Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 in a precarious position. The data shows a system where a high-end, modern processor is paired with a legacy graphics card, resulting in performance that is almost entirely dictated by the GPU. The benchmark results indicate that while the CPU has ample headroom, the graphics card becomes the definitive bottleneck, particularly at higher resolutions and detail settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. This is an 8-core, 16-thread CPU with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It carries a 65W TDP and utilizes the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The processor supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s raw processing power is substantial. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4691 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating exceptional per-core performance that is typically beneficial for game logic and physics. The multi-threaded score of 36470 further demonstrates its capability to handle background tasks and complex simulations without breaking a sweat. This headroom is evident when comparing it to its nearest rivals; the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has a delta of only 0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-14700KF is a mere 0.2% behind, showing that the 9700F is in the top tier of mainstream desktop processors.

However, the measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol does not reflect this CPU strength. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 76. This is the highest result in the entire dataset, but it is a number that is far below what the CPU alone could theoretically support. The bottleneck is clearly not the processor. The Ryzen 7 9700F is providing a stable platform with no signs of being overwhelmed, but the graphics card is failing to convert that CPU potential into high frame rates. The CPU is essentially waiting on the GPU for most of the frame rendering process. The data suggests that the processor's role in this specific configuration is to ensure frame pacing stability and prevent CPU-related stutters, but it cannot overcome the limitations of the GPU. The 8 cores and 16 threads provide a robust foundation, yet the game's performance is capped by the graphics subsystem.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is an end-of-life graphics card based on the Turing architecture and the TU117 chip, manufactured on a 12 nm process. It is a dual-slot card with a 75W TDP and no additional power connectors, requiring only a 250W PSU. Its specifications include 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The card operates at a base clock of 1485 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. It is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory runs at 2001 MHz, translating to 8 Gbps effective.

The GTX 1650 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. Its PassMark G3D score of 7880 puts it in the 40th percentile of all GPUs, a stark contrast to the CPU's 94th percentile. The card's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (0.3% faster) and the Intel UHD Graphics 750 (0.4% faster), which highlights its position as an entry-level or legacy part. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s 4 GB VRAM is a significant constraint. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 17, which is essentially unplayable. This is not just a raw compute issue; the memory bandwidth and capacity are insufficient for high-resolution textures and effects.

The data shows a clear pattern: the GPU struggles as resolution and settings increase. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, it manages 76 FPS. Dropping to 2560x1440 with Medium settings yields 40 FPS, and at 4K with High settings, it falls to 22 FPS. The card’s FP32 performance of 2.984 TFLOPS is simply not enough for modern FPS titles at high fidelity. The 128.1 GB/s memory bandwidth is also a bottleneck, as the game engine likely needs to stream large amounts of geometry and texture data. The GTX 1650 is a capable card for esports titles at 1080p, but Lockdown Protocol's demands quickly exceed its capabilities, making it the clear performance ceiling for this combo.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions provides a textbook example of GPU-bound performance. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, the average FPS drops consistently, indicating that the graphics card is the primary bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 47 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p, a 25.5% decrease. At 4K, it falls to 22 FPS, which is a 53.2% drop from the 1080p result. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel processing power and memory bandwidth.

The same pattern is visible at Low settings. The average FPS is 76 at 1080p, 56 at 1440p, and 36 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 52.6%, very similar to the High settings drop. This consistency shows that the limiting factor is the GPU's raw pixel throughput, not the CPU or the game's logic. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller performance delta between settings at the same resolution, but the data shows a clear scaling with resolution. For instance, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 41 FPS (76 vs 35). At 4K, that difference narrows to 19 FPS (36 vs 17). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions further confirms the GPU is saturated, as the incremental cost of higher settings is more severe at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom.

The 4 GB VRAM is likely a major contributor to this scaling. At 1080p, the card can struggle to fit the necessary textures into memory, but at 4K, it likely exceeds the VRAM capacity, leading to significant performance hits. The data shows that this combo is only viable for smooth gameplay at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. At 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, the frame rates fall below the threshold for a fluid experience, making the resolution scaling a clear indicator that the GPU must be upgraded to unlock the CPU's potential.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 2737 out of 2828 total combos. This places it in the bottom 3.2% of all tested configurations. This rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a top-tier part. The data suggests that the majority of tested combos, presumably with more balanced or higher-end GPUs, achieve significantly better performance.

The rank of 2737 is a stark indicator of how this system performs relative to the broader hardware landscape. It shows that while the CPU is a high performer, the overall gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol is marred by the GPU. The combo is likely outranked by systems with older, but higher-tier, CPUs paired with modern mid-range GPUs. The delta in performance between this combo and the top-ranked ones is immense, but the data shows that the CPU is not the culprit. The 9700F's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, has a nearly identical average benchmark score (69875 vs 69996 for the 9700F), and if either were paired with a stronger GPU, the rank would be dramatically higher. This ranking is a cautionary tale about pairing a powerful processor with a weak graphics card; the system's potential is squandered, resulting in a poor position in the database.

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

The following is the complete measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol with this hardware configuration. The data shows the average, and in some cases, minimum and maximum FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: Average 17 FPS (no min/max provided)
• High: Average 22 FPS (no min/max provided)
• Medium: Average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 29 FPS.
• Low: Average 36 FPS (no min/max provided)

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: Average 26 FPS (no min/max provided)
• High: Average 35 FPS (no min/max provided)
• Medium: Average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS.
• Low: Average 56 FPS (no min/max provided)

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: Average 35 FPS (no min/max provided)
• High: Average 47 FPS (no min/max provided)
• Medium: Average 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS.
• Low: Average 76 FPS (no min/max provided)

The data reveals that the only playable configuration is at 1080p with Low settings, where the average FPS of 76 is acceptable. At 1080p Medium, the average of 54 FPS is borderline, but the minimum of 46 FPS indicates potential stuttering. The Ultra preset at 1080p (35 FPS) is not smooth. At 1440p and 4K, all presets result in average FPS below 60, and the 4K Ultra setting at 17 FPS is unplayable. The Medium presets at all resolutions show the only provided min/max data, with a 7 FPS variance at 1080p, a 12 FPS variance at 1440p, and a 7 FPS variance at 4K, suggesting some frame pacing instability.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F a bottleneck for the GTX 1650 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: No. The CPU is not the bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 9700F has a PassMark single-thread score of 4691 and ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. The measured FPS is limited by the GTX 1650, which has a PassMark G3D score of 7880 and ranks in the 40th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo to achieve a playable frame rate?

A: The data shows that the only preset achieving an average FPS above 60 is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields 76 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset averages 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score is 7472. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A310, has an average score of 7550, which is 1% faster. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is 0.3% faster, and the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is 0.4% faster.

Q: Does the 4 GB VRAM of the GTX 1650 impact performance at higher resolutions?

A: Yes, the 4 GB VRAM is a significant constraint. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 17, and at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, it is 26. The limited VRAM capacity and 128.1 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-resolution textures.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combinations in this game?

A: This combo ranks 2737 out of 2828 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 3.2% of the database. This low rank is due to the GPU, as the CPU is a high performer.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 47. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 22. This represents a 53.2% drop in performance, demonstrating the GPU's difficulty with higher pixel counts.