Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 8060S combo in Lockdown Protocol demonstrates a clear narrative: this is a pairing where the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s substantial headroom allows for exceptional performance at 1080p. The data indicates a system that excels in high-refresh-rate scenarios but requires settings adjustments to maintain playable frame rates at 4K.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 (Dragon Range) architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a TDP of 55 W. This mobile processor includes 64 MB of L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, alongside 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The CPU supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the sheer core count and high boost clock provide a robust foundation for game logic, physics, and AI computations. The processor’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030 indicate strong performance in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. The PassMark multi-thread score of 51405 and single-thread score of 3907 further confirm this. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 95 among all CPUs puts it in the top tier of available processors.

The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 9 8945HX highlight its competitive position. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has an average benchmark score of 76155, which is a mere 0.1% higher than the 8945HX’s average of 76212. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P scores 76492, representing a -0.4% delta, and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX scores 76513, also a -0.4% delta. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 75779, a 0.6% delta. These results show the 8945HX is essentially tied with its closest competitors in overall processing power.

For Lockdown Protocol specifically, the data suggests the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. At 1080p with Medium settings, the system achieves 124 FPS average, and at Low settings it reaches 175 FPS. These frame rates are high enough to suggest that the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently. The substantial multi-core performance ensures that background tasks and complex game scenes do not cause frame drops, allowing the GPU to operate at its maximum potential. The CPU’s role here is to provide a stable, high-throughput platform, which it does admirably, allowing the Radeon 8060S to be the primary determinant of frame rate.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon 8060S is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, codenamed Strix Halo, and manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, along with 40 ray tracing cores. The GPU’s base clock is 1295 MHz, with a boost clock of 2900 MHz. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it draws from the system’s DDR5 memory pool, with bandwidth noted as "System Dependent." The GPU’s TDP is 55 W, matching the CPU’s power envelope.

The Radeon 8060S delivers a pixel rate of 185.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 464.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is rated at 14.85 TFLOPS. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it fully compatible with modern game APIs. In benchmark tests, it scores 2162 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 84626 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 80483 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its percentile ranking among all GPUs is 87, placing it in the upper tier of graphics hardware.

The nearest rivals for the Radeon 8060S illustrate its performance class. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB has an average score of 55698, a 0.1% delta from the 8060S’s 55757. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 scores 56083, a -0.6% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, a 1.7% delta, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 scores 54247, a 2.8% delta. This places the 8060S in a performance bracket comparable to a mid-range discrete GPU, despite being an integrated solution.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is pivotal. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, directly reflecting the GPU’s workload. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 175 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 39 FPS. This sensitivity to settings indicates that the Radeon 8060S is the primary bottleneck when graphical demands increase. The shared memory architecture means that the GPU’s performance is tied to the system’s memory bandwidth, which is 83.2 GB/s. This dependency explains why the GPU’s performance can vary; it is reliant on the same memory pool as the CPU. The data shows a GPU that is capable of high frame rates at lower resolutions but quickly becomes strained as pixel count and graphical fidelity rise.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component in this combo. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 109 FPS at 1080p to 80 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 29 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate falls further to 51 FPS, another 29 FPS drop. This linear decline highlights the GPU’s struggle to maintain performance as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The scaling at Low settings is even more pronounced in absolute terms. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 175 FPS. At 1440p Low, this drops to 128 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 83 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, showing that even at the lowest graphical settings, the GPU cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has ample headroom but the GPU’s rendering capabilities are exhausted.

The data from Medium settings provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 124, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 143. At 1440p Medium, the average is 91, with a minimum of 77 and a maximum of 105. At 4K Medium, the average is 59, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 68. The frame time variance also increases with resolution, as seen in the wider spread between minimum and maximum FPS at 4K compared to 1080p. This suggests that the GPU is not only producing lower average frame rates but also less consistent frame pacing at higher resolutions.

The fact that the CPU is not the bottleneck is supported by the performance at 1080p. The system achieves 175 FPS at Low settings and 109 FPS at High settings, which are high enough to suggest the CPU is delivering frames to the GPU without issue. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would be more consistent across resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not change with resolution. The significant FPS drops with increasing resolution confirm that the Radeon 8060S is the primary constraint, and its performance is directly tied to the rendering resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings levels.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. On Low settings, it achieves an average of 175 FPS. On Medium settings, the average is 124 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings yield an average of 109 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 81 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the combo can handle even Ultra settings above 80 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, performance remains solid but shows the GPU’s strain. Low settings produce an average of 128 FPS. Medium settings average 91 FPS, with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS. High settings average 80 FPS. Ultra settings fall to an average of 60 FPS. This indicates that 1440p is a viable resolution for this combo, but users targeting 60 FPS or higher will need to stay within Medium or High settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low settings average 83 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 51 FPS. Ultra settings average just 39 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced FPS. The data shows that 4K is only feasible on Low or Medium settings for a consistent experience, and even then, the frame rates are not ideal for competitive play.

The progression across settings at each resolution follows a predictable pattern: Low yields the highest FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra. The gaps between settings are consistent, indicating that the GPU’s workload scales uniformly with graphical fidelity. The minimum and maximum FPS data for Medium settings at each resolution shows that 1080p has the tightest frame pacing, while 4K has the widest variance, further confirming the GPU’s struggle at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 8060S ranks at position 1647 out of 2828 total combos. This places it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms a majority of combinations but sits in the middle of the pack overall.

This ranking is notable given that both components individually score in the top percentile of their respective categories. The CPU ranks in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU ranks in the 87th percentile among all GPUs. However, the combo’s overall rank is lower than either component’s individual percentile, which underscores the GPU’s role as the limiting factor. A more powerful GPU paired with this CPU would likely result in a significantly higher combo rank, as the CPU has demonstrated it can handle high frame rates without bottlenecking.

The combo’s rank of 1647 suggests that while this system is capable of delivering playable performance, it is not at the top tier for Lockdown Protocol. Many other combinations, likely featuring more powerful discrete GPUs, achieve higher rankings. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the GPU can keep up with the CPU’s output. At 4K, the combo’s performance is below average compared to other systems that include higher-end graphics cards.

The rank also reflects the balance of the system. A perfectly balanced system would have the CPU and GPU performing at similar levels, but here the CPU is significantly more capable than the GPU. This imbalance means the combo’s potential is not fully realized, as the GPU prevents the CPU from reaching its full gaming potential. The ranking of 1647 out of 2828 is a clear indicator that this is a mid-tier performer for Lockdown Protocol, capable of decent frame rates but not exceptional ones.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 175, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Low settings, it averages 83 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it averages 59 FPS. However, at 4K High and Ultra, the average FPS drops to 51 and 39, respectively.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores 76155. This represents a delta of 0.1%, indicating they are essentially equal in performance.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 1647 out of 2828 total tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all systems.

Q: At 1440p, what settings are recommended for a stable 60 FPS experience?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings average 60 FPS. For a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS, High settings average 80 FPS, and Medium settings average 91 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU or CPU bottleneck this system in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. Evidence shows that frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, from 175 FPS at 1080p Low to 83 FPS at 4K Low, while the CPU’s performance is sufficient to support high frame rates at 1080p.