Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 produces a notably uneven performance profile in Lockdown Protocol, with results that shift dramatically depending on resolution and settings. The measured data shows this combo ranking 2253rd out of 2828 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database, though the actual frame rates tell a more nuanced story about where the bottleneck lies. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, component roles, and settings behavior using only the measured figures from the benchmark run.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the pattern is not uniform across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 139 at 1920x1080 to 102 at 2560x1440, then to 66 at 3840x2160. That represents a 26.6% decline from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 35.3% decline from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is consistent with a GPU that is progressively overwhelmed as pixel count increases, with the RTX 5050's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth becoming increasingly strained.

Moving to Medium settings, the same resolution progression shows 98 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 26.5% and then 34.7%, nearly identical to the Low setting pattern. This consistency suggests that the GPU's computational ceiling, rather than memory capacity, is the primary limiter at these settings. The measured minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings reinforce this: at 1080p the range is 84 to 113, at 1440p it narrows to 61 to 83, and at 4K it tightens further to 40 to 54, showing that as resolution increases, the frame time variance compresses even as average performance falls.

High settings produce 86 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 26.7%, and from 1440p to 4K it is 34.9%. This near-identical scaling across Low, Medium, and High presets indicates that the RTX 5050's shading units and texture units are the limiting factor, not any single setting being toggled. The Ultra preset, however, shows a slightly different pattern: 64 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 31 FPS at 4K, with drops of 26.6% and 34.0%. The Ultra preset's absolute numbers are lower across the board, but the relative scaling remains consistent, confirming that resolution is the dominant variable in this game's performance equation.

The data suggests that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo approaches smooth gameplay at higher presets, with 1440p playable only at Low or Medium settings, and 4K generally falling below acceptable thresholds except at Low settings where 66 FPS is achievable. The consistent 26-35% scaling pattern across all presets points to a GPU that is saturated at every resolution, with the CPU's 16 cores and 32 threads never becoming the constraining factor in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 operates with a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with 2560 shading units. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and the card delivers 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In the benchmark database, this GPU scores 17326 in Passmark G3D and 2502 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21153 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M at 21237 (1.0% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20713 (1.6% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21379 (1.6% higher).

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's role is clearly dominant at 4K resolution. At Ultra settings, the combo manages only 31 FPS at 3840x2160, which is exactly half of the 64 FPS achieved at 1080p Ultra. This halving of performance from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of a GPU that is doubling its pixel workload with no headroom to spare. The 8 GB VRAM appears sufficient at all tested settings, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution rather than showing sudden drops that would indicate memory swapping. The 20 Gbps effective memory speed and 128-bit bus width deliver 320.0 GB/s, which is adequate for this game's demands at 1080p and 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K Ultra.

The GPU's texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s provide theoretical ceilings that align with the measured results. At 4K (3840x2160, approximately 8.3 million pixels), the pixel rate alone would suggest a maximum of around 99 FPS if fully utilized, but real-world efficiency drops that to 41 FPS at High and 31 FPS at Ultra, indicating that shader complexity and memory latency are significant contributors. The RTX 5050's 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores are present but do not appear to provide any measurable advantage in this title, as the frame rates track closely with the traditional rasterization metrics.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on Zen 4 architecture (Dragon Range), with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It draws 55 W TDP and is built on TSMC's 5 nm process with 13,140 million transistors across a dual-die design of 2x 71 mm². Its 64 MB of L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core provide substantial on-die storage, and dual-channel DDR5 memory support delivers 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 42713 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6030 in single-core, with a Passmark multi-thread score of 51405 and single-thread score of 3907. It sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (0.1% higher), AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (0.4% lower), AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX (0.4% lower), and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (0.6% higher).

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is almost entirely secondary. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings in a way that points exclusively to GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 139 FPS, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. If the CPU were a bottleneck at lower resolutions, we would expect to see a plateau where reducing GPU load (via lower settings) yields diminishing returns. Instead, the progression from Ultra (64 FPS) to High (86 FPS) to Medium (98 FPS) to Low (139 FPS) at 1080p shows that each reduction in GPU workload produces a corresponding increase in frame rate, with no sign of CPU saturation.

The CPU's high single-thread performance (6030 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and massive multi-thread capability (42713 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) suggest it could handle far more demanding scenarios than this game presents. The 5.40 GHz boost clock is ample for the game's main thread, and the 32 threads ensure that any background tasks or physics calculations are handled without contention. The 16 cores are likely underutilized in Lockdown Protocol, which is typical for an FPS title that scales primarily with single-thread performance, but the measured data shows that even at 1080p Low with 139 FPS, the CPU is not the limiting factor — otherwise we would see a ceiling around a specific frame rate regardless of settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 2253rd out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 20th percentile of all configurations. This ranking is significantly lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest — the CPU is at the 95th percentile and the GPU at the 66th percentile, yet the combo lands well below the midpoint. This discrepancy indicates that the RTX 5050 is the constraining component in this pairing, and that the system's overall ranking is dragged down by the GPU's inability to fully leverage the CPU's capabilities.

