Lockdown Protocol

The data for Lockdown Protocol, captured with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB, reveals a system that is heavily influenced by the graphics card and the chosen preset. The measured frames per second across three resolutions provide a clear look at where the performance ceiling lies, and the relationship between the CPU's 8-core/16-thread design and the GPU's 8 GB memory buffer is central to interpreting these results.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a textbook example of GPU-bound behavior, but with a twist that suggests the 8 GB VRAM is a primary bottleneck at the highest resolution. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces an average of 102 FPS. Moving to 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 75 FPS, a decrease of roughly 26.5% that aligns with the increased pixel count. However, the jump to 4K Ultra is far more severe, plummeting to 48 FPS. That is a 36% drop from the 1440p figure, which is a steeper decline than the pixel-count scaling alone would predict.

This suggests that at 4K, the system is no longer scaling purely on compute power but is hitting a memory or bandwidth wall. The RTX 4060 Ti's 8 GB frame buffer and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely being saturated, causing the GPU to spend time managing memory traffic instead of rendering frames. Conversely, the 1080p to 1440p transition shows a more traditional scaling pattern, indicating that the GPU is still the limiting factor, but not yet starved for VRAM capacity.

The difference between Low and High settings at 4K reinforces this theory. The 4K Low preset yields 104 FPS, a massive leap over the 48 FPS on Ultra. This 116% performance uplift when dropping from Ultra to Low is not just about raw shader load; it is about dramatically reducing the memory footprint and bandwidth pressure. The 4K High setting, at 64 FPS, sits between these two extremes, confirming that the preset level is the primary lever for managing performance at this resolution. The data indicates that while the CPU is capable, the GPU's memory configuration is the deciding factor in high-resolution performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the single highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 219, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the combo can hit very high frame rates when graphical demands are minimal.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB compare to its closest rival, the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the 8 GB version scored 2913, while the 16 GB version scored 2907. This shows a deltaPct of 0.2%, meaning the 8 GB model has a marginally higher average score in this specific test, despite having half the memory capacity.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Ryzen 7 5800X and the Intel Core i5-13500HX?

A: The Ryzen 7 5800X has an average benchmark score of 29123, while the Intel Core i5-13500HX scores 29270. This puts the AMD chip 0.5% behind its rival in synthetic tests, a negligible difference for gaming workloads.

Q: Is the GPU a limiting factor at 1440p High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1440p High is 99. This is a high frame rate, but it is still lower than the 136 FPS seen at 1080p High. The fact that FPS drops with resolution indicates the GPU is indeed the primary bottleneck, as the CPU's workload would not change significantly with this resolution shift.

Q: What is the performance difference between the 1080p Low and 1080p Ultra presets?

A: The average FPS drops from 219 on Low to 102 on Ultra at 1920x1080. This represents a significant 53.4% reduction in frame rate, showing how much headroom the GPU has at lower settings and how demanding the Ultra preset is.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: In Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 7 5800X scores 15476 in the multicore test and 1574.5 in the single-core test. This indicates a strong scaling capability across its 8 cores and 16 threads, making it well-suited for games that utilize multiple threads.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB is the clear performance arbiter in this setup. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is the most likely source of the 4K performance collapse. The benchmark results show that the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions, but the severity of the bottleneck increases as the resolution scales.

The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, is built on a 5 nm process, and it has a base clock of 2310 MHz and a boost clock of 2535 MHz. With 4352 shading units and 136 tensor cores, it is a capable mid-range card. However, the data suggests that the memory subsystem is the weak link. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2913 places it in the 19th percentile of all GPUs, showing that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is also not a low-end part.

