Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination in Lockdown Protocol presents a clear study in performance scaling, where the graphics card is the dominant factor across all tested resolutions. The data set, which covers 1080p, 1440p, and 4K at four settings levels, reveals a predictable but steep performance curve. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 82.3 FPS, which drops to 64.4 FPS at 1440p and then to 38 FPS at 4K. This indicates that while the system is capable of high refresh rates at lower resolutions, the RX 580 struggles to maintain playable framerates as pixel count increases, particularly at 4K where even the lowest settings yield sub-60 FPS results.

The pattern holds across all settings, with the frame rate penalty for moving from 1080p to 4K being substantial. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 53.4 at 1080p to 36.3 at 1440p and finally to 23.7 at 4K. This represents a roughly 55% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at High settings. The scaling is less aggressive when moving from 1080p to 1440p, where the drop is approximately 32%, but the jump to 4K incurs a much steeper penalty. This behavior strongly suggests that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU’s 12 threads and 6 cores provide sufficient headroom for the frame rates observed, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU workload becomes the bottleneck.

Interestingly, the scaling between Medium and High settings is relatively consistent across resolutions, with High settings delivering about 84% of the Medium framerate at 1080p, 80% at 1440p, and 83% at 4K. This consistency implies that the game’s rendering pipeline is well-balanced for the Polaris architecture, but the absolute numbers remain low. The 4K Ultra result of 17.3 FPS is the most telling, as it effectively renders the resolution unplayable for any competitive or action-oriented gameplay. The data clearly shows that this hardware is not designed for 4K gaming in this title, and even 1440p requires significant settings compromises to approach 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling analysis reveals a GPU-bound scenario across the board. The most notable observation is that the performance gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (82.3 FPS) and Ultra (37.9 FPS) is 44.4 FPS, but at 4K, the gap between Low (38 FPS) and Ultra (17.3 FPS) shrinks to 20.7 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions is a classic sign of GPU limitation, where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become the primary constraints, rather than the shader complexity that Ultra settings typically add.

The 1440p results offer a middle ground that is worth examining. At Medium settings, the combo produces 45.3 FPS, which is above the 4K Low result of 38 FPS but below the 1080p High result of 53.4 FPS. This suggests that 1440p Medium is the highest resolution/settings combination that keeps the average framerate in a playable range, though it still falls short of a locked 60 FPS. The data indicates that for a smooth experience, users should target 1080p, where even High settings (53.4 FPS) are close to standard monitor refresh rates, and Low settings (82.3 FPS) provide ample headroom for high-refresh displays.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing. At Medium settings, the framerate drops from 45.3 to 28.3 FPS, a 37.5% reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 36.3 to 23.7 FPS, a 34.7% reduction. These figures highlight that 4K is not a viable target for this configuration, as even the most aggressive settings reduction (Low) cannot push the average above 38 FPS. For users with 4K displays, the only recommendation is to run the game at 1080p or 1440p with upscaling, as the native 4K output does not meet minimum playability standards.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580’s role in Lockdown Protocol is defined by its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit memory bus, which provides a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game’s texture loads at 1080p and 1440p, but it may become a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the 17.3 FPS result suggests the GPU is overwhelmed by both pixel throughput and memory pressure. The GPU’s base clock of 1257 MHz and boost clock of 1340 MHz are modest by modern standards, and the 2304 shading units are tasked with handling the game’s effects at higher presets.

The GPU’s benchmark profile places it in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13559. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 with a delta of 0%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 with a delta of 0.1%. This indicates that the RX 580 is competitively positioned among older mid-range cards, but it lacks the raw compute power to handle demanding titles like Lockdown Protocol at high resolutions. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS is adequate for 1080p gaming, but the data shows it is insufficient for 4K.

The 4K results, particularly the Low setting at 38 FPS, illustrate that the RX 580’s memory bandwidth is not the sole bottleneck; the shader throughput also plays a critical role. At 4K Low, the game is rendering fewer effects and shadows, yet the framerate remains below 40 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s computational resources are saturated by the sheer pixel count. In contrast, at 1080p Low, the GPU can deliver 82.3 FPS, showing that it has ample headroom when the resolution is reduced. This behavior confirms that the GPU is the primary limiting component in this combo, with the CPU able to feed frames faster than the GPU can render them at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers a solid balance, delivering 63.8 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144 Hz or above), the Low preset at 82.3 FPS is the best choice, as it maximises framerate without introducing excessive visual degradation. The High preset at 53.4 FPS is also viable, but it requires users to accept a framerate below 60 FPS, which may be noticeable in a fast-paced FPS.

