Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution, and the measured frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination illustrate a clear transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound one at 4K. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 333 FPS, which drops by roughly 27% to 244 FPS at 2560x1440. Moving to 3840x2160 yields 157 FPS, a further 36% reduction from the 1440p figure. This pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is the primary limiter, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly. The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low results in a 53% performance decrease, which is substantial but not as severe as the drop seen when increasing graphical fidelity at a fixed resolution. For instance, at 4K, moving from Low to Ultra settings reduces the average frame rate by more than half, from 157 FPS to 73 FPS, showcasing the immense load placed on the GPU by higher presets.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals that the performance penalty from increasing resolution is most pronounced when transitioning from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 206 FPS at 1080p to 151 FPS at 1440p, a 27% decrease, and then to 98 FPS at 4K, a further 35% drop. This steeper decline at 4K is characteristic of a GPU that is reaching its limits with the increased pixel count. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth on the RTX 4080 are sufficient for the 4K textures, but the raw compute power of the AD103 chip is what determines the final output. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is smaller, suggesting that the Ryzen 9 9900X is still able to feed the GPU adequately at these resolutions, with the 12 cores and 24 threads providing ample processing capability. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings shows a 27% drop (155 to 113 FPS), which is consistent with the High preset’s scaling, further confirming that the resolution increase is the dominant factor at these settings.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 holds a rank of 205 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 6% of all configurations tested, indicating a very high level of performance. The percentile ranking for the CPU alone is 92, meaning it outperforms 92% of all tested CPUs, while the GPU’s percentile is 86. The combo’s rank is a direct result of pairing a top-tier processor with a high-end graphics card. The nearest rival CPUs in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 9015, which is 0.1% slower, and the Intel Core i9-14900, which is 1.1% faster. This shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X is competitive with the fastest desktop and server processors available, ensuring that it does not become a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios. The RTX 4080’s nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is only 0.1% faster in average benchmark score, demonstrating that the original 4080 remains a highly capable GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is built on the Zen 5 architecture and features 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This high core count and clock speed combination is well-suited for modern FPS games like Lockdown Protocol, which can utilize multiple threads for game logic, physics, and AI. The CPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32172 and a single-core score of 2253. The single-core performance is particularly relevant for gaming, as many game engines still rely heavily on a few primary threads. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2519 and 4-thread score of 4886 indicate that the CPU has excellent low-thread-count performance, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates. The data suggests that at 1080p Low settings, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the average FPS of 333 is extremely high, and the GPU is likely not fully utilized. The CPU’s 64 MB of L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency, which can improve gaming performance. The 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth provided by the dual-channel DDR5 support is ample for feeding the 12 cores.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a comprehensive view of the system’s capabilities across different settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 333 FPS for Low, 236 FPS for Medium, 206 FPS for High, and 155 FPS for Ultra settings. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum FPS of 201 and a maximum of 272, indicating a relatively stable frame pacing. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop to 244 FPS for Low, 173 FPS for Medium, 151 FPS for High, and 113 FPS for Ultra. The Medium preset at 1440p records a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS. At 3840x2160, the averages are 157 FPS for Low, 112 FPS for Medium, 98 FPS for High, and 73 FPS for Ultra. The only 4K measurement with min/max data is the Medium preset, which shows a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. These numbers show that the system can deliver a smooth 60+ FPS experience at 4K on High settings, and it can push well beyond 144 FPS at 1440p on High settings, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 1080p numbers are exceptionally high, with the Low preset exceeding 300 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized over visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 9728 shading units and 76 RT cores. Its boost clock of 2505 MHz and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provide a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This configuration is designed to handle demanding 4K gaming workloads. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 34457 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is only 0.1% faster in average benchmark score. The data shows that the RTX 4080 is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 73. This is a significant decrease from the 98 FPS at High settings, indicating that the Ultra preset’s additional graphical effects, such as higher-quality shadows and reflections, place a heavy load on the GPU. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS is substantial, but the demands of Lockdown Protocol at 4K with Ultra settings are enough to challenge it. The 22.4 Gbps effective memory speed ensures that the GPU has sufficient bandwidth to stream textures and geometry data, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame rates in a fast-paced FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 206 FPS.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor, as the frame rates are very high (e.g., 333 FPS on Low), suggesting the GPU has spare capacity.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average frame rate recorded is 73 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900 has an average benchmark score that is 1.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1440p High and 4K High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 2560x1440 High settings is 151 FPS, which drops to 98 FPS at 3840x2160 High settings, a 35% decrease.

Settings Recommendations

For players using this combination of AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is viable, delivering an average of 155 FPS, which is suitable for high-refresh-rate displays. However, for competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 333 FPS or the Medium preset at 236 FPS would be preferable. At 2560x1440, the High preset provides an excellent balance, with an average of 151 FPS that is smooth and responsive. The Ultra preset at 1440p still delivers 113 FPS, which is also a good option for those prioritizing visual quality. At 3840x2160, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it maintains an average of 98 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for a good experience. The Medium preset at 4K offers a more stable frame rate with a minimum of 95 FPS, making it a safe choice for ensuring consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided if a high frame rate is desired, as the 73 FPS average may result in noticeable stutters in fast-paced action. The data indicates that the High preset at 1440p offers the best combination of visual fidelity and performance, providing a 151 FPS average that can take full advantage of 144Hz monitors. For 4K gaming, the High preset is the sweet spot, offering a smooth experience without the significant performance hit of Ultra settings.