Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers a high-refresh-rate experience across all tested settings in Lockdown Protocol, a 2024-released FPS title. The data shows this pairing ranks 205th out of 3,714 tested combos, placing it in the top 5.5% of configurations, with measured frame rates ranging from 73 FPS at 4K Ultra to 333 FPS at 1080p Low. The following analysis breaks down how resolution scaling, settings presets, and individual component characteristics shape these results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a clear pattern of frame rate scaling as resolution increases, with the gap between presets narrowing at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS spans from 155 at Ultra to 333 at Low, a difference of 178 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the span compresses to 131 FPS (113 to 244), and at 4K, the span further narrows to 84 FPS (73 to 157). This compression indicates that the GPU becomes progressively more limiting as pixel count rises, while at 1080p, the system's headroom is substantial enough that even Ultra settings produce 155 FPS.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p for High settings shows a drop from 206 FPS to 151 FPS, a 26.7% reduction. From 1440p to 4K at High, the drop is from 151 FPS to 98 FPS, a 35.1% reduction. The Low preset scales differently: 333 FPS at 1080p falls to 244 FPS at 1440p (26.7% drop), then to 157 FPS at 4K (35.7% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across presets suggests the scaling is primarily resolution-driven rather than settings-driven, with the RTX 4080's pixel throughput being the constraining factor.

At Ultra settings, the 4K result of 73 FPS is notably lower than the Medium preset's 112 FPS at the same resolution, a 34.8% penalty. This indicates that Ultra settings introduce rendering features that disproportionately impact the GPU at high pixel counts. The Medium preset shows the most complete data, with min FPS values recorded: 95 FPS at 4K, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 201 FPS at 1080p. The min-to-avg gap at Medium settings is 17 FPS at 4K, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 1080p, suggesting more frame-time variance at lower resolutions where the CPU has more influence on frame pacing.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's processing power is likely the more active participant in maintaining high frame rates, while at 4K, the RTX 4080's rendering workload dominates. The 16-core, 32-thread CPU with a 5.70 GHz boost clock provides ample single-thread performance for the game's logic, while the GPU's 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 compute handles the increasing pixel load.

Settings Recommendations

Examining the measured presets, Medium settings offer the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the system produces 236 FPS average with a 201 FPS minimum, which comfortably exceeds the refresh rate capabilities of most high-end monitors. At 1440p Medium, the 173 FPS average with a 147 FPS minimum still provides smooth gameplay, while at 4K Medium, 112 FPS average and 95 FPS minimum remain playable on high-refresh displays.

High settings provide a meaningful visual upgrade over Medium with modest frame rate costs. The delta from Medium to High is 30 FPS at 1080p (236 to 206), 22 FPS at 1440p (173 to 151), and 14 FPS at 4K (112 to 98). The percentage cost of High over Medium increases with resolution: 12.7% at 1080p, 12.7% at 1440p, and 12.5% at 4K. This consistent cost suggests High settings add similar relative workloads regardless of resolution, making High a strong recommendation for users prioritizing visual fidelity without sacrificing fluidity.

Ultra settings exact a heavy toll, particularly at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the 73 FPS average represents a 34.8% reduction from Medium's 112 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, 113 FPS is a 34.7% drop from Medium, and at 1080p Ultra, 155 FPS is a 34.3% reduction. The near-identical percentage penalties across resolutions indicate Ultra settings add a fixed proportional load, but the absolute frame rates at 4K Ultra (73 FPS) fall below the 90+ FPS threshold many FPS players consider optimal.

For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 333 FPS, which is 97 FPS higher than Medium's 236 FPS. This 41.1% improvement in frame rate at Low settings provides maximum responsiveness for esports scenarioscars. However, the visual compromise may be significant for a game released in 2024 with modern rendering features.

The data suggests Medium is the recommended preset for general use, offering the best combination of frame rate headroom and visual quality. High is a viable alternative for users with 120Hz or 144Hz displays at 1080p or 1440p, as the frame rates remain above 150 FPS. Ultra should be reserved for users prioritizing image quality over frame rate, with the understanding that 4K Ultra drops below 75 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's memory clock runs at 1400 MHz with 22.4 Gbps effective transfer rate. This memory configuration appears well-matched to Lockdown Protocol's demands, as the measured frame rates at 4K remain playable even at Ultra settings, suggesting no memory capacity or bandwidth bottleneck at this resolution.

The RTX 4080's boost clock of 2505 MHz and base clock of 2205 MHz are standard for the Ada Lovelace architecture. The GPU contains 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs, with 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores. The pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s provide the throughput necessary for the high frame rates observed at lower resolutions.

The benchmark results show the RTX 4080's PassMark G3D score of 34,457 places it in the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54,209 in the average benchmark, just 0.1% higher than this card's 54,247 average. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, 1.1% higher, while the Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, 2.6% higher. These small percentage differences indicate the RTX 4080 sits in a tightly contested performance tier.

The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 20,671 in PassMark GPU Compute, support the frame rates observed in Lockdown Protocol. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) allows for advanced rendering features that the game may leverage at High and Ultra presets. The 16 GB VRAM capacity provides substantial headroom for 4K texture sets, and the measured 4K frame rates suggest the game does not exceed this capacity, as no sudden frame rate collapses are visible in the data.

