FPS average. Medium (67 FPS) is close, but High (59 FPS) and Ultra (44 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X scores 34260 on average, which is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (34222) and AMD EPYC 4244P (34220), 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-13450HX (34333), and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (34083).

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

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 200 FPS average suggests the CPU can keep up, but the FPS drops consistently with resolution and settings, indicating GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the frame time consistency at 1440p Medium?

A: The minimum FPS is 88, the average is 104, and the maximum is 120. This shows a stable range with some variance, but no extreme spikes.

Q: How does the RX 7700 rank among GPUs?

A: It sits at the 58th percentile with an average benchmark score of 15852. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 370X, 1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9060, 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500, and 1.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 200 FPS, Medium produces 142 FPS with a minimum of 121 and a maximum of 163, High produces 124 FPS, and Ultra produces 93 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, indicating a tested frame range. The gap between Low and Ultra is 107 FPS, which is the largest spread across any resolution.

At 2560x1440, Low settings deliver 147 FPS, Medium delivers 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 and a maximum of 120, High delivers 91 FPS, and Ultra delivers 68 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 79 FPS. The Medium preset again shows a minimum and maximum, suggesting it was the focus of detailed testing, with a 32 FPS range between the lowest and highest recorded frames.

At 3840x2160, Low settings yield 95 FPS, Medium yields 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 77, High yields 59 FPS, and Ultra yields 44 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 51 FPS, the narrowest of the three resolutions. Medium's minimum of 57 FPS indicates occasional dips below 60, which is notable for a 4K experience. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the absolute FPS drops, and the relative impact of settings decreases, confirming the GPU-bound nature of this pairing in Lockdown Protocol.