Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core i5-11400F + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a combination that ranks 3166th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the lower third of the database's measured configurations. The data shows a system capable of playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings, but one that struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K. The measured results reveal a clear pattern: the GTX 1660 SUPER becomes the primary constraint as resolution climbs, while the six-core processor demonstrates sufficient headroom to keep pace at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep performance drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, with the magnitude of that drop varying significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 123 FPS at 1080p to 90 FPS at 1440p, then to 58 FPS at 4K — a cumulative reduction of approximately 53% from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern indicates that even at the lowest graphical settings, the GPU is heavily taxed at 4K, with the pixel count increase from 1080p to 4K (roughly four times the pixels) overwhelming the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB frame buffer and 192-bit memory interface.

At Medium settings, the resolution scaling is slightly less dramatic in absolute terms but proportionally similar: 87 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The High preset shows 76 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset delivers 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K. Across all presets, the 1440p-to-4K transition consistently costs more than the 1080p-to-1440p transition, confirming that resolution scaling becomes progressively more punishing as pixel count grows. This behavior strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting component at 4K — the frame rate collapses regardless of settings, with Ultra at 4K dipping to 27 FPS average, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a fast-paced FPS title.

The 1080p-to-1440p scaling is more moderate, with average FPS drops ranging from 26% at Low (123 to 90) to 28% at High (76 to 56). This moderate scaling indicates that at 1440p, the system still has enough GPU headroom to maintain respectable performance, but the constraints become evident as settings increase. The data indicates that for 4K play, only the Low preset approaches acceptable frame rates at 58 FPS, while Medium and above fall below 45 FPS. For a competitive FPS title like Lockdown Protocol, the resolution scaling analysis points to 1080p or 1440p as the viable operating range for this hardware combination.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F brings six cores and twelve threads to this configuration, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This Rocket Lake processor, built on Intel's 14 nm process, has a 12 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The CPU's benchmark results show a single-thread score of 868 in 3DMark and a maximum-thread score of 5652, with Cinebench R23 scores of 2024 single-core and 14340 multi-core. These figures place the processor at the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database, indicating solid mainstream performance.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's twelve threads provide sufficient parallelism for a modern FPS title. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5619 versus the max-thread score of 5652 shows that the processor gains only marginal performance beyond 16 threads, which is expected for a six-core, twelve-thread part. The single-thread performance, reflected in the 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and Geekbench single-core score of 1777, is adequate for game logic and physics processing. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, scores 0.3% higher on average, while the Intel Core i5-12450H scores 0.4% lower — indicating the i5-11400F sits in a tightly contested performance band.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 123 FPS average, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high frame rates. The fact that 1080p Ultra drops to 57 FPS while 1080p Low reaches 123 FPS indicates that the GPU becomes the bottleneck as graphical load increases, even at the same resolution. The CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings, where its twelve threads and 4.40 GHz boost clock allow the GTX 1660 SUPER to reach its maximum output. The measured data shows no evidence of CPU-induced frame pacing issues, as the minimum FPS values recorded (74 FPS at 1080p Medium, 54 FPS at 1440p Medium, 35 FPS at 4K Medium) are consistent with GPU-bound behavior rather than CPU stuttering.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture using the TU116 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 12 nm process with 6,600 million transistors. It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's clocks are 1530 MHz base and 1785 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The shader configuration includes 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 5.027 TFLOPS, with a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s.

