Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

Lockdown Protocol, the FPS title released on 2024-03-11, presents a demanding workload that scales dramatically with resolution and settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, a combination that ranks 58th out of 2,828 tested combos in this game. The data reveals a system capable of exceptional frame rates across the board, but the scaling patterns expose where each component's influence dominates. The following sections break down the resolution scaling, GPU and CPU roles, ranking context, settings recommendations, and a complete measured FPS breakdown.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent progression as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 368 FPS at 1080p to 270 FPS at 1440p, then to 174 FPS at 4K. This represents a 26.6% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 35.6% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 52.7%, indicating that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count quadruples.

The Medium preset exhibits a similar pattern but with slightly more moderate absolute values. At 1080p, the average is 261 FPS, which falls to 192 FPS at 1440p and 124 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 26.4% and 35.4% respectively, nearly identical to the Low preset's scaling. This consistency suggests that the GPU workload scales predictably with resolution regardless of the graphics preset, at least between Low and Medium.

High settings show a more pronounced sensitivity to resolution scaling. The average FPS at 1080p is 228, dropping to 167 FPS at 1440p (a 26.8% reduction) and then to 108 FPS at 4K (a 35.3% reduction from 1440p). The 4K High result of 108 FPS is notably lower than the 4K Medium result of 124 FPS, demonstrating that the High preset adds meaningful GPU load beyond Medium.

Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates at every resolution. At 1080p, Ultra averages 171 FPS, which is only 75% of the High preset's 228 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is a 26.9% drop to 125 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K a 35.2% drop to 81 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 81 FPS is the only measured scenario below 100 FPS, indicating that this combination can handle 4K Ultra but with a noticeable performance cost.

The resolution scaling data reveals that the frame rate penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p is consistently around 26-27% across all presets, while moving from 1440p to 4K costs roughly 35% regardless of settings. This uniform scaling pattern points to a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the RTX 4090's capabilities determine the ceiling. The CPU's role appears more significant at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 300 FPS at Low settings, suggesting that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's processing power is being fully utilized at those high frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for handling the texture and geometry data required by Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolutions. The GPU's 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs represent a massive compute resource, reflected in its 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The memory operates at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective speed. These specifications translate into a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s, which are critical for maintaining high frame rates in a fast-paced FPS where scene complexity can spike.

The benchmark data for the RTX 4090 shows it ranks in the 88th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the Intel Arc Pro A60 with an average score of 60,326 (a 0% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60,140 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61,896 (2.5% lower), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 at 58,657 (2.9% higher). These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4090 sits in a tightly clustered performance tier, though the game-specific results may differ from synthetic benchmarks.

In Lockdown Protocol specifically, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important as resolution rises. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 81 FPS, which is the lowest figure in the entire dataset. The fact that the 4K High result is 108 FPS (a 33% improvement over Ultra) suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that heavily tax the GPU's shading and memory subsystems. The RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM is unlikely to be a limiting factor at any tested setting, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra scenario would struggle to exhaust that capacity in a modern FPS.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility mean it can leverage modern rendering techniques that Lockdown Protocol likely employs. The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores provide dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI-based features, though the measured data does not isolate those workloads. The GPU's end-of-life production status and 450 W TDP indicate it draws significant power, but the benchmark results demonstrate that this power translates into frame rate headroom across all tested configurations.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D provides the processing foundation for this combination, with 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz are among the highest in the desktop segment, and the 96 MB shared L3 cache is a defining feature of the X3D line. The CPU's 4 nm process node from TSMC houses 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die, with an 89.6 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth.

The CPU's benchmark profile shows it ranks in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 58,386. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M at 58,323 (0.1% higher), the Intel Xeon w5-2545 at 58,504 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i9-14900 at 58,115 (0.5% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 at 58,826 (0.7% lower). These deltas are all within 1%, placing the Ryzen 7 9850X3D in a tightly competitive performance tier despite its gaming-oriented design.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p resolution where frame rates are highest. At 1080p Low, the average FPS reaches 368, which is a frame rate that demands strong single-thread performance and low latency memory access. The CPU's 5.60 GHz boost clock and large L3 cache are well-suited to this workload, as FPS titles often rely on rapid data access and instruction throughput. The Cinebench R23 scores of 22,807 multicore and 2,228 singlecore reflect a balanced processor, while the PassMark single-thread score of 4,704 indicates strong per-core performance.

The CPU's 120 W TDP and unlocked multiplier allow for sustained operation at high clock speeds, which is essential for maintaining 300+ FPS at 1080p Low. The 16 threads provide enough parallelism for background tasks and game engine threads without becoming a bottleneck. The measured FPS difference between 1080p Low (368 FPS) and 1080p Medium (261 FPS) suggests that the GPU becomes more involved at Medium, but the CPU still maintains the frame rate above 260 FPS, showing it is not a limiting factor at these settings.

