Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places this pairing of an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER at rank 3166 out of 3714 tested combos. That places the configuration firmly in the bottom 15 percent of all systems benchmarked for this FPS, a position that reflects the enormous imbalance between the two components. The data indicates a system where the CPU is operating at a level far above what the graphics card can utilize, particularly at higher resolutions. This combination is one where the processor’s potential is effectively capped by the GPU’s output limits, leading to a ranking that is more indicative of the graphics subsystem than the central processor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 3166 out of 3714 tested combinations places this AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing in the lower percentile of systems for Lockdown Protocol. This is a low position, suggesting that most other configurations deliver higher average frame rates in this specific title. The result is not surprising given the vast performance gulf between the two components. The CPU is a top-tier desktop processor, while the GPU is an older, end-of-life model. In a game like Lockdown Protocol, which is a fast-paced FPS, the frame rate is often dictated by the graphics card’s ability to render frames, and this GPU becomes the bottleneck.

The ranking indicates that this specific combo is not optimized for high-end play. The data shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D alone sits in the 91st percentile when compared to all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54762. In contrast, the GTX 1660 SUPER is in the 53rd percentile for all GPUs, with an average score of 12986. This massive disparity in relative performance is the defining characteristic of this pairing. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which is only 0.6 percent slower on average, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, which is 1.3 percent faster. For the GPU, the nearest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which is 0.4 percent faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 580, which is also 0.4 percent faster. These comparisons show that while the CPU is competitive with modern mid-range parts, the GPU is only performing on par with components from several generations ago.

In practical terms for Lockdown Protocol, this rank means that users of this combo will see average frame rates that are often below the threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors, especially at higher settings. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 123 FPS, but this is the only scenario where it exceeds 100 FPS. At higher presets and resolutions, the frame rate drops considerably. The ranking is a direct reflection of this performance ceiling.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting factor in this configuration for Lockdown Protocol. It is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process at TSMC, with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. The memory bandwidth is 336.0 GB/s, which is a modest figure for modern games. The GPU’s base clock is 1530 MHz, with a boost clock of 1785 MHz. Its FP32 performance is listed at 5.027 TFLOPS. This is a specification set that is several years old, and it shows in the game’s measured results.

The GPU’s role in the benchmark results is to act as a hard cap on performance. For instance, at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 123. Moving to 1080p Medium drops the average to 87 FPS, and High settings brings it down to 76 FPS. At Ultra, the average falls to 57 FPS. This scaling shows that the GPU’s shading units (1408), texture mapping units (88), and render output units (48) are being pushed harder as the settings increase. The GPU’s pixel rate is 85.68 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 157.1 GTexel/s. These numbers are indicative of a card that was designed for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings in its era.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s memory capacity and bandwidth are also significant. The 6 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p, but at higher resolutions, it may become a constraint. The measured data does not show a catastrophic failure at 4K, but frame rates drop to 36 FPS on High and 27 FPS on Ultra, suggesting that the card is struggling to fill the frame buffer and process the increased pixel count. The GPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 580, has a similar average score, indicating that this level of performance is common for that era of hardware. The GTX 1660 SUPER’s production status is End-of-life, which further confirms its position as a legacy component in this pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which confirms the GPU-bound nature of this combo. Starting at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 123. At 1440p with the same Low settings, the average drops to 90 FPS, a 27 percent reduction. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls to 58 FPS, which is a 53 percent reduction from 1080p. This scaling is typical for a GPU that is struggling to maintain frame rates at higher pixel counts.

The pattern is similar across all settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 76 at 1080p, to 56 at 1440p, and then to 36 at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 53 percent, which is identical to the Low setting drop. For Medium settings, the 1080p average is 87 FPS, 1440p is 64 FPS, and 4K is 41 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 53 percent again. At Ultra, the averages are 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K, a 53 percent reduction as well. This consistency in the percentage drop across all settings indicates that the resolution is the primary variable affecting performance, and that the GPU’s rendering pipeline is the bottleneck.

