Lockdown Protocol

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 4 (Raphael) architecture, built on TSMC's 5 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, which positions it as a high-end desktop part with substantial multi-threading capability. The CPU's 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s of dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide a solid foundation for feeding a discrete GPU in a fast-paced FPS title like Lockdown Protocol.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain frame pacing and avoid bottlenecking the GPU. The benchmark results show that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 125.5 FPS, which is the highest recorded average across all tested configurations. This indicates that the CPU has enough headroom to push high frame rates when the GPU is not heavily taxed. The Ryzen 9 7900X's single-thread performance, as evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1093 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2952, is strong enough to handle the game's logic and physics without becoming a limiting factor.

However, the GPU in this combo, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, is a Turing-architecture part with 1,536 shading units and 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. Its 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 5.437 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are modest by modern standards, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. This means that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, not the CPU. The data supports this: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25.2, while at 1080p Low it rises to 125.5. The CPU's high core count and clock speeds are largely irrelevant when the GPU is saturated with pixel work.

In terms of the CPU's standing among rivals, the Ryzen 9 7900X has an average benchmark score of 50,556, which places it just 0.1% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 (50,598) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT (50,738). It is also 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13850HX and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13980HX. These deltas are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning the CPU is not the differentiator in this combo's performance. Instead, the GTX 1660 Ti's 55th percentile ranking and its nearest rivals—such as the AMD Radeon RX 570X (0.4% faster) and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (0.8% slower)—show that the GPU is the performance ceiling.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 125.5 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that exceeds 120 FPS, making it the clear peak for this hardware pairing.

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

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X scores 43,695 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 18,351 in Cinebench R20 multicore. Its average benchmark score of 50,556 is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and 0.4% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT, but 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i7-13850HX and 0.8% higher than the Intel Core i9-13980HX.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 Ti the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 61.7 on Low to 25.2 on Ultra. The GPU's 55th percentile ranking and its 6 GB VRAM capacity are insufficient for 4K rendering at high settings, so the GPU is clearly the limiting component at this resolution.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 1,431 out of 1,637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower percentile of all pairings, reflecting the GPU's age and mid-range positioning rather than the CPU's capability.

Q: Does the CPU's 12-core configuration benefit this game?

A: The benchmark data shows that the CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by the 125.5 FPS result at 1080p Low. However, since the GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions, the extra cores and threads do not translate into proportional FPS gains. The CPU's 3DMark max-thread score of 12,536 suggests strong multi-threading, but the game's performance is gated by the GPU.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 Ti compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has an average benchmark score of 13,925, which is 0.4% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 570X (13,871) and 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla K10 (14,029). It also outperforms the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile by 0.8% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 by 0.8%.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution-dependent performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable frame rates across all settings: 125.5 FPS on Low, 86.3 on Medium, 79.4 on High, and 57.3 on Ultra. Moving to 2560x1440, the FPS drops by approximately 27% on Low (91.5), 25% on Medium (64.6), 31% on High (54.9), and 29% on Ultra (40.9). This consistent reduction indicates that the GPU is beginning to feel the load of additional pixels, but the CPU still has enough bandwidth to keep up.

At 3840x2160, the scaling becomes more severe. Low settings yield 61.7 FPS, which is a 51% drop from 1080p Low. Medium falls to 41.7 (52% drop), High to 36.4 (54% drop), and Ultra to 25.2 (56% drop). The steep decline from 1080p to 4K, particularly at higher settings, confirms that the GTX 1660 Ti's 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 6 GB VRAM are insufficient for 4K workloads. The data suggests that the limiting component shifts decisively to the GPU as resolution increases, since the CPU's performance metrics—such as its 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs—remain constant regardless of resolution.

The frame rate deltas also show that the GPU's fill rate and pixel throughput are the primary constraints. With 48 ROPs and a pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s, the GTX 1660 Ti struggles to maintain acceptable performance at 4K, especially on Ultra where the average FPS drops below 30. This makes 1080p the only resolution where the combo achieves consistently smooth gameplay across all presets, and 1440p viable only at Low or Medium settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 125.5 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play where high refresh rates are prioritized. The Medium preset at 86.3 FPS still provides a smooth experience, while High at 79.4 FPS and Ultra at 57.3 FPS are playable but sacrifice frame rate for visual fidelity. For most users, Medium at 1080p offers the best balance, as it maintains above 60 FPS while improving image quality over Low.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only setting that exceeds 90 FPS (91.5), making it the clear choice for smooth gameplay. Medium at 64.6 FPS is still above 60, but High at 54.9 FPS and Ultra at 40.9 FPS fall below the ideal threshold for fast-paced FPS action. The data suggests that 1440p users should stick to Low or Medium to avoid frame rate dips that could affect gameplay responsiveness.

At 3840x2160, none of the settings provide an ideal experience. Low at 61.7 FPS is the only setting that stays above 60, while Medium at 41.7 FPS and High at 36.4 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 25.2 FPS is not recommended for any competitive scenario. Given that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, users should either lower resolution to 1440p or stick with Low settings to maintain playability. Overall, the data indicates that the best experience is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings, which delivers 86.3 FPS while allowing for moderate visual enhancements.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 1,431 out of 1,637 combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems, which is a reflection of the GPU's age and mid-range performance rather than the CPU's capabilities. The Ryzen 9 7900X itself sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 50,556, while the GTX 1660 Ti is in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 13,925.

The disparity between the CPU's high ranking and the GPU's mid-tier ranking explains why the combo underperforms relative to other pairings. The CPU's nearest rivals—such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT—have nearly identical scores, confirming that the processor is not the limiting factor. Instead, the GPU's nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 570X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, are similarly matched, indicating that the GTX 1660 Ti is the performance anchor. This combo rank suggests that users with a high-end CPU like the Ryzen 9 7900X would benefit more from pairing it with a stronger GPU to unlock the CPU's full potential in gaming workloads.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 57.3 on Ultra to 125.5 on Low. The Medium preset yields 86.3 FPS, and High produces 79.4 FPS. At 2560x1440, the averages are 40.9 on Ultra, 54.9 on High, 64.6 on Medium, and 91.5 on Low. At 3840x2160, the averages are 25.2 on Ultra, 36.4 on High, 41.7 on Medium, and 61.7 on Low.

The data shows a monotonic decrease in FPS as settings increase from Low to Ultra at every resolution. The largest absolute gap between Low and Ultra is 68.2 FPS at 1080p (125.5 vs. 57.3), while at 4K the gap narrows to 36.5 FPS (61.7 vs. 25.2). This narrowing indicates that at 4K, even the Low preset is heavily GPU-bound, reducing the relative impact of graphics settings. The 1080p results are the most varied, suggesting that the CPU has enough headroom to allow the GPU to be the primary variable. At 1440p, the spread is 50.6 FPS, showing a balanced interaction between CPU and GPU. Overall, the measured data confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p viable at lower settings and 4K only playable at the lowest preset.