Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, places a heavy burden on the GPU, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the AMD Radeon RX 580 illustrates this dynamic clearly. The benchmark data shows a system where the aging Polaris GPU is consistently the limiting factor, struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions, while the 12-core Zen 5 processor sits largely underutilized. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions, settings, and component roles.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, confirming that the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the definitive bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 85 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 62 FPS, a 27% reduction, and at 4K Low, it falls further to 40 FPS. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel-pushing capability as the resolution increases.

The trend continues across all settings presets. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 53 FPS at 1080p to 39 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 25 FPS at 4K. Similarly, the Medium preset yields 60 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, starting at 40 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 29 FPS at 1440p, and becoming effectively unplayable at 19 FPS in 4K.

This scaling pattern indicates that the CPU is not a constraint in this title. The frame rate drops are almost exclusively tied to the increasing resolution, which puts more strain on the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RX 580, with its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus, simply cannot sustain high throughput at 4K. The data suggests that for a smooth experience, 1080p is the target resolution, with 1440p being a compromise only at lower settings. The 4K results are largely academic, as even the Low preset fails to hit 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset’s 19 FPS average is a slideshow.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear picture of the performance cost of each settings preset. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering an average of 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that consistently stays above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the recommended choice for smooth gameplay. While the Low preset achieves a higher average of 85 FPS, the jump to Medium only costs 25 FPS and likely provides a significant visual improvement.

Moving to the High preset at 1080p yields 53 FPS average, which is a 7 FPS drop from Medium. The Ultra preset drops further to 40 FPS. Given the diminishing returns, Medium is the clear sweet spot for this GPU. At 1440p, the situation changes. The Low preset is the only option that provides a playable experience, with an average of 62 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 44 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for a fast-paced FPS. High and Ultra at 1440p are not recommended, with averages of 39 and 29 FPS respectively.

For 4K gaming, no preset is truly playable. The Low preset’s 40 FPS average is the only one that approaches playability, but it still lacks the headroom for consistent performance. The data indicates that users should stick to 1080p Medium for the best experience, or 1440p Low if a higher resolution is preferred. The step from Medium to High is not worth the substantial performance penalty, and Ultra appears to be a setting reserved for future hardware.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580, a 2017 GPU built on the 14nm Polaris 20 chip, is clearly the primary determinant of performance in Lockdown Protocol. Its role is defined by its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, 2304 shading units, and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The memory operates at 2000 MHz, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. These specifications, while capable for their time, are now a limiting factor in modern FPS titles.

The benchmark data reflects this, with the GPU scoring in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 12928 places it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which has a deltaPct of -0.4, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, with a deltaPct of -0.1. This indicates that the RX 580 is performing as expected for its class, but that class is not sufficient for high-end gaming in this title.

The VRAM usage is not directly measured, but the performance drop at 4K suggests the 8 GB frame buffer is being saturated. The texture-heavy environments of Lockdown Protocol, combined with high resolutions, likely exceed the available memory, causing the GPU to swap data and tank frame rates. The GPU's 32 ROPs are also a limiting factor at high resolutions, as they determine the pixel fill rate. The data shows that the RX 580 is the bottleneck, and its age and specifications are the reason the system cannot achieve high frame rates at 1440p and 4K.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where the system can maintain a consistent 60 FPS average, specifically with the Medium preset. 1440p is playable only on Low settings, while 4K results are consistently below 40 FPS across all presets.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928. This is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which scores 12986, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which scores 12940. The AMD Radeon 740M is slightly lower at 12870.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X3D holding back the RX 580?

A: No. The benchmark results show a steep frame rate drop as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s high multi-threaded score of 47737 in Cinebench R23 and 12 cores suggest it is not the limiting factor in this scenario.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 85 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 45 FPS drop for the highest visual quality. The Medium preset provides a middle ground at 60 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Technically yes, but not well. The best 4K result is 40 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 29 FPS, High averages 25 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. None of these are suitable for competitive play.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 sits in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, indicating it is an average performer. Its average benchmark score is 12928, placing it in the mid-range of the performance spectrum.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s role in Lockdown Protocol appears to be secondary, as the GPU limits performance. The CPU is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It has a large 128 MB L3 cache, which is beneficial for gaming, and its benchmark scores are impressive. It achieves a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54762.

The processor’s multi-threaded performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a Geekbench multicore score of 22884. Its single-thread performance is also notable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739. These numbers show it is a high-end CPU, but the frame rates in Lockdown Protocol do not reflect this power. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor; the frame rate differences between resolutions are far more significant than any CPU-related variation.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is on par with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which has a deltaPct of -0.6, and is slightly ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F, which has a deltaPct of 2.1. This indicates that the CPU is performing as expected. However, in this specific game, the CPU's potential is untapped. The system is not CPU-bound, meaning that upgrading the GPU would yield a much more significant performance increase than any CPU change. The CPU is ready to handle more demanding graphics cards, but with the RX 580, it is simply waiting for the GPU to catch up.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is derived from the measured FPS rows, providing a detailed look at the system's performance.

1080p Resolution:

• Low: Average 85 FPS. The highest frame rate recorded for this system, indicating a clear GPU-bound scenario.
• Medium: Average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This is the only preset at 1080p that maintains a steady 60 FPS average.
• High: Average 53 FPS. A 7 FPS drop from Medium, showing the cost of higher quality textures and effects.
• Ultra: Average 40 FPS. The most demanding preset, halving the frame rate compared to Low.

1440p Resolution:

• Low: Average 62 FPS. The only playable option at this resolution, still offering a decent experience.
• Medium: Average 44 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS. Playable, but with noticeable dips below 60 FPS.
• High: Average 39 FPS. The frame rate begins to struggle, making fast-paced combat difficult.
• Ultra: Average 29 FPS. This preset is not recommended for a smooth experience.

4K Resolution:

• Low: Average 40 FPS. The best case scenario at 4K, but still below the ideal for a competitive FPS.
• Medium: Average 29 FPS, with a minimum of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS. The frame rate is inconsistent and often dips to uncomfortable levels.
• High: Average 25 FPS. The game is almost unplayable at this preset.
• Ultra: Average 19 FPS. This is the worst performing configuration, rendering the game as a slideshow.

The data confirms a consistent pattern: the RX 580’s performance degrades predictably as resolution and settings increase. The system is best suited for 1080p Medium, where it can provide a stable 60 FPS experience, and any attempt to push higher resolutions or settings results in a significant drop in frame rate. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides ample headroom, but it is the GPU that defines the overall gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol.