Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol: AMD Ryzen 7 9700F + AMD Radeon RX 580

This pairing combines a modern 8-core Zen 5 desktop processor with an end-of-life Polaris GPU from 2017, creating a striking imbalance in Lockdown Protocol. The CPU sits in the 94th percentile of all tested processors with an average benchmark score of 69,996, while the GPU lands at the 53rd percentile with an average score of 12,928. Benchmark results across resolutions and presets show a system that is heavily GPU-bound at every setting, with the Ryzen 7 9700F's considerable headroom never being fully utilized by the RX 580.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F brings 8 cores and 16 threads to this FPS title, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge codename) using a 4nm TSMC process. Base clock sits at 3.80 GHz with a 5.50 GHz boost, and the processor carries 32 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 1 MB of L2 per core and 80 KB of L1 per core. It supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes. The chip draws a 65W TDP, and its 8,315 million transistors occupy a 70.6 mm² die.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's raw compute capabilities vastly exceed what the RX 580 can feed it. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 85 FPS average, which is the highest figure recorded in this dataset. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 40 FPS — a 53% reduction from Low — which strongly indicates the GPU, not the CPU, is the limiting factor. The processor's PassMark multithread score of 36,470 and single-thread score of 4,691 rank it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, placing it near the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (deltaPct 0.2), Intel Core i7-14700KF (deltaPct -0.2), AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (deltaPct 0.7), and Intel Core i7-14700K (deltaPct 0.9). This level of CPU performance is far beyond what Lockdown Protocol appears to demand at 1080p, where even the most GPU-heavy preset still yields playable framerates.

The CPU's integer math score of 120,788 and floating-point math score of 77,955 suggest strong general-purpose performance that would handle game logic, physics, and AI calculations without breaking a sweat. PassMark physics score of 2,122, along with data compression at 421,988 and encryption at 21,488, further illustrate a processor that is not the bottleneck in this configuration. The 65W TDP means thermal headroom is generous, and the unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, though the data shows no scenario where additional CPU performance would meaningfully change Lockdown Protocol results.

Interestingly, the CPU's nearest rivals are all high-end desktop or mobile parts with similar average scores, yet they would all pair with much stronger GPUs in typical systems. In this combo, the Ryzen 7 9700F is essentially idle-waiting for the RX 580 to catch up. The 5.50 GHz boost clock and Zen 5 architecture deliver excellent single-threaded responsiveness, which matters for FPS titles where frame pacing and input latency are critical. The measured 85 FPS at 1080p Low is likely close to what the GPU can physically output, not what the CPU can compute.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 580 uses the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture on a 14nm GlobalFoundries process. It packs 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, with 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. Base clock is 1,257 MHz with a boost of 1,340 MHz, while the 8 GB of GDDR5 memory runs at 2,000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card delivers 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, 42.88 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 193.0 GTexel/s texture rate. It draws 185W TDP and requires a 450W PSU with a single 8-pin connector.

This GPU sits at the 53rd percentile of all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12,928. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (deltaPct -0.1), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (deltaPct -0.4), AMD Radeon 740M (deltaPct 0.5), and AMD FirePro W5100 (deltaPct 0.6). These are all mid-range or older parts, confirming the RX 580's position as a lower-midrange GPU in 2025. The 8 GB VRAM is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the card's raw compute limits become obvious at higher resolutions.

In Lockdown Protocol, the RX 580's performance profile reveals a GPU that handles 1080p reasonably well but struggles beyond that. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 60 with minimum 51 and maximum 69. At 1440p Medium, that drops to 44 average (38 min, 51 max). At 4K Medium, it falls to 29 average (24 min, 33 max). The DirectX 12 PassMark score of 43 and DirectX 11 score of 60 suggest the card's API-level performance is modest, which aligns with the diminishing returns seen at higher settings.

