Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER delivers a distinctly GPU-limited experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the combo ranking 3166th out of 3714 tested configurations. This places the pairing in the lower portion of the database, reflecting a substantial bottleneck where the 12-core, 24-thread CPU is nowhere near its performance ceiling while the GPU consistently constrains frame output across all tested settings and resolutions. The measured data shows a system that can produce playable frame rates at 1080p with reduced settings, but the gap between CPU and GPU capability is the defining characteristic of this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 3166 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol places it in the bottom 15% of all configurations in the database. This is a remarkably low position for a CPU that sits in the 91st percentile among all processors, underscoring how completely the GPU dictates the outcome in this game. The GTX 1660 SUPER's 53rd percentile standing among all GPUs is the limiting factor, and the ranking reflects that hierarchy clearly.

Benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 9 7900X's synthetic scores are far above what the GTX 1660 SUPER can utilize in this title. The CPU's average benchmark score of 53,288 places it nearly identical to its nearest rivals: the AMD EPYC 7313P (53,206, 0.2% higher), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53,469, 0.3% lower), the Intel Xeon 634 (52,974, 0.6% higher), and the Intel Core i7-14700F (53,620, 0.6% lower). These rival comparisons show that the CPU is performing at expected levels, yet the in-game rank is dragged down by the GPU's more modest standing relative to its own nearest rivals: the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12,940, 0.4% higher), RX 580 (12,928, 0.4% higher), Tesla M2090 (13,075, 0.7% lower), and Radeon 740M (12,870, 0.9% higher).

The disparity between CPU and GPU percentiles—91 versus 53—creates a fundamental imbalance. In Lockdown Protocol, the data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at every measured point, meaning the CPU's considerable multi-threaded capabilities (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29,300, single-core of 2,016.5) are largely idle. The combo rank reflects the weakest link, and the GTX 1660 SUPER is that link.

FAQ

Q: Why does this high-end CPU produce such a low in-game rank?

A: The combo ranks 3166th out of 3714 because the GPU is the limiting component. The Ryzen 9 7900X sits in the 91st CPU percentile, while the GTX 1660 SUPER is in the 53rd GPU percentile. In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's performance ceiling dictates frame rates, so the CPU's excess capability does not translate to higher rankings.

Q: What is the best frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 123 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 90 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 58 FPS. These represent the maximum measured values at each resolution.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X's average benchmark score of 53,288 is within 0.6% of all four nearest rivals. The Intel Core i7-14700F is 0.6% higher, the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 is 0.3% lower, the AMD EPYC 7313P is 0.2% higher, and the Intel Xeon 634 is 0.6% higher.

Q: Is this GPU's performance competitive with its peers?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER's average benchmark score of 12,986 is closely matched by its rivals: the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile is 0.4% higher, the RX 580 is 0.4% higher, the Tesla M2090 is 0.7% lower, and the Radeon 740M is 0.9% higher. It sits right in the middle of this pack.

Q: What resolution offers the most balanced experience?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the combo achieves 87 FPS average with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100. This is the only measured configuration where the frame rate stays above 60 FPS across the minimum and average, suggesting a stable experience.

Q: Does the CPU ever become a limiting factor in this game?

A: No. The measured FPS data shows that even at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average is 27 FPS, indicating the GPU is saturated. The CPU's 24 threads and 5.6 GHz boost clock are far beyond what Lockdown Protocol requires, as evidenced by the consistent GPU-bound behavior across all resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 123 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 90 FPS, a 26.8% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 58 FPS, another 35.6% drop from 1440p. This scaling behavior is consistent with a GPU that is being increasingly taxed by pixel count, while the CPU's role remains constant.

For Medium settings, the trend continues: 87 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p (a 26.4% decrease), and 41 FPS at 4K (a 35.9% decrease from 1440p). High settings show 76 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p (26.3% lower), and 36 FPS at 4K (35.7% lower). Ultra settings follow the same pattern: 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p (26.3% lower), and 27 FPS at 4K (35.7% lower).

The consistency of these percentage drops—roughly 26% from 1080p to 1440p and 36% from 1440p to 4K—indicates that the GPU's pixel throughput is the sole determinant. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, shows no signs of becoming a constraint at any resolution. The 5.6 GHz boost clock and 64 MB of L3 cache are more than sufficient for this title, leaving the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth as the clear limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured data shows a wide spread across settings. Low settings deliver an average of 123 FPS. Medium settings reduce this to 87 FPS average, with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100 FPS. High settings produce 76 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 57 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra is 66 FPS, representing a 53.7% reduction, which highlights the significant impact of graphical presets at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 90 FPS for Low, 64 FPS for Medium (with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73), 56 FPS for High, and 42 FPS for Ultra. The spread from Low to Ultra is 48 FPS, a 53.3% reduction. The 1440p Medium configuration maintains a minimum above 50 FPS, which is notable for a GPU in the 53rd percentile.

