Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a lopsided combination in Lockdown Protocol, where the data indicates a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions but potential CPU limitations at 1080p. This analysis, based solely on measured FPS and hardware specifications, breaks down how this pairing performs across settings and resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It carries a 12 MB shared L3 cache and a 58 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves an average score of 13516, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, scores nearly identically at 13534, a delta of only -0.1%, suggesting that in raw multithreaded throughput, the i3-12100F is surprisingly competitive with a high-end workstation chip, despite its modest core count.

For Lockdown Protocol, this CPU’s role is nuanced. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 271.2 FPS, but this figure is likely constrained by the CPU’s 4-core design. The processor’s single-thread score in Cinebench R23 is 1681, which is strong for a budget chip, but its multithread score of 11912 indicates limited scaling beyond 4 cores. In a fast-paced FPS, the game’s logic and physics often rely on a few threads, where the i3-12100F’s high boost clock helps. However, when the GPU is not the bottleneck, as seen at 1080p Low, the FPS ceiling appears capped. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 2859 versus the 8-thread score of 4026 confirms that additional threads provide diminishing returns, meaning the CPU’s efficiency at lower thread counts is what drives performance in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data reveals a consistent pattern: the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate across all resolutions. At 1440p, Medium delivers 161.8 FPS, which is only a 13% drop from Low’s 222.6 FPS but a significant 37% improvement over High’s 141.6 FPS. At 4K, Medium produces 102.7 FPS, which is playable, while High drops to 88.5 FPS and Ultra falls to 66.4 FPS. The Low preset is too fast to be visually optimal, as it pushes frame rates to 271.2 FPS at 1080p, but this leaves performance on the table.

The Ultra preset is the worst choice, as it yields the lowest frame rates at every resolution, including a sub-60 FPS experience at 4K (66.4 FPS). The data suggests that High is a viable alternative for users with 144Hz displays at 1440p, as it maintains 141.6 FPS. However, for a consistent experience without the sharp FPS penalty of Ultra, Medium is the recommended preset. It provides a 102.7 FPS average at 4K, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, and 161.8 FPS at 1440p, which is smooth for high-refresh monitors.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions clearly indicates a GPU-bound system at higher settings, but the behavior changes with lower presets. Moving from 1080p to 1440p on High, the frame rate drops from 192.4 FPS to 141.6 FPS, a 26% decrease. From 1440p to 4K on High, it drops further to 88.5 FPS, a 37% decrease. This steep decline is typical of a GPU-heavy workload, as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 672.3 GB/s bandwidth are taxed by the increasing pixel count.

However, at Low settings, the scaling is different. From 1080p (271.2 FPS) to 1440p (222.6 FPS), the drop is only 18%, and to 4K (143 FPS), it is a 47% drop from 1080p. The smaller drop at 1440p suggests that at lower settings, the CPU becomes the limiting factor at 1080p, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs. The fact that 1080p Low (271.2 FPS) is only 22% faster than 1440p Low (222.6 FPS) indicates that the i3-12100F is holding back performance at the lowest resolution. Conversely, at 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the FPS drops dramatically regardless of settings, from 143 FPS at Low to 66.4 FPS at Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER ranks 221st out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 13.5% of all systems tested. This is a strong ranking, but it is not indicative of a balanced pairing. The high rank is largely due to the GPU’s raw power, as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 48704. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 50HX (score 49071, delta -0.7%) and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 (score 47915, delta 1.6%), showing that the GPU is among the top-tier performers.

The CPU, by contrast, is in the 72nd percentile, which is respectable but not elite. The rank of 221 suggests that while this combo outperforms the majority of systems, there is a significant gap to the top 200 combos, which likely feature more powerful CPUs. The data implies that the i3-12100F is the weak link in this pairing, as the GPU’s potential is not fully realized in CPU-bound scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions and settings. The combo’s rank confirms the GPU’s dominance, but it also highlights an imbalance that users should consider.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 141.6 FPS.

Q: Does the Ultra preset ever exceed 100 FPS?

A: No. The Ultra preset yields a maximum of 143.3 FPS at 1080p, but at 1440p it drops to 103 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 66.4 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's multithread performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX scores 13534, a delta of -0.1%, meaning the i3 is essentially tied with the Threadripper in average score.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s, with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus.

Q: At which resolution does the FPS drop the most from 1080p to 4K on Medium?

A: On Medium settings, the FPS drops from 218.8 at 1080p to 161.8 at 1440p, and then to 102.7 at 4K. The largest relative drop is from 1440p to 4K, which is a 37% decrease.

Q: What is the combo's rank in the game?

A: The combo ranks 221st out of 1637 tested combinations, placing it in the top 13.5% of all systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following are the exact measured average FPS values for this combo in Lockdown Protocol:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 271.2 FPS
• Medium: 218.8 FPS
• High: 192.4 FPS
• Ultra: 143.3 FPS

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 222.6 FPS
• Medium: 161.8 FPS
• High: 141.6 FPS
• Ultra: 103 FPS

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 143 FPS
• Medium: 102.7 FPS
• High: 88.5 FPS
• Ultra: 66.4 FPS

The data shows a clear hierarchy: Low is always the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the slowest. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 127.9 FPS, indicating a massive performance range. At 4K, the gap narrows to 76.6 FPS, but the percentages are similar. Notably, the 1080p Low result of 271.2 FPS is the highest measured value, suggesting a CPU limit, as the GPU should theoretically handle more at this resolution.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory, a 256-bit bus, and a memory bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 2340 MHz, with a boost clock of 2610 MHz, and it features 8448 shading units. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 48704, placing it in the 86th percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, scores 49071 (delta -0.7%), while the NVIDIA RTX A2000 scores 47915 (delta 1.6%), showing the 4070 Ti SUPER is competitive with other high-end cards.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is dominant at 4K, where the frame rates are heavily dependent on the settings preset. The 16 GB VRAM is ample for the game, preventing memory-related stutters even at Ultra settings. The boost clock of 2610 MHz ensures high compute throughput, which is reflected in the 4K High result of 88.5 FPS. The GPU's pixel rate of 250.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 689.0 GTexel/s are critical for rendering the game’s environments at high resolutions.

The data indicates that the GPU is rarely the bottleneck at 1080p, as the CPU limits performance, but at 4K, the GPU is fully utilized. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s performance in this game is strong, but the pairing with the i3-12100F means that users at 1080p will not see the full benefit of the GPU’s power. The GPU’s 285 W TDP and triple-slot design are notable, but the measured FPS proves that it delivers the expected high-end performance in GPU-bound scenarios.