Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. It carries a 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a substantial resource for gaming workloads that benefit from high-bandwidth, low-latency data access. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, this combination of core count and cache is well-suited to handle both the game’s main simulation thread and its background physics. The processor’s benchmark scores reflect this capability: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23230 and a single-core score of 2080, with a PassMark single-thread score of 4430. These figures indicate strong per-core performance, which is often the limiting factor in fast-paced shooters where frame times depend on rapid, sequential calculations. While the 9800X3D’s 16 threads ensure that no background task starves the primary game logic, the game’s performance at higher resolutions will depend more on the GPU, as detailed in the resolution scaling section. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 87 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 39768, places it in the top tier for processing power, but its effect on Lockdown Protocol’s frame rates is most visible at 1080p, where the GPU is less burdened.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9800X3D compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39768. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS, scores 39603, which is a delta of 0.4% lower. In contrast, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40048, placing it 0.7% higher than the 9800X3D. These differences are marginal, indicating that the 9800X3D is competitively positioned within its performance class.

Q: What is the best performance setting for Lockdown Protocol at 1080p?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves the highest average frame rate at 189 FPS. However, the Medium preset provides a more balanced experience with an average of 134 FPS and a minimum of 114 FPS, which is still far above typical display refresh rates. The Ultra preset drops to 88 FPS, making Medium the optimal choice for a smooth and visually stable experience.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the difference between the Low preset (89 FPS) and the Ultra preset (42 FPS) is substantial, showing a 47 FPS drop. This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component at this resolution. The CPU’s high single-thread performance is sufficient to feed the GPU, but the RTX 4060’s 8 GB of memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth cannot maintain high frame rates under heavy graphical loads.

Q: How does the RTX 4060’s performance compare to its nearest rival in GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790, scores 17666, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, a 0.3% deficit. These scores are nearly identical, suggesting that the RTX 4060 delivers performance comparable to these older or integrated graphics solutions in synthetic tests, though its feature set is more modern.

Q: What is the expected frame rate range for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with the Medium preset, the measured average frame rate is 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. This range indicates that the system can maintain a playable experience above 60 FPS even during intense scenes, making this a viable setting for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s cache size impact its benchmark scores?

A: The processor features a 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a large pool for data reuse. In the PassMark data compression test, it scores 468017, and in the floating point math test, it scores 79456. These results, combined with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23230, suggest that the cache helps maintain high throughput in workloads that benefit from repeated data access, though the direct impact on Lockdown Protocol is not quantifiable from the given FPS data alone.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol across three resolutions reveals a clear trend: performance scales inversely with resolution, but the rate of decline varies by preset. Starting at 1080p, the Low preset achieves 189 FPS, which drops to 138 FPS at 1440p and further to 89 FPS at 4K. This represents a 53% reduction from 1080p to 4K for Low settings. For the High preset, the numbers are 117 FPS at 1080p, 86 FPS at 1440p, and 55 FPS at 4K, a 53% drop as well. The Medium preset follows a similar pattern: 134 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K, a 53% decline. The Ultra preset shows the steepest absolute decline, going from 88 FPS at 1080p to 64 FPS at 1440p and finally 42 FPS at 4K, a 52% reduction.

The consistency of the percentage drop across all presets suggests that the scaling is primarily driven by the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 4060 has a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s, which are fixed resources that get spread thinner as pixel count increases. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as even the Low preset cannot reach 100 FPS. The CPU’s role becomes more prominent at 1080p, where the frame rates are high enough to expose any per-thread limitations. Given the 9800X3D’s strong single-core score of 2080 in Cinebench R23, it is not a bottleneck at these settings, but the data shows that the system’s overall performance is capped by the GPU at higher resolutions. The minimal FPS data for the Medium preset (e.g., 114 FPS minimum at 1080p) also indicates that frame pacing remains stable even as resolution scales, with no severe dips that would suggest a CPU stall.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 2009 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the lower half of the distribution, which is notable given the CPU’s high percentile ranking of 87 and the GPU’s percentile of 61. The combo’s rank suggests that while the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU is not sufficient to leverage its full potential in this specific game. The RTX 4060’s average benchmark score of 17639 is modest compared to the CPU’s 39768, indicating a significant performance imbalance for a title like Lockdown Protocol that is graphically intensive at higher settings.

