Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, an FPS released on 2024-03-11, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination. The benchmark data shows that this pairing ranks 1520 out of 1637 tested combinations, placing it in the lower tier of systems for this specific title. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings reveal a system consistently constrained by the graphics card, where only the lowest settings at 1080p achieve a fluid experience. This analysis breaks down the measured data to explain the performance characteristics and limitations of this hardware pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this system can achieve in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 83.3, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that approaches a high refresh rate experience.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D has an average benchmark score of 26574. Its closest rival, the AMD EPYC 8024P, scores 26555, putting the 5800X3D a marginal 0.1% ahead. The Intel Core i9-11900K is also just 0.1% behind with a score of 26546.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 falls into the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 13559, which places it directly alongside the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which has a score of 13564 and a deltaPct of 0%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the performance drop is severe, with average FPS ranging from 21.1 on Ultra to 40.8 on Low. This significant decline compared to lower resolutions indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the rendering load at 4K overwhelms the RX 580's capabilities.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 64.2 on Low settings to 28.6 on Ultra settings. This represents a reduction of 35.6 FPS, or roughly 55%, when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: How large is the CPU's L3 cache, and does it have any bearing on the data?

A: The CPU features a 96 MB shared L3 cache. While this is a significant architectural feature, the benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol show that the system's frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU's performance limits rather than CPU cache utilization.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for optimizing the gameplay experience. For users prioritizing a smooth, responsive frame rate, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the only viable option, delivering an average of 83.3 FPS. This is the sole configuration that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, making it the recommended choice for competitive play or any scenario where frame pacing is critical.

For those who can tolerate lower performance for better visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers a compromise, with an average of 63.3 FPS. This maintains a playable frame rate while improving image quality over Low. The High preset at 1080p yields 55.5 FPS, which is a more noticeable step down in smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset is the only acceptable option, producing an average of 64.2 FPS. Any increase in settings at this resolution leads to a substantial drop in performance. The Medium preset falls to 45.2 FPS, which is below the threshold for a fluid experience in a fast-paced FPS.

The data clearly indicates that the Ultra preset should be avoided entirely. Even at 1080p, it only manages an average of 39.7 FPS, and at higher resolutions, it becomes unplayable. The best experience, according to the measured rows, is achieved by using the Low preset at 1080p or 1440p, depending on whether a higher frame rate or a higher resolution is more important to the user.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates a classic GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1080p Low (83.3 FPS) to 1440p Low (64.2 FPS) results in a 22.9% performance drop. Escalating to 4K Low (40.8 FPS) from 1440p Low causes an additional 36.4% reduction in frame rate. This pattern of significant FPS loss with each resolution increase points directly to the GPU as the primary limiting factor.

The trend is consistent across all settings. For instance, at High settings, the frame rate falls from 55.5 FPS at 1080p to 39.3 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 22.3 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, with the system losing over 40% of its performance in every settings preset. This indicates that the RX 580's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the pixel count demanded by 4K.

This behavior suggests that the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is not the bottleneck in this configuration. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload would stay consistent. Instead, the linear and steep decline in FPS with higher resolutions confirms that the Radeon RX 580's rendering capabilities are saturated, and its performance ceiling is reached well before the CPU's processing power is fully utilized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured average FPS values provides a detailed performance profile. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 83.3 FPS on Low, 63.3 FPS on Medium, 55.5 FPS on High, and 39.7 FPS on Ultra. This shows a performance reduction of 43.6 FPS from Low to Ultra at the same resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 64.2 FPS on Low, 45.2 FPS on Medium, 39.3 FPS on High, and 28.6 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium settings widens here, with a 19.0 FPS difference, indicating that the graphics card's memory bandwidth is becoming more strained. The difference from Low to Ultra is 35.6 FPS.

The 3840x2160 results are consistently low. The system achieves 40.8 FPS on Low, 27.1 FPS on Medium, 22.3 FPS on High, and 21.1 FPS on Ultra. At this resolution, the distinction between High and Ultra settings is minimal, with only a 1.2 FPS difference, suggesting that the GPU has hit a hard architectural limit. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 19.7 FPS, which is proportionally smaller than at lower resolutions but still represents a significant loss of playability.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580's role in this configuration is the definitive performance limiter. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in the performance degradation seen at higher resolutions, as the GPU struggles to feed its 2304 shading units with enough data.

The GPU's clock speeds are set at a base of 1257 MHz and a boost of 1340 MHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 8813 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1005, reflect its mid-range standing. The GPU sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, and its performance is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which has a deltaPct of 0%.

The data shows that the RX 580 cannot handle the demands of Lockdown Protocol at high visual fidelity. The FPS drops are not linear with settings increases; they are steep, indicating that the GPU's processing cores and memory system are quickly overwhelmed. The minimal difference between High and Ultra at 4K, 21.1 vs 22.3 FPS, further supports this, as the GPU is unable to process the additional graphical effects, resulting in a negligible performance penalty for enabling them.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D provides ample processing power for this gaming workload. With 8 cores and 16 threads, its architecture is well-suited for modern games. Its benchmark results are robust, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24063 and a single-core score of 3397. The CPU's 96 MB of L3 cache is a defining feature, designed to reduce memory latency.

However, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU's capabilities are not the limiting factor in Lockdown Protocol. The system's performance scales directly with resolution and settings changes, which is a hallmark of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS as the GPU load increases, but that is not the case here.

The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26574, places it far above the GPU's 53rd percentile. This performance disparity confirms that the Radeon RX 580 cannot keep pace with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. In this pairing, the CPU is effectively idling, waiting on the GPU to finish its rendering tasks, which is why the FPS numbers are so heavily influenced by resolution and graphics preset.