Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a demanding FPS title that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a predictable bottleneck pattern. The data indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s substantial cache helps maintain playable framerates at 1080p. This combination ranks in the lower tier of tested configurations, reflecting the GPU’s age relative to modern titles.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and steep drop as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 126.2 FPS, but this falls to 89 FPS at 1440p and further to 58.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 53.6% performance loss from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER is being pushed to its limits as pixel count rises.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. With High settings, the average framerate drops from 75 FPS at 1080p to 58.9 FPS at 1440p, then plummets to 34.3 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result is barely above the threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that this resolution is not viable for demanding scenes. Meanwhile, the gap between 1080p and 1440p is relatively modest across all settings, which implies that the GPU can still handle a moderate resolution increase without collapsing.

The data also reveals that the CPU is not the bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the framerate reaches 126.2 FPS, which is a strong result for a mid-range GPU, but it does not approach the theoretical ceiling of the Ryzen 7 5700X3D. The CPU’s 96 MB of shared L3 cache helps maintain high minimum framerates, but the GPU’s 6 GB of VRAM and 192-bit memory bus become the limiting factors as resolution climbs. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep at Ultra settings, dropping from 42.4 FPS to 29.3 FPS, a 30.8% reduction that underscores the GPU’s inability to handle 4K workloads.

GPU Role

The GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip, and its specifications directly explain the measured performance. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, with 1408 shading units and 48 ROPs. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) across a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. These numbers are modest by modern standards, and the data confirms that the GPU struggles with high-resolution textures and effects.

The VRAM capacity is a significant factor in Lockdown Protocol. At 4K Ultra, the average framerate drops to 29.3 FPS, which suggests that the 6 GB frame buffer is being saturated, forcing the GPU to handle memory pressure that impacts throughput. The 12 nm process node and 125 W TDP also indicate that this is an older design, with a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s that limit fill-rate-heavy scenes. The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce this view: it achieves a PassMark G3D score of 12699 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 62664, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, with average scores within 0.2% of the GTX 1660 SUPER. This proximity indicates that the GPU is competing with integrated and entry-level discrete solutions, which is consistent with its measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol. The GPU’s launch MSRP of 229 USD reflects its mid-range positioning, but the data shows that it is now outclassed by newer hardware in this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 7 5700X3D and GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1458 out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 11% of configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU’s age and limited memory bandwidth, as the CPU is a strong performer. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D has an average benchmark score of 24673, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1360P, scores 24627 with a deltaPct of 0.2%. This means the CPU is competitive with modern mid-range processors, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s weaknesses.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 14286 places it in the 55th percentile, with its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, scoring 14314 (a deltaPct of -0.2%). This suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER is only marginally better than some integrated graphics solutions, which explains why the combo ranks so low. The CPU’s 8 cores and 16 threads, along with its 3.00 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clocks, provide ample processing power, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor in almost all scenarios.

The rank of 1458 out of 1637 indicates that most other tested combos deliver higher average framerates in Lockdown Protocol. This is not surprising given the GPU’s end-of-life status and lack of ray tracing or tensor cores. The CPU’s 3DMark scores, such as 6764 in the 16-thread test and 804 in the single-thread test, show that it can handle multi-threaded workloads, but the GPU’s PassMark DirectX 12 score of 50 and DirectX 11 score of 104 highlight its struggles with modern APIs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable framerates across all settings. With Low settings, the average FPS is 126.2, which is ideal for competitive play. Medium settings produce 85 FPS, while High settings yield 75 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 55.1 FPS, which is still above the 50 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 56.3% performance loss, indicating that the GPU is the primary constraint.

Moving to 2560x1440, the framerates become more variable. Low settings average 89 FPS, which is still respectable, but Medium settings fall to 61.8 FPS and High settings to 58.9 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 42.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for most gamers. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 52.4%, and the data suggests that this resolution is only viable for Low or Medium settings if smooth gameplay is a priority.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable framerates. Low settings average 58.5 FPS, which is borderline, but Medium settings drop to 43.6 FPS and High settings to 34.3 FPS. Ultra settings average just 29.3 FPS, making this resolution impractical for anything but the lowest quality presets. The performance loss from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 53.6%, and from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is 46.8%, confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck across the board.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 1080p?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 126.2 FPS at 1080p Low, 85 FPS at Medium, 75 FPS at High, and 55.1 FPS at Ultra, all of which are playable.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D has an average benchmark score of 24673, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-1360P’s score of 24627, and 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D’s score of 24605.

Q: What is the GPU’s benchmark percentile?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14286. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, scores 14314, which is 0.2% higher.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: The data indicates that 4K is not practical. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 58.5, but High settings drop to 34.3 FPS and Ultra to 29.3 FPS, which are below smooth gameplay thresholds.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 1458 out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations.

Q: What is the main bottleneck for this pairing?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU has a strong benchmark score of 24673 (82nd percentile), while the GPU’s score of 14286 (55th percentile) is significantly lower, and the measured FPS scaling with resolution confirms this.