Lockdown Protocol

# CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It runs at a 2.90 GHz base clock and boosts up to 4.30 GHz. This CPU sits in the 68th percentile among all processors tested, with an average benchmark score of 14185. Its nearest rivals in raw compute are the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core 7 160UL (0.3% behind), the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.6% behind) — all within a single percentage point, meaning this i5's processing power is essentially a statistical tie with those parts.

For Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are adequate for feeding the GPU at most settings. The processor's multithreaded throughput, as shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748, ensures that game logic, physics, and AI won't stall the render pipeline. Single-thread performance is more modest — a 3DMark single-thread score of 688, Cinebench R23 single-core of 1451, and Geekbench single-core of 1420 — which matters because many FPS titles rely heavily on one or two primary threads for frame pacing.

The L3 cache is 12 MB shared, with 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. Memory bandwidth is 42.7 GB/s over dual-channel DDR4. This is not a top-tier configuration by modern standards, but it's enough to avoid severe bottlenecks at the framerates observed in the measured FPS data. The CPU's PCIe Gen 3, 16-lane interface limits bandwidth to the GPU compared to newer platforms, but the RTX 5060 Ti uses PCIe 5.0 x8, which will negotiate down to Gen 3 speeds — a potential constraint in bandwidth-heavy scenarios, though the measured results suggest it's not crippling.

The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 200 FPS average. That's a strong indicator the CPU can keep up when the GPU isn't the limiting factor. Had the CPU been a severe bottleneck, we'd expect to see the 1080p Low number cap at a lower value regardless of GPU headroom. Instead, the 200 FPS result shows the i5-10400F can drive high refresh rates in this title when paired with a capable GPU.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F strong enough for Lockdown Protocol at 1080p?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 200 FPS average at 1080p Low and 135 FPS at 1080p High. The CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration and 4.30 GHz boost clock provide sufficient processing power for this FPS title at mainstream resolutions.

Q: How does the i5-10400F compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The processor's average benchmark score of 14185 is nearly identical to its closest competitors. The Intel Xeon 6756E scores 14163 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232 (0.3% higher), the AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115 (0.5% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277 (0.6% higher). In practical terms, these differences are negligible.

Q: What is the RTX 5060 Ti's performance percentile relative to other GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB sits in the 29th percentile among all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 4901. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5130M (0.1% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 (0.2% lower), the AMD Radeon R7 M265 (0.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon R7 M360 (0.6% higher).

Q: Does the combo perform better at 1440p or 4K in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, the combo delivers 99 FPS at 1440p High and 64 FPS at 4K High. The 1440p result is comfortably above 60 FPS, while the 4K result is just above 60 — making 1440p the more practical high-resolution choice for smooth gameplay.

Q: Are there any settings where the game becomes unplayable at 4K?

A: Yes. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 48, which is below the typical 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium setting averages 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, so that remains playable, but Ultra is not recommended at 4K with this hardware.

Q: How many combos does this CPU+GPU pairing rank above in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 1178 out of 2828 total tested combinations, placing it in the upper portion of all tested systems. This rank reflects that while the hardware isn't top-tier, it outperforms a majority of tested configurations in this specific game.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern in Lockdown Protocol. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 135 FPS at 1080p to 99 FPS at 1440p (a 27% reduction), and then to 64 FPS at 4K (a 35% further reduction). This steady decline as pixel count increases indicates the RTX 5060 Ti is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, while the CPU maintains enough headroom to keep feeding frames.

At Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic: 200 FPS at 1080p drops to 159 FPS at 1440p (a 21% reduction) and then to 103 FPS at 4K (a 35% reduction). The 1080p Low result of 200 FPS suggests the CPU begins to approach its ceiling here, but the fact that 4K Low still delivers 103 FPS shows the GPU can handle a substantial pixel load even at reduced detail.

Medium settings show a similar pattern: 154 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS figures at Medium (131 at 1080p, 96 at 1440p, 62 at 4K) indicate that frame pacing remains stable even when the GPU is under heavier load.

Ultra settings push the GPU hardest: 101 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only configuration in the measured data that isn't consistently playable at standard refresh rates.

The resolution scaling data shows that the RTX 5060 Ti's 8 GB GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes the constraint as resolution increases. The GPU's 23.70 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 123.5 GPixel/s pixel rate are adequate for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but 4K Ultra exceeds its capabilities. The CPU's contribution to the scaling is minimal — if the i5-10400F were the bottleneck, we'd see smaller FPS differences between 1440p and 4K, but the consistent ~30-35% drops suggest the GPU is doing the heavy lifting at higher resolutions.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB ranks 1178 out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the pairing in the 58th percentile of all tested systems — slightly above the median, but far from the top tier.