At 4K resolutions, the CPU's influence diminishes as the GPU takes over. The 4K Low result of 174 FPS is less than half the 1080p Low result, indicating that the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the primary constraints. However, the CPU must still feed the GPU with draw calls and game state updates, and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's architecture is well-equipped for this task. The PassMark multi-thread score of 41,318 and physics score of 4,171 demonstrate that the CPU can handle complex game logic without lagging behind the GPU's output.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 58th out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 2.1% of all combinations tested, which is an elite position given the large number of possible hardware pairings. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of both components, and the data indicates that this system is among the most powerful configurations for this game.

The 58th position out of 2,828 means there are 57 combos that achieve higher frame rates or better overall performance in Lockdown Protocol. These higher-ranked combinations likely include newer or more specialized hardware, but the fact that this pairing sits in the top 2.1% demonstrates its strength. The RTX 4090's 88th percentile ranking among GPUs and the CPU's 92nd percentile ranking among CPUs both contribute to this high overall rank.

The ranking context becomes clearer when examining the actual FPS numbers. At 1080p Low, the 368 FPS average is exceptional, and even at 4K Ultra the 81 FPS average is playable for most users. The combination's ability to maintain above 60 FPS at 4K Ultra is a significant achievement, and the 108 FPS at 4K High offers a smooth experience for competitive play. The measured data shows that this combo excels across the entire resolution and settings spectrum, which is reflected in its top-tier ranking.

The nearest rival comparisons from the benchmark database provide additional context. The CPU's closest rivals are all within 0.7% of its average benchmark score, while the GPU's closest rivals are within 2.9%. This tight clustering suggests that the individual components are well-matched to their performance peers, but the combination's rank in Lockdown Protocol may be influenced by game-specific optimizations or driver behavior that synthetic benchmarks do not capture.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear guide for optimizing the Lockdown Protocol experience with this hardware. For players prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 368 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of virtually any monitor. At 1440p Low, the 270 FPS average still provides a substantial margin above 240 Hz displays, making this a viable option for competitive play where response time is paramount.

For a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1440p offers 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. This configuration maintains high frame rates while providing better visual fidelity than Low. The 4K Medium result of 124 FPS (minimum 105 FPS, maximum 142 FPS) is also respectable, making it a strong choice for players with 4K displays who want high refresh rates without sacrificing too much visual detail.

The High preset at 1440p delivers 167 FPS, which is still above 144 Hz refresh rates and offers superior visuals compared to Medium. At 4K High, the 108 FPS average remains above 100 FPS, providing a smooth experience for most players. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 125 FPS, which is playable but shows a significant drop from High, while 4K Ultra at 81 FPS is the least playable configuration in the dataset.

The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1440p or 4K provides the best balance between frame rate and visual quality. The 192 FPS at 1440p Medium offers a high refresh rate experience with moderate visual enhancements, while 4K Medium at 124 FPS is suitable for players who prefer higher resolutions. The Ultra preset offers diminishing returns in visual quality relative to the FPS cost, and the High preset at 4K is the recommended maximum for players who want both high resolution and high frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combination achieves in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 368, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, the 4K results range from 81 FPS at Ultra settings to 174 FPS at Low settings, with Medium at 124 FPS and High at 108 FPS, all of which are playable.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest benchmark rivals?

A: The RTX 4090's average benchmark score is 60,347, which is within 2.9% of its nearest rivals: the AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58,657), Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140), and AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61,896).

Q: What is the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's performance ranking among CPUs?

A: The CPU ranks in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 58,386 and nearest rivals all within 0.7% of that score.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination offers the best experience?

A: The data suggests 1440p Medium (192 FPS, minimum 163 FPS) or 4K Medium (124 FPS, minimum 105 FPS) provide the best balance, while 1080p Low offers the highest frame rates.

Q: How does the combo rank overall in Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combination ranks 58th out of 2,828 tested combos, placing it in the top 2.1% of all configurations tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for this combination covers 12 scenarios across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 368 FPS, Medium averages 261 FPS with a minimum of 222 and maximum of 301, High averages 228 FPS, and Ultra averages 171 FPS. These results show a clear progression where each higher preset reduces performance, with the gap between Medium and High being 33 FPS and between High and Ultra being 57 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 270 FPS, Medium averages 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 and maximum of 220, High averages 167 FPS, and Ultra averages 125 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all presets, with reductions ranging from 26.8% at High to 27.0% at Low, indicating resolution-dependent GPU scaling.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 174 FPS, Medium averages 124 FPS with a minimum of 105 and maximum of 142, High averages 108 FPS, and Ultra averages 81 FPS. The 4K results show the greatest sensitivity to settings, with Ultra being 53.4% lower than Low, compared to a 53.5% difference at 1440p and a 53.5% difference at 1080p. This consistency across resolutions confirms that the settings presets scale uniformly regardless of pixel count.

The minimum FPS data is only available for the Medium preset at each resolution: 222 FPS at 1080p, 163 FPS at 1440p, and 105 FPS at 4K. The maximum FPS figures for Medium are 301, 220, and 142 respectively. These ranges indicate that frame time consistency is maintained even at lower resolutions, with the 4K Medium showing a 37 FPS spread between minimum and maximum. The absence of min/max data for other presets limits detailed frame pacing analysis, but the average FPS figures provide a reliable performance indicator for each configuration.