Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core i5-10400F + AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with 4K remaining largely playable depending on the preset. Measured data shows the combination ranking 2360th out of 3714 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. The 6-core Comet Lake processor and the 16 GB RDNA 3 GPU form a balanced pairing where the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's single-thread performance influences the ceiling at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 104 FPS at 1080p to 76 FPS at 1440p, then further to 49 FPS at 4K. This represents a 53% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor as pixel count escalates.

The scaling behavior at Low settings is more pronounced. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 167 FPS average, which falls to 123 FPS at 1440p and then to 79 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 52.7%, nearly identical to the High preset drop. This consistency across presets suggests the RX 7600 XT's rendering pipeline, rather than the CPU, determines the frame rate at all tested resolutions.

Medium settings show a similar trend with average FPS of 119 at 1080p, 87 at 1440p, and 56 at 4K. The min FPS values for Medium settings also scale predictably: 101 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K. At Ultra settings, the averages are 78 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset at 4K produces the lowest measured average in the dataset, falling below the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider minimally acceptable.

The resolution scaling indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 4K, only the Low preset (79 FPS average) delivers a smooth experience, while Medium (56 FPS) and High (49 FPS) hover near playable thresholds. The 16 GB VRAM capacity does not appear to be the bottleneck at 4K, as the frame rate declines follow a consistent pattern across all presets, pointing to raw compute limitations of the Navi 33 chip.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. This Comet Lake processor, built on Intel's 14 nm process, features 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark results show a multithreaded score of 10283 in Cinebench R23 and a single-thread score of 1451 in the same test, placing it in the 68th percentile against all CPUs in the database.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the frame rate gaps between settings at the same resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 89 FPS (167 vs 78), which is the largest spread across all resolutions. This wide gap suggests that at lower settings, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high frame rates, but the GPU's workload increases substantially with each preset tier. At 4K, the spread between Low and Ultra narrows to 42 FPS (79 vs 37), indicating that the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck as resolution increases.

The 10400F's single-thread performance, reflected in its Geekbench single-core score of 1420 and Passmark single-thread score of 2541, is sufficient to drive 167 FPS at 1080p Low. This indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor at the lowest preset. However, the lack of a higher boost clock compared to newer processors may cap the maximum achievable frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios. The processor's 3DMark single-thread score of 688 and 2-thread score of 1350 suggest moderate per-core performance that aligns with its generation.

The CPU's multithreaded capabilities, demonstrated by a Cinebench R20 multicore score of 4318 and a Passmark multithread score of 12115, are adequate for Lockdown Protocol's FPS gameplay. The game's data does not indicate heavy multi-thread utilization, as the frame rates scale more predictably with resolution than with core count. The 10400F's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% higher average score) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.6% lower average score), showing that this processor sits in a competitive mid-range position.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its boost clock reaches 2755 MHz, with a game clock of 2470 MHz and a base clock of 1980 MHz. The 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units provide the compute foundation for Lockdown Protocol's rendering demands.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 60th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17083. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which scores 0.7% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, which scores 0.3% lower. This positioning suggests the RX 7600 XT delivers performance comparable to a previous-generation high-end card, with the advantage of 16 GB VRAM and modern RDNA 3 features.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's 22.57 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 352.6 GTexel/s texture rate directly influence the measured frame rates. The pixel rate of 176.3 GPixel/s becomes increasingly relevant at 4K, where the GPU must fill four times the pixels of 1080p. The data shows the GPU handling 37 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is a 52.6% reduction from the 78 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This scaling aligns with the pixel count increase, confirming the GPU is the dominant constraint at 4K.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity provides ample headroom for Lockdown Protocol at all tested settings. The frame rate trends do not indicate VRAM-related stutters or drops, as the min FPS values for Medium settings (101 at 1080p, 74 at 1440p, 48 at 4K) follow the average FPS pattern proportionally. The 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports the 128-bit bus configuration, though it is lower than what wider-bus competitors offer. The GPU's memory clock of 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) contributes to this bandwidth figure.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 are the optimal resolutions. At 1080p, all presets exceed 78 FPS average, with Low reaching 167 FPS. At 1440p, High settings deliver 76 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 57 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings (79 FPS) provide a consistently smooth experience, with Medium and High falling to 56 and 49 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to its nearest GPU rival in this game?

A: The RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, which is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (17208) and 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17037). In Lockdown Protocol, this translates to the measured frame rates shown in the data, with the card handling 104 FPS at 1080p High and 49 FPS at 4K High.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1080p. At Low settings, the system achieves 167 FPS average, indicating the 10400F's single-thread performance (1451 in Cinebench R23, 2541 in Passmark) is sufficient to drive high frame rates. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, with the spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p being 89 FPS.

Q: What causes the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K?

