Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, shows a distinct performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s influence becomes more apparent as resolution drops. This analysis breaks down the scaling, component roles, and overall ranking of this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions clearly illustrates the classic scaling curve. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 145.3 FPS. Moving to 1440p Ultra drops the average to 108.1 FPS, a reduction of 37.2 FPS. The step to 4K Ultra is more severe, with the average falling to 68.7 FPS, a further drop of 39.4 FPS. This trend indicates that the rendering load is scaling significantly with pixel count, which is expected for a modern FPS.

The scaling pattern changes when looking at lower settings. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 166.1 FPS at 1080p to 137.3 FPS at 1440p, a 28.8 FPS drop. The transition to 4K High results in 88.1 FPS, a 49.2 FPS decline. This larger absolute drop at 4K High suggests that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor more aggressively as the resolution increases, regardless of the preset.

The most telling data point for identifying the bottleneck is the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 199.6 FPS. At 1440p Low, it hits 179.8 FPS, and at 4K Low, it still manages 147.4 FPS. The relatively small performance penalty from 1080p to 4K at Low settings—a difference of 52.2 FPS—compared to the larger penalties at higher presets, indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is starting to cap the maximum frame rate. The GPU has less work to do, so the 6-core processor’s limits become more visible. The data suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant component for most of the tested configurations, but the i5-10400F prevents the system from reaching even higher frame rates at the lowest resolution and settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the centerpiece of this system’s gaming performance. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which is sufficient for the textures and data loads at 4K. The GPU’s high core clocks, with a base of 2310 MHz and a boost of 2610 MHz, allow it to process the massive amount of geometry and shading work required by Lockdown Protocol at high resolutions.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its position as a high-end part. Its PassMark G3D score of 31624 places it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. This raw compute power translates directly into the observed frame rates. For instance, the jump from Medium to High at 1440p is relatively small (159.2 to 137.3 FPS), but the jump from High to Ultra is larger (137.3 to 108.1 FPS), suggesting that the Ultra preset introduces effects that heavily tax the GPU’s shading units and ROPs.

The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K. With an average of 68.7 FPS at 4K Ultra, the card is working near its limit. The 4K Low result of 147.4 FPS shows that when the graphical load is reduced, the GPU has ample headroom, but the CPU prevents it from fully stretching its legs. The RTX 4070 Ti’s performance is consistent with its class, but its role in this combo is to provide playable frame rates at high resolutions, with the CPU acting as a ceiling for maximum FPS at 1080p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture. With a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, it provides the processing power for game logic, physics, and draw calls. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 10297 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1453 in single-core, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p. The 199.6 FPS average at Low settings is the highest observed in the entire dataset, but it is still well below what a more powerful processor could achieve with this GPU. The difference between 1080p Low (199.6 FPS) and 1440p Low (179.8 FPS) is 19.8 FPS, which is a smaller gap than the 52.2 FPS difference seen between 1080p and 4K at Low settings. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is nearing its limit, and the GPU is waiting for instructions.

The processor’s single-thread performance is critical for FPS titles. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1453 suggests that while the i5-10400F is capable, it is not a top-tier part for high-refresh-rate gaming. The data shows that the CPU becomes less of a limiting factor as resolution increases, because the GPU takes longer to render each frame, giving the CPU more time to prepare the next one. At 4K Ultra, the CPU is no longer a significant constraint, and the system’s performance is almost entirely determined by the RTX 4070 Ti.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 364th out of 1637 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 22% of all systems tested, indicating a strong performer. The GPU is the main contributor to this ranking, as its high percentile score (85th) lifts the overall system performance. The CPU, while not a top-tier part, is sufficient to avoid being a major hindrance at most settings.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% faster), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% slower), and Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% slower). These deltas are very small, meaning the i5-10400F is in a tightly contested performance tier for its CPU-only capabilities. However, in gaming, the combination’s rank is more heavily influenced by the GPU. The GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, is 0.6% faster, but the desktop RTX 4070 Ti’s overall score is 44900, which is a significant margin above many other cards.

This rank of 364 suggests that while the system is very capable, there are many other combinations that achieve higher frame rates. The data implies that pairing this high-end GPU with a stronger CPU would likely yield a better rank, but as configured, this system still delivers an excellent gaming experience for most users. The combo’s position in the top quarter of all tested systems confirms the GPU’s raw power, even with a mid-range processor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user’s resolution and refresh rate. For 4K displays, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 88.1 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while the Ultra preset drops to 68.7 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 105.9 FPS is also viable, but High offers a better balance of visual quality and performance.

For 1440p monitors, the High preset is again the recommended starting point, delivering 137.3 FPS. This is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Ultra preset at 108.1 FPS is also excellent for 144Hz monitors, providing a near-maximal experience. The Medium preset at 159.2 FPS is the best choice for competitive play if the user prioritizes frame rate over visual fidelity, as it offers a significant boost over High while maintaining good image quality.

At 1080p, the CPU becomes more of a factor. The Ultra preset at 145.3 FPS is a great experience, but the High preset at 166.1 FPS is better for high refresh rate esports-style play. The Low preset at 199.6 FPS is only recommended for users with 240Hz monitors who want to maximize frame rate above all else, as the visual quality will be noticeably reduced. For most users, High at 1080p is the sweet spot, providing high frame rates and good visuals. The data indicates that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns compared to High across all resolutions.