At 3840x2160, the averages drop to 58 FPS for Low, 41 FPS for Medium (with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47), 36 FPS for High, and 27 FPS for Ultra. The Low to Ultra spread is 31 FPS, a 53.4% reduction. The 4K Medium configuration's minimum of 35 FPS indicates that this resolution is only viable with the lowest settings for reasonably smooth gameplay.

The consistent percentage reduction from Low to Ultra across all resolutions—approximately 53%—demonstrates that the settings scaling is uniform, and the GPU's performance envelope is well-defined. The minimum FPS values, available only for Medium settings, show that 1080p Medium (74 min) is the most stable configuration, while 4K Medium (35 min) drops below the threshold of acceptable smoothness.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for this combo is 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which delivers an average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS. This is the only measured setting and resolution combination where the minimum frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS, providing the most consistent experience without sacrificing too much visual quality.

For users prioritizing higher frame rates, 1920x1080 with Low settings achieves 123 FPS average, but the visual fidelity reduction may not be worth the 41.4% increase over Medium. The High preset at 1080p offers 76 FPS average, which is playable but lacks the minimum frame rate data to confirm stability. Ultra at 1080p drops to 57 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and not recommended for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (64 FPS average, 54 FPS minimum) is the best option, though the minimum dips below 60. The Low preset at 90 FPS average is viable for competitive play, but the Medium setting provides a better balance of quality and performance. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset (58 FPS average) approaches playability, and even that falls short of 60 FPS. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant compromises, with Medium at 41 FPS average being the highest playable setting for less demanding scenarios.

The measured rows indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB VRAM and 5.027 TFLOPS FP32 performance are best utilized at 1080p Medium, where the combo's frame rate stability is most apparent. The Ryzen 9 7900X's capabilities are not a factor in this decision, as the GPU is the sole constraint.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X brings substantial processing power to this combo: 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz, combined with 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, place it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29,300 and single-core score of 2,016.5 demonstrate exceptional throughput, while the 3DMark max-thread score of 12,536 shows strong multi-threaded scaling.

However, in Lockdown Protocol, the measured FPS data shows no scenario where the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The consistent frame rate patterns across resolutions—where dropping from 1080p to 4K reduces FPS by roughly 53% regardless of settings—indicate that the GPU is always the bottleneck. The CPU's 24 threads are likely underutilized in this FPS title, as the game's workload does not appear to scale beyond a fraction of what the 7900X can deliver.

The nearest rival comparisons—being within 0.6% of the EPYC 7313P, Xeon Phi 7290, Xeon 634, and Core i7-14700F in average benchmark score—confirm that the CPU is performing exactly as expected. The PassMark multi-thread score of 51,406 and single-thread score of 4,238 further validate its position. The 7900X's role here is to provide ample headroom, ensuring that no CPU-side stutter or bottleneck occurs, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the decisive component in this combo's Lockdown Protocol performance. Based on the TU116 chip with Turing architecture on a 12 nm process, it features 1,408 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Its base clock of 1530 MHz boosts to 1785 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) across a 192-bit bus, yielding 336.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 5.027 TFLOPS FP32 performance place it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs.

The measured FPS data shows the GPU's performance ceiling clearly. At 1080p Low, the 123 FPS average represents the maximum output this GPU can achieve in Lockdown Protocol. As settings increase, the frame rate drops proportionally, culminating in 27 FPS average at 4K Ultra. The GPU's nearest rivals—RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.4% higher), RX 580 (0.4% higher), Tesla M2090 (0.7% lower), and Radeon 740M (0.9% higher)—all sit within 1% of its average benchmark score of 12,986, confirming that this is a mid-pack performer.

The PassMark G3D score of 12,699 and DirectX 12 score of 50 indicate that the GPU handles modern APIs adequately but not exceptionally. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s becomes a constraint, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops. The GPU's 53rd percentile ranking means it outperforms roughly half of all GPUs, but in combination with a 91st percentile CPU, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor, dragging the combo's in-game rank to 3166 out of 3714.