The data also shows that the difference between 1080p and 1440p is smaller than the difference between 1440p and 4K. For instance, at Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 33 FPS, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 32 FPS. This is a fairly linear scaling, which is typical for a GPU that is not constrained by memory bandwidth at lower resolutions but becomes more limited at 4K. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal, as it has more than enough headroom to feed the GPU at all resolutions. The 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D is not the limiting factor here; the GTX 1660 SUPER is.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3166 out of 3714 tested combos for this game. This places it in the lower portion of all tested systems, indicating that the graphics card is holding back the overall performance.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762. This is 0.6 percent lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which scores 55093, and 1.3 percent higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, which scores 54053. It is also 2 percent higher than the Intel Xeon 6505P and 2.1 percent higher than the Intel Core i7-14700F.

Q: What is the best measured performance for this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate measured for this combo at 1080p is 123 FPS, achieved with Low settings. The next highest is 87 FPS on Medium, followed by 76 FPS on High and 57 FPS on Ultra. This shows that the GPU can deliver high frame rates only at the lowest settings.

Q: How much does performance drop from 1080p to 4K on High settings?

A: On High settings, the average frame rate is 76 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 40 FPS, which represents a 53 percent reduction. This indicates the GPU becomes heavily loaded at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X3D a bottleneck for the GTX 1660 SUPER in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the opposite. The CPU has a high benchmark score (54762 average) and is in the 91st percentile for all CPUs. The GPU is in the 53rd percentile for all GPUs. The measured frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, which is a sign that the GPU is the limiting component, not the CPU.

Q: What are the GPU’s memory specifications?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. This is a modest memory configuration that contributes to the GPU’s performance limits at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a high-end desktop processor that is vastly overqualified for pairing with the GTX 1660 SUPER in Lockdown Protocol. It is a 12-core, 24-thread CPU based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It has 128 MB of L3 cache, which is a significant amount for gaming. The CPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. Its Geekbench multicore score is 22884, and the single-core score is 3041. In Passmark, it scores 56154 on multithread and 4646 on single-thread tests.

The CPU’s role in this combo is to provide more than enough processing power to feed the GPU. The measured frame rates in Lockdown Protocol are not CPU-limited, as evidence by the fact that they scale smoothly with resolution changes. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates at 1080p and 4K, which is not the case. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, have average scores that are nearly identical, within 0.6 percent. This shows that the CPU is performing as expected for its class.

In this game, the CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads are likely underutilized, as FPS titles typically do not scale perfectly with core count. However, the high single-thread performance, as indicated by the 3dmark single-thread score of 1269 and the Cinebench R23 single-core of 6739, ensures that the game’s main thread is well-served. The CPU’s 128 MB L3 cache may also help with game data access, but the overall performance is still dictated by the GPU. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 91 versus the GPU’s 53 clearly shows which component is the weak link.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and performance targets. For 1080p, the data shows that the Low preset delivers an average of 123 FPS. This is the only setting that provides frame rates that are suitable for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors. The Medium preset drops to 87 FPS, which is still playable but less smooth. High settings average 76 FPS, and Ultra drops to 57 FPS. For users who prioritize competitive performance, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear choice.

At 1440p, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset averages 90 FPS, which is acceptable for many players. Medium averages 64 FPS, and High drops to 56 FPS. Ultra averages 42 FPS, which will feel less fluid. For 1440p, the Low preset is recommended for a playable experience, while Medium is a compromise if visual fidelity is more important than frame rate. The data shows that the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates at this resolution.

At 4K, the GTX 1660 SUPER is significantly out of its depth. The Low preset averages 58 FPS, which is borderline playable. Medium averages 41 FPS, and High averages 36 FPS. Ultra averages 27 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. The data suggests that 4K gaming is not viable with this combo for Lockdown Protocol, except perhaps at the Low preset. The most balanced experience is at 1080p with Low settings, which provides the highest average frame rate and the best chance of maintaining a consistent performance level. The measured rows show that the gap between Low and Medium is substantial at all resolutions, so users should be prepared to sacrifice visual quality for playability.