Looking at the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 is within 1.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and within 1.6% of the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile. These close margins suggest that the RTX 5050 is a mid-range GPU by database standards, and its 66th percentile ranking reflects a product that is competitive with older desktop mid-range cards but not exceptional. The CPU's nearest rivals are all high-end desktop or workstation processors with average scores clustered within 0.6% of the 8945HX's 76212, confirming that the CPU is a top-tier part that is being paired with a GPU that cannot fully utilize it.

The combo rank of 2253 out of 2828 means that 575 other combinations performed worse in this game. This places the system in the company of configurations that are likely GPU-bound at lower performance tiers, but it also means that the vast majority of tested combos (79.7%) achieved better frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The data suggests that this pairing is better suited for CPU-intensive workloads than for this particular FPS title, where the GPU's 66th percentile standing becomes the deciding factor in overall ranking.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 98 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 113, which is the best balance of smoothness and quality among the tested presets. The Low preset at 139 FPS is smoother but sacrifices visual quality, while High at 86 FPS and Ultra at 64 FPS are progressively more demanding with diminishing returns. For competitive play, Low at 139 FPS provides the highest frame rate and lowest latency, but for a balanced experience, Medium is the recommended choice at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. Low settings yield 102 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that breaks the 100 FPS barrier. Medium drops to 72 FPS (minimum 61, maximum 83), High falls to 63 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 47 FPS. For 1440p gaming, Low settings are recommended if frame rate is the priority, as the 102 FPS result is significantly higher than the 72 FPS at Medium. The step from Low to Medium costs 30 FPS (a 29.4% reduction), which is a substantial price for the visual improvements that Medium provides. Users who prefer visual quality over frame rate might accept Medium at 72 FPS, but the data clearly favors Low for a smoother experience.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable frame rate at 66 FPS. Medium drops to 47 FPS (minimum 40, maximum 54), High falls to 41 FPS, and Ultra is effectively unplayable at 31 FPS. For 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, and even then, the 66 FPS average is marginal for fast-paced FPS gameplay. The 4K Medium results show a minimum of 40 FPS, which would be noticeable in combat scenarios. Users with 4K displays should either stick to Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all presets achieve playable frame rates, with Medium at 98 FPS and Low at 139 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low (102 FPS) and Medium (72 FPS) are viable, while at 3840x2160, only Low (66 FPS) reaches an acceptable level.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21153), 1.0% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 8970M (21237), 1.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713), and 1.6% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21379).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component. At 1080p, frame rates scale consistently with settings (64 to 139 FPS), showing no CPU ceiling. The CPU ranks at the 95th percentile while the GPU sits at the 66th percentile, and the combo's overall rank of 2253 out of 2828 reflects the GPU's constraint.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 102 FPS, while Ultra produces 47 FPS. This represents a 55 FPS difference, or a 53.9% reduction in performance when switching from Low to Ultra.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX's 76155. This places the two processors in a statistical tie, with a deltaPct of 0.1% favoring the Intel part.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for Medium settings at each resolution?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum FPS is 84. At 2560x1440 Medium, it is 61. At 3840x2160 Medium, it is 40. These minimum values indicate that the 4K Medium preset experiences frame drops that would be noticeable during gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings was tested with the following average FPS results: Low delivers 139 FPS, Medium delivers 98 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 113, High delivers 86 FPS, and Ultra delivers 64 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline of roughly 25-30 FPS per preset step, with the exception of the Medium-to-High step which drops by 12 FPS. The minimum-to-maximum spread at Medium (29 FPS) suggests moderate frame time variance at this resolution, which is acceptable for most gaming scenarios.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low delivers 102 FPS, Medium delivers 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 and maximum of 83, High delivers 63 FPS, and Ultra delivers 47 FPS. The decline from Low to Medium is 30 FPS (29.4%), which is the largest single-step drop at this resolution. The Medium preset's minimum of 61 FPS indicates that even at this settings level, there are moments where performance dips below 60 FPS, which could be noticeable in fast-paced action. The spread at Medium (22 FPS) is narrower than at 1080p, showing that higher resolution reduces frame time variance even as average performance drops.

At 3840x2160, the results are: Low delivers 66 FPS, Medium delivers 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54, High delivers 41 FPS, and Ultra delivers 31 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 19 FPS (28.8%), and from Medium to High is 6 FPS (12.8%), with High to Ultra dropping another 10 FPS (24.4%). The Medium preset's minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS shows a 14 FPS spread, which is the tightest range of any Medium preset across all resolutions, indicating that 4K saturates the GPU to the point where frame times become more consistent even at lower average rates.

The overall pattern across all resolutions and settings shows that the RTX 5050 delivers its best relative performance at 1080p Low (139 FPS) and its worst at 4K Ultra (31 FPS). The ratio between these two extremes is 4.48x, which aligns with the pixel count difference of 4x between 1080p and 4K, suggesting that the GPU is scaling near-linearly with resolution and has no hidden bottlenecks beyond its raw compute and memory throughput. The 8 GB VRAM never appears to be exceeded at any tested configuration, as there are no sudden performance cliffs that would indicate memory pressure. Users seeking the highest frame rates should target 1080p Low or Medium, while those prioritizing visual quality at 1440p should accept the 47 FPS at Ultra or the 63 FPS at High as their ceiling.