The combo’s position becomes clearer when examining the measured FPS data. At 1080p Ultra, the system produces 88 FPS, which is respectable but not exceptional for a high-end CPU. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 42 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. This suggests that the combo excels in scenarios where the GPU is not overwhelmed, such as 1080p Medium or Low, but struggles to maintain high performance at 1440p and 4K with higher presets. The rank of 2009 out of 3714 indicates that a significant number of other configurations, likely those with more powerful GPUs, achieve better results in this game. The data does not provide a breakdown of the top combos, but the pattern of GPU-bound performance at higher resolutions implies that swapping the RTX 4060 for a more capable GPU would improve the rank substantially.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for Lockdown Protocol depend on the user’s resolution and performance targets. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and frame rate, with an average of 134 FPS and a minimum of 114 FPS. This ensures a smooth experience on standard 144 Hz monitors without sacrificing too much graphical fidelity. The Low preset provides a higher average of 189 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play, but the Medium preset’s minimum frame rate is still well above 100 FPS, making it the safer choice for consistent performance. The High preset at 117 FPS is also viable, but the drop to 88 FPS on Ultra introduces a noticeable reduction in smoothness for marginal visual gains.

At 1440p, the Medium preset remains the best option, delivering an average of 98 FPS with a minimum of 83 FPS. This is sufficient for 1440p monitors with a 100 Hz or higher refresh rate. The High preset at 86 FPS is acceptable, but the Ultra preset at 64 FPS may cause stuttering on high-refresh displays. For 4K, the recommended setting is Low, which achieves an average of 89 FPS, as the Medium preset drops to 63 FPS and High falls to 55 FPS. The Ultra preset at 42 FPS is not recommended for gameplay. In summary, the Medium preset is the universal choice for 1080p and 1440p, while Low is the only playable option at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p): The Low preset delivers the highest average frame rate at 189 FPS. The Medium preset averages 134 FPS, with a minimum of 114 FPS and a maximum of 154 FPS. The High preset averages 117 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 88 FPS. This shows a clear progression where lower settings yield higher performance, with the gap between Medium and Low being 55 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p): The Low preset averages 138 FPS. The Medium preset averages 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. The High preset averages 86 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across presets, with the Medium preset losing 36 FPS.

3840x2160 (4K): The Low preset averages 89 FPS. The Medium preset averages 63 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. The High preset averages 55 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 42 FPS. At this resolution, the system cannot sustain 60 FPS on any preset above Low, highlighting the GPU’s limitations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU’s shading units number 3072, with 96 texture mapping units and 48 raster output pipelines. These specifications indicate a mid-range graphics card designed for 1080p gaming, with the ability to handle 1440p at medium settings. In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is dominant at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the FPS data showing a steep decline from 1080p to 4K. The 8 GB memory capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p presets, but at 4K Ultra, the demand for memory bandwidth likely exceeds what the 272.0 GB/s can provide, leading to the 42 FPS average.

The GPU’s benchmark scores support this analysis. Its PassMark G3D score is 19545, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2302. These are modest figures compared to the CPU’s scores, reinforcing the notion that the RTX 4060 is the bottleneck in this combo. The nearest rivals for the GPU include the AMD Radeon 780M, which scores 17588, a 0.3% difference, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560, which scores 17551, a 0.5% difference. This close grouping suggests that the RTX 4060’s raw compute performance is similar to some integrated and older discrete solutions, though its feature set, including DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 support, is more advanced. The GPU’s TDP of 115 W and suggested PSU of 300 W are low, indicating an efficient design, but this efficiency comes at the cost of raw performance in demanding titles like Lockdown Protocol at 4K. The data shows that the RTX 4060 is best utilized at 1080p Medium or Low, where it can deliver frame rates above 130 FPS, allowing the CPU’s capabilities to shine.