At 1440p, the recommendations shift more conservatively. The Medium preset produces 45.3 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The Low preset at 64.4 FPS is the only option that achieves a smooth experience, though it sacrifices visual quality. High and Ultra settings at 1440p (36.3 and 28.2 FPS respectively) are not recommended for sustained gameplay, as the framerate dips below 40 FPS, which can lead to a less responsive feel. The data suggests that 1440p users should stick to Low or Medium, with Medium providing a better visual experience at the cost of a lower framerate.

For 4K, the data is unequivocal: none of the settings presets provide a playable experience. The Low preset at 38 FPS is the highest achievable, but even this is below the 40 FPS minimum for most FPS games. Medium (28.3 FPS) and High (23.7 FPS) are marginal, while Ultra at 17.3 FPS is effectively a slideshow. The recommendation for 4K is to avoid this resolution entirely, or to use a dynamic resolution scaler if the game supports it. The 1080p Medium preset is the best overall compromise between visual fidelity and performance, offering 63.8 FPS with a balanced set of graphical features.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows its strongest performance. The Low preset delivers an average of 82.3 FPS, which is the highest framerate recorded in the entire test suite. Medium follows at 63.8 FPS, High at 53.4 FPS, and Ultra at 37.9 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra is smooth, with each step down in quality yielding a roughly 10-15 FPS increase. For 1080p gaming, the Low preset is the only one that exceeds 80 FPS, while Medium and High are within the 50-65 FPS range, which is acceptable for most users.

Moving to 2560x1440, the framerates drop noticeably. Low settings produce 64.4 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, making it the only 1440p preset to achieve this milestone. Medium drops to 45.3 FPS, High to 36.3 FPS, and Ultra to 28.2 FPS. The 1440p results show a clear step-down from 1080p, with the Low preset at 1440p performing similarly to the High preset at 1080p (64.4 vs 53.4 FPS). This indicates that resolution has a larger impact on performance than settings in this title.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly poor. The Low preset averages 38 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 30 FPS. Medium drops to 28.3 FPS, High to 23.7 FPS, and Ultra to 17.3 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire dataset, and even the Low preset at 4K is slower than the Ultra preset at 1080p (38 vs 37.9 FPS), showing that resolution scaling dominates settings scaling. The full breakdown of results is presented in the table below for clarity.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 82.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 63.8 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 53.4 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 37.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 64.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 45.3 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 36.3 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 28.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 38.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 28.3 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 23.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 17.3 |

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can achieve consistently high framerates. At 1080p, even the High preset produces 53.4 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 82.3 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset (64.4 FPS) exceeds 60 FPS, and at 4K, the highest average is 38 FPS on Low settings.

Q: Can this system run the game at 4K?

A: Technically yes, but not at playable framerates. The best 4K result is 38 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 40 FPS minimum for most FPS games. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 17.3 FPS, making it unsuitable for any serious gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 13559, placing it in the 53rd percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, has a virtually identical score with a delta of 0%, while the GeForce GTX 950 is 0.1% ahead. The AMD Radeon Pro 455 is 1.1% behind.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 82.3 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 37.9 FPS. This represents a 44.4 FPS difference, meaning the Ultra preset is only 46% of the Low preset’s performance. The Medium preset (63.8 FPS) and High preset (53.4 FPS) sit in between.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F a bottleneck for the RX 580 in this game?

A: Based on the resolution scaling data, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 82.3 FPS, which is below the CPU’s capability, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 and single-core score of 1453. The framerate drops proportionally with resolution, confirming GPU limitation.

Q: What settings preset provides the smoothest experience at 1440p?

A: The Low preset at 2560x1440 is the only option that exceeds 60 FPS, averaging 64.4 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 45.3 FPS, which is still playable but may feel less responsive. For a balance of visual quality and performance, Medium is the highest recommended preset at 1440p.