Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 in a configuration that demonstrates a substantial performance ceiling, yet the data reveals a clear division of labor between the two components. The Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz, and it boosts to 5.50 GHz. This CPU has a 65 W TDP and supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus. The chip’s PassMark multi-thread score is 36470, with a single-thread score of 4691. Its percentile rank against all CPUs is 94, meaning it outperforms 94% of tested processors. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the single-thread performance is often pivotal for game logic and draw calls. The 5.50 GHz boost clock provides headroom for such tasks, while the 8 cores and 16 threads ensure that background processes and multi-threaded game engine tasks do not bottleneck the frame pipeline.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69875, delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i7-14700KF (avg score 70163, delta -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avg score 69515, delta 0.7%), and the Intel Core i7-14700K (avg score 69355, delta 0.9%). These deltas are tiny, all within 1% of the 9700F’s average benchmark score of 69996. This suggests that in synthetic tests, the 9700F is statistically even with these high-end desktop and mobile parts. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the CPU is not a weak link; its performance class is well above the threshold needed to feed a high-end GPU. The L3 cache is 32 MB shared, which is ample for holding game assets and reducing memory latency. The CPU’s memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s, a figure that supports the fast data movement required by modern game engines. While the data does not provide a direct CPU-bound test for this game, the high single-thread and multi-thread scores imply that the processor will not be the limiting factor at most settings and resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant force in this pairing. Built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB202 chip, this GPU is manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, yielding a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, effectively 28 Gbps. The RTX 5090 features 21760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, alongside 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. Its pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute performance is 104.8 TFLOPS. This hardware specification positions the RTX 5090 as an extreme performer, with a PassMark G3D score of 39650 and a percentile rank of 92 against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 79842.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is to render frames at high resolutions and settings. The data shows that the RTX 5090’s nearest rivals, based on average scores, are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (score 79605, delta 0.3%), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (score 79396, delta 0.6%), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (score 78940, delta 1.1%), and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (score 80959, delta -1.4%). These deltas are again narrow, but they are based on synthetic averages, not game-specific performance. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM is a significant advantage for high-resolution textures and future-proofing, though Lockdown Protocol’s measured settings do not explicitly stress VRAM capacity. The GPU’s high boost clock and massive shader count directly translate to high fill rates, which is evident in the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (83 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (175 FPS). The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is crucial for feeding the 512-bit bus, especially at 4K where data throughput demands are highest. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 is the primary driver of frame rates, with the CPU providing a stable platform.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the system scales from 1080p to 4K, indicating where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 370. Moving to 1440p Low, it drops to 276 FPS, a reduction of 94 FPS (about 25.4% lower). At 4K Low, the average FPS is 178, which is 192 FPS lower than 1080p Low (a 51.9% drop). This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario: as resolution increases, the GPU must render more pixels, reducing frame rates. The CPU’s performance is less stressed at lower resolutions, but the fact that FPS still drops significantly from 1080p to 1440p suggests that the GPU is already the limiting factor even at 1080p. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to stay relatively flat across resolutions, as the GPU would be underutilized. Instead, the data shows a steep decline, indicating that the RTX 5090 is working hard at all resolutions.