A: The GPU's rendering workload increases with pixel count. The RX 7600 XT has a pixel rate of 176.3 GPixel/s and 22.57 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which must process four times as many pixels at 4K compared to 1080p. The measured data shows a 53% drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings (104 to 49 FPS), consistent with GPU-bound behavior.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 57 FPS, which is playable but below the 60 FPS threshold many players prefer. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 78 FPS, providing a smoother experience. For 1440p, High settings (76 FPS) offer a better balance than Ultra (57 FPS) based on the measured data.

Q: How does the 16 GB VRAM affect performance in this game?

A: The 16 GB GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. The measured frame rates at 4K do not show VRAM-related performance cliffs, as the min FPS values at Medium settings (48 FPS at 4K) align with average FPS trends. This indicates the VRAM capacity is sufficient for Lockdown Protocol at all tested settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields the highest average at 167 FPS, followed by Medium at 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 and maximum of 136. High settings produce 104 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 78 FPS. The 1080p results show a clear tier separation, with each preset step reducing average FPS by approximately 15-29%.

At 2560x1440, Low settings achieve 123 FPS average, Medium delivers 87 FPS with min/max of 74/100, High reaches 76 FPS, and Ultra falls to 57 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset provides the most consistent frame pacing in the dataset, with its min FPS of 74 representing 85% of the average. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 66 FPS, smaller than the 89 FPS spread at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, Low settings produce 79 FPS average, Medium achieves 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 65, High reaches 49 FPS, and Ultra drops to 37 FPS. The 4K Medium preset shows the tightest min-to-max range in the dataset (48-65 FPS), indicating stable performance under load. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration in the measured data that falls below 40 FPS average.

Comparing across resolutions, the Medium preset demonstrates the most consistent scaling: 119 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. This represents a 53% reduction from 1080p to 4K, nearly identical to the High preset's 53% reduction. The Low preset shows a slightly smaller relative drop of 52.7% from 167 to 79 FPS, while Ultra shows the largest relative drop at 52.6% from 78 to 37 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 119 FPS average with a minimum of 101 FPS, ensuring consistent frame delivery above the 100 FPS threshold. At 1440p, Medium achieves 87 FPS average with a minimum of 74 FPS, providing a smooth experience for most display refresh rates. At 4K, Medium produces 56 FPS average with a minimum of 48 FPS, which is playable though not ideal for competitive play.

For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset is the recommended choice. It delivers 167 FPS at 1080p, 123 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K, all of which exceed the respective Medium preset averages. The Low preset is particularly well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, as the 167 FPS average aligns with 144 Hz and 165 Hz display capabilities.

The High preset represents a middle ground, offering 104 FPS at 1080p, 76 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K. This preset is recommended for 1440p gaming where the 76 FPS average provides a good visual-to-performance ratio. The Ultra preset should be reserved for 1080p displays, where its 78 FPS average remains playable, while 1440p Ultra (57 FPS) and 4K Ultra (37 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS and 40 FPS thresholds respectively.

The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1440p (87 FPS) provides a superior experience to the High preset at 4K (49 FPS) in terms of frame smoothness, while offering a comparable visual upgrade over Low settings. The Medium preset's min FPS values at all resolutions (101 at 1080p, 74 at 1440p, 48 at 4K) demonstrate the most consistent frame pacing among the tested presets, reducing the likelihood of stutter during gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F combined with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2360th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 36th percentile of the database. This position reflects the mid-range nature of both components, with the CPU sitting in the 68th percentile against all CPUs and the GPU in the 60th percentile against all GPUs.

The combo's rank is influenced by the CPU's position relative to its nearest rivals. The Intel Xeon 6756E scores 0.2% higher than the 10400F, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 0.6% lower. These small deltas indicate that the 10400F's performance is clustered with other mid-range processors, and the combo's overall rank depends heavily on the GPU pairing.

On the GPU side, the RX 7600 XT's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which scores 0.7% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 and AMD Radeon HD 7970M score 0.3% and 0.4% lower respectively, showing that the RX 7600 XT's performance envelope is tightly grouped with these older high-end cards. In Lockdown Protocol, the combo's 2360th rank suggests that roughly 64% of tested configurations deliver higher average frame rates, placing this pairing in the lower-middle segment of the database.

The measured frame rates support this ranking. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 104 FPS, which is a solid result for a mid-range system. However, the 4K Ultra result of 37 FPS places this configuration below many higher-ranked combos that can maintain playable frame rates at maximum settings across all resolutions. The combo's 16 GB VRAM capacity is a notable advantage over lower-ranked configurations with less memory, but the GPU's compute throughput limits its 4K performance.

The rank of 2360 out of 3714 indicates that while this combo is not a top-tier performer, it is also far from the bottom of the database. The combination of a 6-core/12-thread CPU and a 16 GB GPU provides a balanced foundation for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Lockdown Protocol, with the measured data confirming that these resolutions are where the combo excels. Players seeking 4K performance at High or Ultra settings would need to look at higher-ranked configurations, while those targeting 1080p competitive play will find this combo well-suited to the task.