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 4090. The measured data indicates that this combination is heavily influenced by the CPU at lower resolutions, while the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. The following analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on resolution scaling, component roles, and the combo’s standing relative to other tested systems.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a clear shift in system limitations. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 199 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 178.8 FPS, a reduction of 20.2 FPS (approximately 10.2%). At 3840x2160, the Low preset yields 156.1 FPS, which is 42.9 FPS lower than the 1080p result. This scaling pattern suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the RTX 4090 has ample headroom to render frames faster, but the Core i5-10400F cannot supply data quickly enough.

The gap between resolutions narrows when moving to higher settings. At High settings, the 1080p result is 168.9 FPS, while 1440p is 153.1 FPS (a 15.8 FPS drop) and 4K is 107.2 FPS (a 61.7 FPS drop from 1080p). The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at High is about 36.5%, compared to a 21.6% drop at Low settings. This indicates that as graphical load increases, the GPU begins to become the bottleneck, reducing the relative impact of the CPU’s limitations.

At Ultra settings, the pattern continues. The 1080p average is 154.1 FPS, 1440p is 123.8 FPS, and 4K is 82.8 FPS. The 4K result represents a 46.3% reduction from 1080p. This is the largest percentage drop across all settings, confirming that at Ultra and 4K, the RTX 4090 is working near its full capacity, and the CPU’s influence on frame pacing diminishes. The data shows that for this specific game, the resolution scaling behavior is consistent: lower resolutions expose CPU limits, while higher resolutions and settings place the burden on the GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, with its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, provides substantial resources for Lockdown Protocol. The GPU’s 16384 shading units and 128 RT cores are designed for high-end rendering, and the benchmark results reflect this capability. At 1080p Low, the GPU achieves 199 FPS, but the CPU prevents it from reaching higher values. The GPU’s boost clock of 2520 MHz and base clock of 2235 MHz indicate a high operating frequency, yet the limiting factor at lower resolutions is not the GPU’s raw speed.

The VRAM capacity of 24 GB is more than sufficient for this title, even at 4K Ultra, where the average frame rate is 82.8 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets do not cause stuttering or frame drops. The GPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 38194 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223, places it in the 91st percentile of all GPUs. However, in Lockdown Protocol, the RTX 4090’s potential is only fully realized at 4K, where it is the primary bottleneck.

The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (82.8 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (154.1 FPS) shows a 71.3 FPS difference, highlighting the GPU’s workload scaling. The RTX 4090’s launch MSRP is 1,599 USD, which positions it as a high-end part, but the data shows that its performance in this game is constrained by the older CPU. The GPU’s 450 W TDP and triple-slot design are qualitative indicators of its power, but the benchmark results are what matter here: it delivers playable frame rates at all tested settings, though the CPU holds it back at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average FPS is 199, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How much does the frame rate drop when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 154.1 at 1920x1080 to 82.8 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 71.3 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as the frame rate only improves slightly when lowering settings (199 FPS at Low versus 154.1 FPS at Ultra).

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 269th out of 1637 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol.

Q: Does the GPU outperform its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 66473, which is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (66733) and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P40 (66127).

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD EPYC 7552 (14115) but 0.8% lower than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14277).

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a rank of 269 out of 1637 combos. This places it in the top 16.4% of all tested systems. The rank reflects the overall performance across all resolutions and settings, weighted by the measured FPS values. Given that the GPU is a top-tier part (91st percentile among all GPUs), the relatively modest rank is likely due to the CPU’s lower standing (73rd percentile among all CPUs).

The combo’s rank suggests that while it delivers high frame rates, it is outperformed by many other combinations that pair the RTX 4090 with stronger CPUs. For instance, the GPU’s synthetic benchmark score of 66473 is 0.4% lower than the Tesla T4, but that rival is not a gaming card. The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7552, has a nearly identical average score (14115 versus 14168), indicating that the i5-10400F is competitive with server-class parts in synthetic tests, but its gaming performance in this title is limited by its 6-core, 12-thread configuration.

The rank of 269 out of 1637 implies that there are 268 combos with higher measured FPS in this game. These are likely systems with newer, higher-clocked CPUs that can feed the RTX 4090 more effectively at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, the combo’s performance is more competitive, but the overall rank is dragged down by the CPU-bound scenarios. The data indicates that this is a solid, high-end combo, but not the top-tier option for Lockdown Protocol specifically.

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 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are typical for its generation. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 10297 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1453 in single-core, with a Passmark multithread score of 12115. These numbers place it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p. The frame rate difference between Low (199 FPS) and Ultra (154.1 FPS) is 44.9 FPS, which is smaller than the difference at 4K (156.1 FPS Low versus 82.8 FPS Ultra, a 73.3 FPS gap). This shows that at 1080p, the CPU is unable to push the frame rate higher regardless of graphical settings, as the bottleneck is in the processor’s ability to handle game logic and draw calls. The 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for most modern games, but the 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.30 GHz boost clock are modest compared to newer CPUs.

The CPU’s performance in this title is also reflected in its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C has an average score 0.8% higher, while the Intel Core i5-8500 is 1.1% lower. These small deltas suggest that the i5-10400F is closely matched with other mid-range parts, but none of them are capable of fully releasing the RTX 4090 at lower resolutions. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and 14 nm process node are older technologies, but the benchmark data shows that it still delivers playable frame rates in this game, albeit with a clear ceiling.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a complete picture of the combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the results are: Low 199 FPS, Medium 173.6 FPS, High 168.9 FPS, and Ultra 154.1 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 44.9 FPS, indicating that the CPU limits the maximum frame rate, as the GPU is capable of higher output.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low 178.8 FPS, Medium 158.9 FPS, High 153.1 FPS, and Ultra 123.8 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 55 FPS, which is larger than at 1080p, suggesting that the GPU is starting to become more involved. The 4K results at 3840x2160 show: Low 156.1 FPS, Medium 125.6 FPS, High 107.2 FPS, and Ultra 82.8 FPS. Here, the spread is 73.3 FPS, confirming that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at this resolution.

Comparing settings across resolutions, the Low preset at 4K (156.1 FPS) is nearly identical to the High preset at 1080p (168.9 FPS), showing that the GPU can handle lower settings at high resolutions. The Ultra preset at 4K (82.8 FPS) is the lowest recorded value, but it remains playable for most users. The data shows a consistent pattern: the CPU limits performance at 1080p, while the GPU takes over at 4K, with 1440p serving as a transitional point where both components contribute to the final frame rate.