The 8 GB VRAM is not the primary constraint in this game — the card's 6.175 TFLOPS compute and 256 GB/s bandwidth are. Moving from Low to Ultra at any resolution produces a significant FPS drop, but the pattern is consistent with compute-bound rendering rather than memory capacity issues. The RX 580's 14nm process is outdated compared to the Ryzen 7 9700F's 4nm node, and this generational gap is visible in the measured performance.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data tells a clear story of GPU limitation. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 85 at 1080p to 62 at 1440p (a 27% drop) and then to 40 at 4K (a 35% drop from 1440p, 53% from 1080p). At Medium settings, the progression is 60 FPS at 1080p, 44 at 1440p (27% drop), and 29 at 4K (34% drop from 1440p, 52% from 1080p). High settings show 53 FPS at 1080p, 39 at 1440p (26% drop), and 25 at 4K (36% drop from 1440p, 53% from 1080p). Ultra settings yield 40 FPS at 1080p, 29 at 1440p (28% drop), and 19 at 4K (34% drop from 1440p, 53% from 1080p).

The consistent ~27% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~35% drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings is a classic signature of GPU-bound rendering. The pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p to 1440p and by 125% from 1440p to 4K, but the FPS drops are smaller than these increases would suggest if the bottleneck were purely pixel-fill. This indicates that the RX 580's compute and memory bandwidth are being stressed, but the game's rendering pipeline also involves CPU-side work that masks some of the expected scaling.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions at a given setting, since the CPU's workload doesn't change with resolution. That is not what the data shows — FPS drops substantially with each resolution increase. Conversely, if the GPU were the sole limiter, we might expect larger drops at higher settings where the GPU does more work per pixel. The fact that the percentage drops are similar across Low and Ultra suggests the RX 580 is hitting a memory bandwidth or compute ceiling that scales predictably with pixel count.

The 4K results are particularly telling. Low settings at 4K achieve 40 FPS average, while Ultra at 4K manages only 19 FPS. The 4K Medium result of 29 FPS (24 min, 33 max) shows that even modest settings at 4K push the RX 580 to its limits. The 1440p results offer a more usable experience, with Low at 62 FPS and Medium at 44 FPS, while High at 39 FPS and Ultra at 29 FPS remain playable for less demanding players. The 1080p results are the only ones where the card feels comfortable, with Low at 85 FPS and Medium at 60 FPS providing smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset depends on the player's target resolution and framerate preferences. At 1080p, Medium settings deliver 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 and maximum of 69 — this is the sweet spot for smooth gameplay. Low settings push to 85 FPS average, which is better for competitive play, but the visual compromise may not be worth the 25 FPS gain over Medium. High at 1080p yields 53 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS, which is borderline for competitive play.

At 1440p, Low settings achieve 62 FPS average, making it the only preset that breaks the 60 FPS barrier at this resolution. Medium at 44 FPS (38 min, 51 max) is acceptable for casual play, while High at 39 FPS and Ultra at 29 FPS fall below the smoothness threshold most FPS players prefer. The 4K results are mostly sub-60 FPS across the board, with Low at 40 FPS being the only preset that approaches playability, and Ultra at 19 FPS being effectively unplayable for most gamers.

For a balanced experience, 1080p Medium appears to be the best overall choice — it hits 60 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum, which means framerates rarely dip into stutter territory. If competitive performance is the priority, 1080p Low at 85 FPS average provides the highest headroom for action-heavy scenes. For 1440p users, Low settings at 62 FPS are the safest bet, while those with 4K displays should stick to Low at 40 FPS or consider lowering resolution. The Medium preset at 4K (29 FPS average, 24 min) is the only other option that stays above 20 FPS, but the 24 FPS minimum suggests occasional hitches.

The data also shows diminishing returns from Medium to High and High to Ultra. At 1080p, moving from Medium (60 FPS) to High (53 FPS) costs 7 FPS, while High to Ultra (40 FPS) costs another 13 FPS. The visual improvement from High to Ultra is rarely worth a 25% framerate hit, especially in a competitive FPS where responsiveness matters more than shadows or reflections.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This CPU-GPU combination ranks 2,590 out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 8% of all configurations. The rank of 2,590 with 2,828 total combos means this pairing is outperformed by approximately 91.6% of tested systems. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the RX 580, which is an end-of-life GPU from 2017 that sits at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. The Ryzen 7 9700F, by contrast, is a 94th-percentile CPU that could easily drive a much more powerful graphics card.

