Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol’s performance with the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB shows a pairing that is heavily influenced by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s six cores provide a solid foundation for high refresh rate play. The measured data reveals a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K, with the frame rate dropping by roughly 70% between the best and worst cases, indicating where the system’s bottleneck lies.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions is steep and consistent. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 196.1 FPS, which is the highest measured result in the entire dataset. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 143.2 FPS, a reduction of about 27%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 89.3 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant loss from the 1080p figure. This pattern shows that the GPU is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases, since the CPU has enough headroom at lower resolutions to push very high frame rates.

When looking at High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The combo achieves 121.7 FPS at 1080p, 90.7 FPS at 1440p, and 59.7 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is roughly 34%, which is less severe than the Low setting drop of about 38%, but still indicates that the Radeon RX 9060 XT’s 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are being taxed heavily at 4K. Ultra settings tell the most telling story: 89 FPS at 1080p, 67.8 FPS at 1440p, and 46.2 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below the 60 FPS threshold, meaning that this resolution and preset combination is not ideal for smooth gameplay.

The data suggests that the limiting component shifts depending on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU’s six cores and 12 threads are sufficient to keep up with the GPU, as evidenced by the high frame rates. At 4K, the GPU’s compute throughput and memory bandwidth become the constraint, with the frame rate dropping to less than half of the 1080p Low result. For a 4K monitor, the user should expect to use Medium or Low settings to stay above 60 FPS, as High and Ultra both fall short.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark results show a strong multi-threaded performance for its class, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453. The CPU’s 3DMark scores are also informative: it scores 4748 in the 16-thread test and 688 in the single-thread test, which indicates that its performance scales well with additional threads, but its single-thread capability is modest compared to newer architectures.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is most apparent at 1080p, where the frame rates are highest. The fact that the combo reaches 196.1 FPS at 1080p Low suggests that the processor is not the bottleneck in this scenario, as the GPU is able to render frames quickly enough to saturate the CPU’s output. However, the CPU’s 14 nm process node and DDR4 memory support (with a dual-channel bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s) mean that it is not a top-tier performer in 2024. Its percentile ranking of 73 against all CPUs places it above average, but its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7552 and Ryzen 3 7320C, with delta percentages of 0.4% and -0.8% respectively, showing that it sits in a crowded mid-range field.

The boost clock of 4.30 GHz is the key factor for gaming, as Lockdown Protocol appears to favor higher clock speeds. The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache is adequate for the game’s data demands, but it is not exceptional. In practice, the 10400F provides enough headroom to avoid being the limiting factor at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, its performance is secondary to the GPU’s capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the i5-10400F and RX 9060 XT 8 GB ranks 878 out of 1637 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 54th percentile of all combos, meaning that slightly more than half of the tested systems perform better. While this is not a top-tier ranking, it is important to note that the ranking is based on average FPS across all settings and resolutions, which includes the heavy 4K Ultra results that drag down the overall score.

The ranking is likely influenced by the GPU’s 8 GB memory capacity, which is becoming a limitation in modern games at high resolutions and settings. At 1080p and 1440p, the combo is competitive, but the 4K results are below average for a GPU in the 50th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU’s performance is adequate, but it does not boost the combo to the upper echelons of the rankings. For a user with a 1080p monitor, this combo would rank higher than the overall 878 position suggests, as the frame rates are strong. For a 4K user, the ranking would be lower, as the system struggles to maintain high frame rates.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the best resolution, with all settings yielding over 89 FPS. The Low setting achieves 196.1 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The Low setting achieves 89.3 FPS at 4K, while Medium drops to 67 FPS. High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS, at 59.7 FPS and 46.2 FPS respectively, which may not be smooth enough for fast-paced FPS play.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The i5-10400F’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the high frame rates. Its boost clock of 4.30 GHz helps maintain consistent performance, but its single-thread score of 1453 in Cinebench R23 shows it is not a high-end gaming CPU.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory capacity and how does it affect the game?

A: The Radeon RX 9060 XT has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 322.3 GB/s. This is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the game may exceed this capacity, leading to the lower 46.2 FPS result.

Q: How does this combo compare to other CPUs in the same performance class?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score is 14168, which is within 1.2% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-8500 and AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546. This shows that the CPU is a solid mid-range performer, but not a standout.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM a concern for future games?

A: While the data for Lockdown Protocol shows playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, the 4K Ultra result of 46.2 FPS suggests that 8 GB is a limitation at high resolutions. Users should expect to lower settings for demanding titles.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with a Navi 44 chip, featuring 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs. It has a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost clock of 3130 MHz, with a game clock of 2530 MHz. The GPU’s memory runs at 2518 MHz, effective 20.1 Gbps, providing a bandwidth of 322.3 GB/s over a 128-bit bus. This configuration is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming, which is reflected in the measured results.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role is dominant at higher resolutions. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is stark: 89.3 FPS versus 46.2 FPS, a gap of nearly 50%. This shows that the GPU is heavily taxed by the game’s visual effects at Ultra, and the 8 GB memory capacity may be a limiting factor. The GPU’s pixel rate of 200.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 400.6 GTexel/s are respectable, but they are not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra.

At 1080p, the GPU’s performance is excellent, with the Low setting exceeding 196 FPS. The GPU’s 25.64 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than sufficient for this resolution, and the game’s frame rates suggest that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The GPU’s 32 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) mean that modern rendering features are available, but the measured data does not specify whether these are enabled.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 121.7 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play with good visual fidelity. If the user prioritizes frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low offers 196.1 FPS, which is more than enough for any high refresh rate monitor. Medium at 1080p provides a balance at 137.3 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High is typically worth the slight frame rate drop.

At 1440p, the user should stick to High or Medium settings. High delivers 90.7 FPS, which is playable, while Medium offers 104.1 FPS for a smoother experience. Low at 1440p gives 143.2 FPS, but the visual quality is noticeably reduced. Ultra at 1440p is not recommended, as it drops to 67.8 FPS, which is below the 100 FPS threshold that many FPS players prefer.

For 4K, the user must compromise. Low is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, with 89.3 FPS. Medium is borderline at 67 FPS, and High and Ultra are not recommended due to the frame rates being at or below 59.7 FPS. The best overall experience for most users would be 1440p High, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that is still above 90 FPS. For those with a 1080p monitor, High is the optimal choice, as it avoids the visual sacrifices of Low while maintaining a high frame rate.