For Medium settings, the pattern continues. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 268. At 1440p Medium, it is 196, a 72 FPS drop (26.9% lower). At 4K Medium, it is 127, a 141 FPS drop from 1080p (52.6% lower). The similar percentage drops across Low and Medium settings reinforce that resolution is the primary variable affecting performance. For High settings, 1080p yields 234 FPS, 1440p yields 171 FPS (a 63 FPS drop, 26.9% lower), and 4K yields 111 FPS (a 123 FPS drop, 52.6% lower). The consistency of these percentage drops (around 25-27% from 1080p to 1440p, and around 52-53% from 1080p to 4K) across all settings is a strong indicator that the GPU is the sole limiting component. The CPU’s performance is sufficient to maintain these frame rates without introducing a bottleneck, as the FPS scales almost exactly with pixel count. For Ultra settings, 1080p yields 175 FPS, 1440p yields 128 FPS (a 47 FPS drop, 26.9% lower), and 4K yields 83 FPS (a 92 FPS drop, 52.6% lower). The pattern holds perfectly. This data implies that upgrading the CPU would not yield higher FPS in Lockdown Protocol; the RTX 5090 is the ceiling.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 370. Medium settings reduce this to 268 FPS, with a minimum of 227 FPS and a maximum of 308 FPS. High settings yield 234 FPS on average. Ultra settings drop the average to 175 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, even Ultra settings provide a highly playable experience, well above the 144 Hz refresh rate commonly found on gaming monitors. The gap between Low and Ultra is 195 FPS, showing that settings have a significant impact at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings average 276 FPS. Medium settings average 196 FPS, with a minimum of 167 FPS and a maximum of 226 FPS. High settings average 171 FPS. Ultra settings average 128 FPS. At 1440p, the system still delivers excellent performance, with Ultra settings comfortably above 120 FPS. The minimum FPS recorded at Medium (167) suggests that frame pacing is consistent, with no severe drops. At 3840x2160, the system begins to show the limits of even the RTX 5090. Low settings average 178 FPS. Medium settings average 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 146 FPS. High settings average 111 FPS. Ultra settings average 83 FPS. At 4K, Ultra settings drop below 90 FPS, which is still playable but not as fluid as lower resolutions. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 108, indicating that even under load, the system does not stutter severely. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p > 1440p > 4K in terms of FPS, and Low > Medium > High > Ultra in terms of settings. The RTX 5090’s raw power is evident, but 4K Ultra remains a demanding target.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a combo rank of 37 out of 2828 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This rank places the setup in the top 1.3% of all tested configurations. The high rank is expected given the RTX 5090’s performance class. The CPU’s contribution is less clear from this rank alone, but given that the GPU is a top-tier part, the rank is largely driven by the GPU’s ability to render frames. The CPU, while not top-of-the-line in terms of absolute multi-thread performance, is sufficiently fast to avoid bottlenecking the GPU. The data shows that the combo outperforms the vast majority of other system pairings, which suggests that this configuration is well-balanced for this game. The rank of 37 indicates that there are 36 other combos that score higher, which likely include faster CPUs (such as those with higher single-thread scores) paired with the same or similar GPU. However, the delta between this combo and the top rank is not provided, so it is impossible to quantify the gap. The percentile data for the CPU (94th) and GPU (92nd) individually suggests that both components are above average, but the combo rank being 37 out of 2828 shows that the synergy is effective. In practical terms, a rank of 37 means that this system will deliver frame rates that are competitive with the best available, and the measured FPS data confirms that it can handle high refresh rate gaming at 1440p and solid 4K performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target display resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the data shows that Ultra settings average 175 FPS. This is sufficient for a 144 Hz or even 165 Hz monitor. Since the minimum FPS is not provided for Ultra, but the Medium minimum is 227 FPS, it is likely that Ultra maintains a high floor as well. Therefore, at 1080p, Ultra settings are recommended for the best visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The jump from High to Ultra costs 59 FPS (from 234 to 175), but the visual fidelity gain may be worth it for those with high-refresh displays. If a player prioritizes maximum frame rates for competitive play, Low settings at 370 FPS would be the choice, but this sacrifices visuals significantly.

For 2560x1440, Ultra settings average 128 FPS, which is above 120 Hz. This makes Ultra a viable recommendation for 1440p, especially for players with 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitors. High settings average 171 FPS, providing more headroom. The data suggests that Ultra is the best balance of quality and performance at 1440p, as it stays above 120 FPS. If a player has a 165 Hz or 240 Hz monitor, dropping to High would be advisable to reach those higher refresh rates. Medium settings at 196 FPS are also an option for those who want to ensure maximum frame pacing. For 3840x2160, the situation changes. Ultra settings average 83 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS games where high frame rates are beneficial. High settings average 111 FPS, which is a significant improvement and provides a smoother experience. Medium settings average 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS, making it the best choice for 4K gaming if the goal is to stay above 120 FPS. Low settings at 178 FPS are excessive for most 4K monitors, which typically have a 60 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rate. Therefore, for 4K, Medium settings are recommended as they offer a good balance of visual quality and performance, with a minimum FPS of 108 ensuring no major drops. High settings are a close second, with a slightly higher average but no minimum data to confirm stability. In summary, the recommendation is to use Ultra at 1080p, Ultra or High at 1440p, and Medium or High at 4K, depending on the monitor’s refresh rate.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F bottlenecking the RTX 5090 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows consistent percentage drops (around 25-27% for 1440p and 52-53% for 4K) across all settings. This pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 5090 is the limiting factor. The CPU’s high single-thread score of 4691 and multi-thread score of 36470, combined with its 94th percentile rank, suggest it is capable of keeping up with the GPU in this game.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: For 2560x1440, Ultra settings yield an average FPS of 128, which is above 120 Hz. This makes Ultra the recommended preset for most 1440p monitors. If a player has a 165 Hz or higher refresh rate display, High settings at 171 FPS would be a better choice to maximize frame rates.

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with high refresh rates?

A: At 3840x2160, High settings average 111 FPS, and Medium settings average 127 FPS. For a 120 Hz 4K monitor, Medium settings are recommended, as they maintain a minimum FPS of 108. High settings may dip below 120 FPS in demanding scenes, but the average is still high. Ultra settings at 83 FPS are not ideal for high refresh rate 4K gaming.

Q: How does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM affect Lockdown Protocol performance?

A: The measured FPS data does not show any VRAM-related performance drops, such as stutters or severe frame time spikes. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 108, indicating smooth performance. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K with high-quality textures.

Q: What is the combo’s rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 37 out of 2828 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 1.3% of all systems tested. The high rank is primarily attributed to the RTX 5090’s performance, but the Ryzen 7 9700F’s strong single-thread and multi-thread scores ensure it does not hold the GPU back.

Q: Is there a significant difference between High and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, High settings average 234 FPS, while Ultra settings average 175 FPS. The difference is 59 FPS, which is a 25.2% reduction. While Ultra provides better visual quality, the frame rate drop is noticeable. For players with a 240 Hz monitor, High settings would be preferable to maintain a higher frame rate, while those with a 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitor can comfortably use Ultra.