Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination in the 1316th position out of 1637 tested combos, putting it in the lower half of the database. This ranking reflects a pairing that is competent for 1080p gaming but struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions or with maximum graphical settings. The data shows a system that is clearly GPU-limited in most scenarios, with the CPU holding its own even as the graphics card reaches its performance ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1316 out of 1637 places this pairing in the bottom 20% of all tested configurations. This does not mean the hardware is inadequate — rather, it indicates that the RTX 2060 and i5-10400F are both older-generation parts that have since been surpassed by many newer options. The i5-10400F sits at the 73rd percentile against all CPUs, which is respectable for a 2020 release. However, the RTX 2060 only reaches the 58th percentile against all GPUs, showing that the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing. The measured frame rates confirm this imbalance: at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 142.4 FPS, but at 4K with Ultra settings, it drops to just 32.8 FPS. The performance spread is substantial, and the system's overall standing reflects its inability to deliver consistently high frame rates across the full range of settings and resolutions tested.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060 is built on the TU106 chip using a 12 nm process, with 1920 shading units and 48 ROPs. Its memory configuration is 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The boost clock runs at 1680 MHz, and the card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is relevant for modern FPS titles like Lockdown Protocol. The GPU's average benchmark score of 16074 places it just ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15786, +1.8%) and slightly behind the AMD Radeon RX 7600S (15996, +0.5%). This indicates the RTX 2060 is a mid-range performer, and the measured FPS data reflects that positioning. At 1080p Medium, the combo hits 106.1 FPS, which is smooth for competitive play, but cranking the preset to Ultra at the same resolution drops the average to 71.1 FPS. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Lockdown Protocol at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the card's compute power and memory bandwidth become limiting factors, as seen in the 42.9 FPS average at High settings.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior reveals a system that becomes progressively more GPU-bound as pixel count increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (142.4 FPS) and Ultra (71.1 FPS) is 71.3 FPS, showing a 50% performance drop from the lowest to highest preset. Moving to 1440p, the same settings comparison yields 107.1 FPS versus 53.2 FPS, a 53.9 FPS difference. At 4K, the gap narrows to 70.2 FPS versus 32.8 FPS, a 37.4 FPS difference. The percentage drop from Low to Ultra is consistent across resolutions — roughly 50% — which suggests the GPU is the bottleneck at all tested settings. The i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads boosting to 4.30 GHz, provides enough headroom to push frame rates up to 142.4 FPS at 1080p Low, but the RTX 2060 cannot sustain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra (32.8 FPS). The data indicates that 1440p High (66.6 FPS) is the practical ceiling for this combo if aiming for near-60 FPS gameplay, while 4K is only viable at Low settings (70.2 FPS) or with significant compromises.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo good for 1080p competitive play?

A: Yes, the measured data shows 142.4 FPS at 1080p Low and 106.1 FPS at Medium, which are well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth competitive FPS gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: At 4K, the combo achieves 70.2 FPS on Low settings, but this drops to 49 FPS on Medium and 42.9 FPS on High. Ultra settings at 4K produce only 32.8 FPS, which is not smooth for a fast-paced shooter.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: The data shows 1440p High delivers 66.6 FPS, which is close to 60 FPS, while 1080p High gives 92.2 FPS. Both are viable, but 1080p offers a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar processors?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, placing it 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 (14115) and 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14277). Its percentile rank of 73 indicates it outperforms most CPUs in the database.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck the CPU at any settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 142.4 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. However, at 4K Ultra (32.8 FPS), the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the CPU has more than enough headroom.

Q: Is the RTX 2060 still competitive in 2024?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 16074 places it within 1.8% of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 and 1.7% behind the Radeon Pro 5600M. It remains a solid 1080p card, but its 6 GB VRAM and 12 nm process limit its 4K potential.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data points to 1080p Medium as the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At 106.1 FPS, this preset provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target and retains enough graphical fidelity for a modern FPS. Pushing to High at 1080p drops the average to 92.2 FPS, which is still smooth, but the jump to Ultra (71.1 FPS) begins to approach the edge of the comfortable zone. At 1440p, the Medium preset (74.2 FPS) is the recommended choice for those prioritizing frame rate, while High (66.6 FPS) is acceptable for slower-paced play. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as even at 1080p it produces 71.1 FPS, which is below the Medium preset's 1440p performance. For 4K, only the Low preset (70.2 FPS) is viable, and even that sacrifices significant visual quality for playable frame rates. The data suggests that players should stick to 1080p or 1440p with Medium or High settings to get the most out of this pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F provides 6 cores and 12 threads with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are standard for its generation. The CPU's average benchmark score of 14168 places it at the 73rd percentile, and its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7552 (+0.4% faster) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (-0.8% slower). In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is evident in the 1080p Low result of 142.4 FPS, which is high enough to avoid being a bottleneck at lower resolutions. However, the CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and single-core score of 1453 indicate it is not a top-tier performer, and its 14 nm process node puts it at a disadvantage compared to newer architectures. The data shows that in this combo, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor — the GPU's performance ceiling is reached first, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The i5-10400F's 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1200 compatibility make it a straightforward upgrade path, but for Lockdown Protocol, the measured results suggest that any future performance gains would come from replacing the RTX 2060 rather than the CPU.