The relationship between the GPU and CPU is interesting. The Ryzen 7 5800X's 3DMark 16-thread score of 7586 and single-thread score of 943 are more than sufficient to feed the RTX 4060 Ti. The fact that the FPS numbers scale consistently with resolution and settings, rather than hitting a CPU wall, confirms that the RTX 4060 Ti is the component that is being pushed to its limits. The 8 GB VRAM size is particularly suspect; at 4K with Ultra settings, the card likely runs out of memory, causing the significant frame rate penalty.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear matrix of performance across the three primary resolutions and four preset levels. At 1920x1080, the combo is very strong, with the Low preset achieving an average of 219 FPS. The Medium preset sees a drop to 155 FPS, with a minimum of 132 and a maximum of 179, indicating smooth frame times. High yields 136 FPS, and Ultra brings the average down to 102 FPS. This range shows the card can handle competitive play at high refresh rates on lower settings, while still offering a playable experience on Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. The Low preset still delivers a high average of 160 FPS. Medium drops to 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 131. High is 99 FPS, and Ultra is 75 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is 24 FPS, which is a noticeable step down. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces settings that are particularly demanding on the GPU's compute or memory resources.

At 3840x2160, the performance is where the system struggles. The Low preset manages 104 FPS, but this is the only setting that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium drops to 74 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS, which is still playable but has occasional dips. High falls to 64 FPS, and Ultra is a near-constant 48 FPS, which is likely not smooth enough for a fast-paced FPS. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K Ultra gaming, and even 4K High is on the edge of playability.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB holds a rank of 1436 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 39% of all system configurations tested. This is a solid mid-range ranking, indicating that while it is not a top-tier setup, it is far from being a low-end one.

The ranking is a direct reflection of the measured FPS data. The combo excels at 1080p and is capable at 1440p, but its performance at 4K is its downfall, dragging the overall rank down. The CPU, with its 81st percentile ranking, is a strong contributor, but the GPU's performance is holding the system back from a higher placement. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, and that it is not a viable option for 4K.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and the Intel Xeon Phi 7210, have very similar average benchmark scores. This shows that the Ryzen 7 5800X is in a performance tier that is shared by several other CPUs. For the GPU, the rival is the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB, which scores nearly identically in the Steel Nomad test. This indicates that the 8 GB version is not at a compute disadvantage, but the memory capacity is the differentiator in real-world gaming scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the High preset is the best balance, offering 136 FPS. This is high enough for smooth gameplay and avoids the performance hit of the Ultra. The Medium preset is also a good choice, at 155 FPS, but the visual upgrade to High is worth the 19 FPS cost. The Ultra preset is still playable at 102 FPS, but it is not necessary for a competitive edge.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear recommendation. It offers an average of 99 FPS, which is just at the edge of high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is also excellent, and it may be the better choice for those who prefer a higher frame rate over slightly better visuals. The Ultra preset at 75 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, and the Low preset at 160 FPS is for those who prioritize maximum performance over any visual quality.

For 3840x2160, the settings are more about compromise. The Low preset at 104 FPS is the only way to get a truly high frame rate. The Medium preset at 74 FPS is playable, but the minimum FPS of 62 means there will be noticeable dips during intense scenes. The High preset at 60 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. For 4K, the user must drop the settings to Low or Medium to achieve a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, a Zen 3 part, provides the foundation for this system. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This is a powerful desktop processor, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15476 and single-core score of 1574.5. The 3DMark results show a strong scaling, with a 16-thread score of 7586 and a single-thread score of 943.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to prepare frames and handle the game's logic. The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this system. The FPS numbers scale consistently with resolution and settings, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain flat across resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low is 219 FPS, while the 1440p Low is 160 FPS, and the 4K Low is 104 FPS, indicates that the GPU is the one being stressed.

The CPU's high single-thread performance is still important for a smooth experience, but its multi-core strength ensures it will not be a limiting factor even in more CPU-heavy scenes. The 32 MB of L3 cache helps with game data, and the 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is ample. The data shows that the Ryzen 7 5800X is a capable partner for the RTX 4060 Ti, and it is the GPU that determines the final frame rate in this specific game. The CPU is the supporting actor, and the GPU is the star of the show, particularly at higher resolutions.