The RTX 4080's 320 W TDP and triple-slot cooling solution indicate a high-power design, though the measured performance justifies the power envelope. The GPU's production status is end-of-life, with a successor in the GeForce 50 series, but its performance in this game remains competitive.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system produces its highest frame rates across all presets. Low settings yield 333 FPS average, which is the fastest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium settings produce 236 FPS average with a 201 FPS minimum and 272 FPS maximum, showing a 71 FPS range between min and max. High settings deliver 206 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 155 FPS average. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 53.4% reduction in frame rate, indicating that Ultra settings roughly halve the performance headroom.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a noticeable reduction from 1080p. Low settings produce 244 FPS average, a 26.7% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 173 FPS with a minimum of 147 FPS and maximum of 199 FPS, a 52 FPS range. High settings average 151 FPS, and Ultra settings average 113 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra reduction at 1440p is 53.7%, nearly identical to the 1080p reduction, confirming that settings presets scale consistently across these two resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates show the most significant impact from resolution scaling. Low settings average 157 FPS, which is 35.7% lower than 1080p Low and 35.7% lower than 1440p Low. Medium settings average 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS and maximum of 129 FPS, a 34 FPS range. High settings average 98 FPS, and Ultra settings average 73 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 73 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset, representing a 78.1% reduction from the 1080p Low result of 333 FPS.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions. The min-to-avg gaps are 35 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. This decreasing gap at higher resolutions suggests that frame-time consistency improves as the GPU becomes more uniformly loaded, whereas at 1080p, the CPU's variable workload can cause more pronounced frame dips.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 205th out of 3,714 tested configurations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 5.5% of all combos. This rank reflects the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings, and the position indicates that the combination outperforms the vast majority of tested systems.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 75,779 places it in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75,738, 0.1% lower), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75,716, 0.1% lower), AMD EPYC 8224P (75,582, 0.3% lower), and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75,488, 0.4% lower). These rivals are all within 0.4% of the 9950X3D's score, indicating that the top of the CPU performance hierarchy is extremely tight.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 54,247 places it in the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54,209, just 0.1% lower, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, 1.1% higher. The Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, 2.6% higher, and the Radeon 8060S scores 55,757, 2.7% higher. The RTX 4080's position in the 86th percentile, combined with the CPU's 95th percentile, explains the overall combo rank of 205th.

The gap between the CPU and GPU percentiles (95th vs. 86th) suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing for Lockdown Protocol. The CPU has more headroom relative to its peers than the GPU does, meaning that upgrading the GPU would likely yield larger frame rate improvements than upgrading the CPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge. It features a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, with 128 MB of L3 cache. The CPU's 4 nm process node from TSMC houses 16,630 million transistors across a 2x 70.6 mm² die size. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, as reflected in its benchmark scores.

The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 1,292 in 3DMark and 2,259 in Cinebench R23, is critical for Lockdown Protocol's game logic and frame generation. The 3DMark scores show scaling from 2,549 at 2 threads to 17,184 at max threads, indicating strong multi-threading capabilities. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42,018 and single-core score of 2,259 demonstrate balanced performance across different workload types.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is evident in the frame rate differences between resolutions. At 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU can feed frames at rates up to 333 FPS (Low preset). The 5.70 GHz boost clock provides the single-thread speed necessary for high frame rate scenarios, while the 32 threads handle background tasks and game engine systems without competing for resources.

The CPU's 128 MB L3 cache is a notable feature that can benefit game performance by reducing memory latency for frequently accessed data. The 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth on DDR5 dual-channel support provides sufficient data throughput for the CPU to maintain high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU's TDP of 170 W and AM5 socket compatibility are standard for a high-end desktop processor.

The benchmark results show the 9950X3D excels in multi-threaded workloads, with a PassMark multithread score of 70,255 and Geekbench multicore score of 26,736. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its average score, indicating that the 9950X3D is at the very top of the desktop CPU hierarchy. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the CPU is rarely the limiting factor, allowing the GPU to determine the final frame rates.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium produces 173 FPS average with a 147 FPS minimum, while 4K Medium produces 112 FPS average with a 95 FPS minimum. For the best balance of visual clarity and frame rate, 1440p High (151 FPS) or 1440p Medium (173 FPS) are strong choices, while 4K Medium remains playable at 112 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost by using Ultra settings instead of Medium?

A: The percentage penalty for Ultra over Medium is nearly identical across resolutions: 34.3% at 1080p (236 to 155 FPS), 34.7% at 1440p (173 to 113 FPS), and 34.8% at 4K (112 to 73 FPS). This consistent cost means Ultra settings add a proportional load regardless of resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the more limiting component. The CPU ranks in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 86th percentile among all GPUs. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows consistent percentage drops across presets, suggesting the GPU's rendering workload is the primary constraint.

Q: Can this system achieve 240 FPS in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, at 1080p Low, the system produces 333 FPS, well above 240 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the 236 FPS average also exceeds 240 FPS by a small margin. At 1440p Low, 244 FPS slightly exceeds 240 FPS, but at 1440p Medium, 173 FPS falls short.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest GPU rival?

A: The RTX 4080 scores 54,247 in the average benchmark, while the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54,209, a 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, 1.1% higher, and the Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, 2.6% higher. These differences are small enough that in-game performance would be nearly identical.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 73 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The next lowest is 98 FPS at 4K High, followed by 112 FPS at 4K Medium. The 4K Ultra result is the only preset where the average drops below 90 FPS.