Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is consistently capable of playable performance, but one where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. The data indicates a clear hierarchy of performance that favors lower resolutions for high refresh rate displays, while 4K gaming requires significant compromises in visual quality to maintain acceptable frame pacing.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a dramatic drop in average frame rates across all settings, underscoring the Radeon RX 6600's limitations at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 146.6 at 1080p to 67.2 at 4K, a reduction of roughly 54%. This scaling is less severe than at higher presets; at Ultra settings, the average drops from 65.7 FPS at 1080p to 33.2 FPS at 4K, a 49% decrease. The pattern suggests that at lower settings, the CPU is better able to feed the GPU, but as resolution climbs, the pixel shading workload overwhelms the 8 GB frame buffer and the 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth.

The data shows that the Radeon RX 6600 is the limiting component when moving from 1440p to 4K. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 64.6, which is close to the 60 FPS target. However, at 4K with the same settings, the average plummets to 43 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's compute resources, specifically its 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs, are insufficient to handle the 4K pixel throughput without dropping to Low settings. The 67.2 FPS average at 4K Low is the only way to approach a smooth experience, but it still requires a significant visual downgrade from High.

Interestingly, the scaling from 1080p to 1440p is more moderate. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 103.8 to 73.7, a 29% reduction. This suggests that the CPU, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, is still capable of maintaining a reasonable frame rate at 1440p, but the GPU is starting to feel the strain. The benchmark results indicate that for players targeting 1440p, the High preset is the upper limit for consistent 60 FPS gameplay, while 4K is only viable with the Low preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achieved with this hardware?

A: The highest average FPS recorded in the data is 146.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which yields an average of 67.2 FPS. At Medium and High settings, the average drops to 52.1 and 43 FPS respectively, which may not be ideal for fast-paced gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 6600 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 25235 is effectively identical to the AMD Radeon 890M, which scores 25246 with a deltaPct of 0. It also sits within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

Q: Is the Core i3-12100F a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests not. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 146.6 FPS, indicating the CPU can push high frame rates. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, with Ultra dropping to 65.7 FPS.

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

A: The average FPS drops from 146.6 at Low to 65.7 at Ultra, a difference of 80.9 FPS. This represents a 55% reduction in performance, highlighting the significant cost of high-fidelity effects.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516, which is 1.8% higher than the Intel Core i7-7700K, which scores 13280.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a 7 nm process, featuring 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. This configuration provides a memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s, which is a critical factor in Lockdown Protocol's performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz are relatively high, but the data shows they are not enough to compensate for the memory bandwidth limitations at 4K.

The GPU's role is most evident when examining the jump from Medium to Ultra settings. At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 73.7 at Medium to 48.8 at Ultra, a 34% reduction. This is likely due to increased texture detail and shadow quality, which saturate the 8 GB frame buffer. The 64 ROPs and 112 TMUs are also stressed by the higher pixel fill rates and texture filtering demands of Ultra presets. The benchmark results indicate that the RX 6600 is a solid 1080p performer, but its 128-bit memory interface is a clear constraint at 1440p and above.

The GPU's synthetic performance, with a PassMark G3D score of 15096 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1492, places it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. This is a mid-range tier, and the measured FPS data aligns with that positioning. The RX 6600's performance is nearly identical to the Radeon 890M, with a deltaPct of 0, and it is just 0.5% behind the RTX 3060 Ti in average benchmark scores, but the in-game results show that Lockdown Protocol favors the AMD card's architecture at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 146.6 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most standard monitors. Medium settings still provide a very smooth 103.8 FPS, while High settings drop to 88.4 FPS. Ultra settings, however, pull the average down to 65.7 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant compromise in visual fidelity for only a marginal gain in frame rate. The data shows a clear step-down in performance as each preset increases in complexity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates become more moderate. Low settings yield 109.9 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Medium settings drop to 73.7 FPS, while High settings average 64.6 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target for most titles. Ultra settings at 1440p average 48.8 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth and may result in stutter during intense firefights. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is a 27% reduction, from 88.4 to 64.6 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overworked. Low settings produce an average of 67.2 FPS, which is the only preset that approaches smooth gameplay. Medium settings drop to 52.1 FPS, while High settings average 43 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K are barely playable at 33.2 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware unless the player is willing to accept the Low preset, which sacrifices most of the game's visual enhancements.

Settings Recommendations

For players using a 1080p display, the High preset is the recommended balance between visual quality and performance. It delivers an average of 88.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a substantial improvement over Medium's 103.8 FPS. Ultra settings, while offering the best visuals, reduce the average to 65.7 FPS, which may not be worth the trade-off for a game that demands fast reaction times. The Low preset at 146.6 FPS is ideal for competitive players who prioritize frame rate above all else, but it sacrifices too much detail for most users.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It offers an average of 73.7 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The High preset at 64.6 FPS is also acceptable, but it leaves less headroom for drops during intense scenes. Ultra settings at 48.8 FPS are not recommended, as the frame rate dips below the 60 FPS target and can cause noticeable input lag. Low settings at 109.9 FPS are excellent for high refresh rate 1440p monitors, but the visual downgrade is significant.

For 4K displays, the only viable option is the Low preset, which yields 67.2 FPS. Medium settings at 52.1 FPS and High at 43 FPS are playable but may feel sluggish in a fast-paced FPS. Ultra settings at 33.2 FPS are effectively unplayable. The data suggests that players with 4K monitors should either accept the Low preset or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience. The High preset at 1440p, with an average of 64.6 FPS, offers a superior balance of visual fidelity and performance compared to 4K Low.