This rank is somewhat surprising given the GPU's modest 29th percentile standing among all GPUs. The RTX 5060 Ti's average benchmark score of 4901 puts it in the same league as much older or lower-end cards like the AMD FirePro W5130M and NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, which are within 0.2% of its score. Yet in Lockdown Protocol specifically, this combo outperforms 58% of all tested configurations.

The CPU's 68th percentile ranking helps explain this. The i5-10400F's 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with a 12 MB L3 cache, provide enough processing power to avoid holding the GPU back. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 3929 and the Passmark multithread score of 12115 indicate solid multi-core performance that scales well in game workloads. The nearest CPU rivals — Xeon 6756E, Core 7 160UL, EPYC 7552, and Ryzen 3 7320C — all score within 0.6% of the i5, but those are typically server or mobile parts that may not have the same gaming-friendly characteristics.

The fact that this combo ranks better than the GPU's percentile alone would suggest indicates that Lockdown Protocol is not heavily GPU-dependent at the settings where most users play. The game's performance characteristics appear to favor CPUs with strong single-thread and moderate multi-thread performance, which aligns with the i5-10400F's profile. The 4.30 GHz boost clock and 2.90 GHz base clock provide the clock speed headroom that FPS titles often need.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on your resolution and target frame rate. The data shows that the Medium preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions tested.

At 1080p, Medium delivers 154 FPS average with a minimum of 131 FPS and a maximum of 178 FPS. This is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate that many competitive FPS players target, while still offering better visual fidelity than Low (200 FPS but with reduced detail). High at 1080p drops to 135 FPS, which is still smooth but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra at 1080p averages 101 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh monitors.

At 1440p, Medium averages 113 FPS with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. This is the sweet spot for 1440p gaming — it stays above 60 FPS consistently and approaches 100+ FPS averages. High at 1440p averages 99 FPS, which is also acceptable. Low reaches 159 FPS but sacrifices too much visual quality for most users. Ultra at 1440p drops to 74 FPS, which is playable but not ideal.

At 4K, Medium averages 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that provides a consistent 60+ FPS experience. High at 4K averages 64 FPS, which is borderline — the minimum FPS isn't recorded, but the average suggests occasional dips below 60. Low averages 103 FPS at 4K, which is surprisingly playable, but the visual compromise is significant. Ultra at 4K averages 48 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience.

The Medium preset offers the best measured experience at all resolutions. It provides the only 4K configuration with a recorded minimum above 60 FPS (62 FPS) and maintains high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. If you're using a 144 Hz or higher monitor at 1080p, Low is worth considering for the 200 FPS average. For 4K, Medium is the clear choice — it's the only setting that guarantees a minimum above 60 FPS.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The following results are from measured data for Lockdown Protocol with the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 200 FPS average
• Medium: 154 FPS average, 131 FPS minimum, 178 FPS maximum
• High: 135 FPS average
• Ultra: 101 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. Low reaches 200 FPS, which is ideal for 240 Hz displays if you can tolerate the visual trade-offs. Medium provides a strong balance at 154 FPS with a tight minimum of 131 FPS, ensuring consistent frame pacing. High at 135 FPS is still very smooth, while Ultra at 101 FPS remains playable for 100 Hz monitors.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 159 FPS average
• Medium: 113 FPS average, 96 FPS minimum, 130 FPS maximum
• High: 99 FPS average
• Ultra: 74 FPS average

At 1440p, performance remains strong. Low hits 159 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh 1440p monitors. Medium at 113 FPS with a 96 FPS minimum is the most consistent option, keeping frame times stable. High at 99 FPS is just under the 100 FPS mark, while Ultra at 74 FPS is playable but shows the GPU starting to strain with higher pixel counts and detail levels.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 103 FPS average
• Medium: 73 FPS average, 62 FPS minimum, 84 FPS maximum
• High: 64 FPS average
• Ultra: 48 FPS average

At 4K, the RTX 5060 Ti's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus become limiting factors. Low manages 103 FPS, which is surprisingly playable for 4K. Medium averages 73 FPS with a 62 FPS minimum — this is the only 4K setting that guarantees a minimum above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K gaming. High at 64 FPS is borderline, with the average just above 60 but likely dipping below in demanding scenes. Ultra at 48 FPS is not suitable for smooth gameplay.

The data shows a clear progression: the combo excels at 1080p, performs well at 1440p, and can handle 4K only at Medium or lower settings. The 8 GB GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is the key constraint at 4K, as the GPU's raw compute (23.70 TFLOPS FP32) is sufficient for lower resolutions but the memory subsystem struggles with the bandwidth demands of 4K textures and geometry.