The combo rank reflects the reality that Lockdown Protocol is a GPU-intensive FPS title, and pairing a high-end modern CPU with a mid-range 2017 GPU creates a severe mismatch. The CPU's nearest rivals (AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, Intel Core i7-14700KF, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, Intel Core i7-14700K) would all achieve much higher combo ranks when paired with appropriate GPUs. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, AMD Radeon 740M, AMD FirePro W5100) are all lower-tier parts that would drag down any CPU they pair with.

The 2,590 rank out of 2,828 represents a system that can handle 1080p gaming at medium settings but struggles at higher resolutions. For context, the measured FPS at 1080p Medium (60 FPS) is acceptable, but the 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS is among the worst possible outcomes for a modern CPU pairing. This combo is clearly CPU-overkill and GPU-underkill, and the ranking reflects that imbalance. Players with this configuration would benefit more from upgrading the GPU than any other component change.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 85 FPS, Medium produces 60 FPS (with a minimum of 51 and maximum of 69), High produces 53 FPS, and Ultra produces 40 FPS. The 1080p results show the widest spread between presets, with a 45 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset's minimum of 51 FPS indicates that even during demanding scenes, the framerate stays above 50 FPS, which is solid for an FPS title.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values drop noticeably: Low settings achieve 62 FPS, Medium achieves 44 FPS (minimum 38, maximum 51), High achieves 39 FPS, and Ultra achieves 29 FPS. The 1440p Medium result shows a 38 FPS minimum, which means some scenes will dip below the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider minimum for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 33 FPS, slightly narrower than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable for most gamers: Low settings yield 40 FPS, Medium yields 29 FPS (minimum 24, maximum 33), High yields 25 FPS, and Ultra yields 19 FPS. The 4K Medium result's minimum of 24 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the floor for playable framerates. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 21 FPS, showing that the RX 580's performance ceiling compresses the range between presets as resolution increases.

The full dataset reveals a consistent pattern: each step up in settings costs roughly 10-15 FPS at 1080p, 7-10 FPS at 1440p, and 4-6 FPS at 4K. This compression at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's compute resources are saturated, leaving less headroom for settings-based performance differentiation. The only preset with a recorded minimum and maximum is Medium at each resolution, which provides the most complete picture of frame pacing: 1080p Medium (51-69 FPS), 1440p Medium (38-51 FPS), and 4K Medium (24-33 FPS).

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F too powerful for the AMD Radeon RX 580 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile of all processors with an average benchmark score of 69,996, while the GPU ranks in the 53rd percentile with an average score of 12,928. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (85 FPS) and 1440p Low (62 FPS) suggests the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU's performance headroom is never fully utilized.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for smooth gameplay?

A: 1080p Medium provides 60 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum and 69 FPS maximum, making it the most balanced option. For higher framerates, 1080p Low hits 85 FPS average, while 1440p Low achieves 62 FPS average. 4K is not recommended, as even Low settings only reach 40 FPS average.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 2,590 out of 2,828 total combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 8% of tested configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the RX 580's 53rd-percentile GPU performance, while the CPU's 94th-percentile score is wasted.

Q: Does the RX 580's 8 GB VRAM cause issues at higher resolutions?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM capacity as the primary bottleneck. The consistent FPS drops from 1080p to 1440p to 4K across all settings suggest compute and memory bandwidth limits (256.0 GB/s) are the constraint, not the 8 GB VRAM allocation.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution?

A: At 1080p, the difference is 45 FPS (85 Low vs 40 Ultra). At 1440p, it is 33 FPS (62 Low vs 29 Ultra). At 4K, it is 21 FPS (40 Low vs 19 Ultra). The narrowing gap at higher resolutions indicates the GPU becomes progressively more saturated.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700F's 65W TDP relevant to Lockdown Protocol performance?

A: The 65W TDP reflects the CPU's efficiency, but it does not directly impact measured FPS in this data. The CPU's 8 cores, 16 threads, and 5.50 GHz boost clock provide ample processing power, yet the RX 580's 6.175 TFLOPS compute limit prevents the CPU from being a factor in this game's performance.