The GTX 1660 SUPER's benchmark results show a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1278 and a Passmark G3D score of 12699, placing it at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.4% higher average score), AMD Radeon RX 580 (0.4% higher), and AMD Radeon 740M (0.9% lower). The GPU's 6 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in Lockdown Protocol's higher settings, as the measured frame rates at 4K Ultra (27 FPS) and 4K High (36 FPS) suggest that both memory capacity and bandwidth constraints are limiting performance at that resolution.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck becomes apparent when comparing the scaling across settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the spread from Low (123 FPS) to Ultra (57 FPS) represents a 54% performance reduction, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario where increased visual fidelity directly impacts frame rate. At 4K, the spread from Low (58 FPS) to Ultra (27 FPS) is a 53% reduction, showing the same relative scaling but at much lower absolute frame rates. The 6 GB VRAM capacity likely contributes to the 4K Ultra result falling below 30 FPS, as texture data at that resolution can approach or exceed the available memory, causing additional performance penalties beyond raw compute limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3166th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 15% of the database. This ranking reflects the measured performance across all resolutions and settings, with the system's 4K results particularly dragging down its overall standing. The combo's rank is consistent with the individual components' positions in their respective benchmark hierarchies: the CPU at the 71st percentile of all CPUs and the GPU at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs.

The ranking suggests that while each component is a capable mainstream part on its own, the combination does not excel in this specific game. The GTX 1660 SUPER's position at the 53rd GPU percentile indicates it is an average performer, and its age (released in 2019) means it lacks the modern feature set of newer GPUs. The CPU, while newer (2021 release), does not compensate for the GPU's limitations in a title that appears to scale heavily with GPU resources based on the resolution scaling analysis. The 3714 combos in the database span a wide range of hardware, and this pairing's 3166th position places it alongside other older or lower-tier configurations rather than near the top of the charts.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest results across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 123 FPS, which is the highest measured value across any resolution or setting combination. Medium settings produce 87 FPS average with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS, indicating consistent frame delivery. High settings yield 76 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 57 FPS average. The 1080p results show that the system can handle competitive play at Medium and below, with frame rates well above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra remain playable but require a 60 Hz or adaptive sync display to feel smooth.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops are consistent across all presets. Low settings deliver 90 FPS average, which remains above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings produce 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 73 FPS, placing the average just above 60 FPS but with dips below that threshold during demanding scenes. High settings yield 56 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 42 FPS average. The 1440p results indicate that only the Low preset provides comfortable headroom above 60 FPS, with Medium being marginal and High and Ultra requiring reduced expectations.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates at most settings. Low settings achieve 58 FPS average, which is the only 4K preset that approaches 60 FPS. Medium settings produce 41 FPS average with a minimum of 35 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS, indicating significant frame rate fluctuation during gameplay. High settings yield 36 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 27 FPS average. The 4K results show that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for smooth performance at this resolution, with even the Low preset falling below the ideal 60 FPS target for a competitive FPS title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 87 FPS average with a 74 FPS minimum — well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The jump from Medium to High costs 11 FPS (87 to 76), which may not be worth the visual improvement for competitive play, while the jump from Medium to Low gains 36 FPS (87 to 123) for users prioritizing maximum frame rates. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS average is playable on a 60 Hz display but lacks the headroom for consistent 60 FPS performance.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the recommended choice, delivering 90 FPS average. The Medium preset at 64 FPS average is acceptable for less demanding players, but its 54 FPS minimum means frame drops below 60 FPS will occur. Users who prefer visual quality over frame rate can consider High at 56 FPS average, but the Ultra preset at 42 FPS average is unlikely to provide a satisfying experience in a fast-paced FPS title. At 3840x2160, the Low preset at 58 FPS average is the only viable option, and even that falls slightly short of a locked 60 FPS target. For players wanting to play at 4K with higher quality settings, the data indicates this hardware combination is not suitable, and a resolution reduction to 1440p or 1080p is recommended instead.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows 1920x1080 provides the most comfortable experience, with all presets delivering at least 57 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only Low settings exceed 60 FPS, while 3840x2160 results drop below 60 FPS even at Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: At 4K, the Low preset achieves 58 FPS average, which is close to but below 60 FPS. Medium settings drop to 41 FPS, High to 36 FPS, and Ultra to 27 FPS. The data indicates 4K is only marginally playable on the lowest settings.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 12986, placing it 0.4% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and 0.4% below the AMD Radeon RX 580, while scoring 0.9% higher than the AMD Radeon 740M and 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M2090.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a bottleneck for the GTX 1660 SUPER?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 123 FPS average, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently. The performance drops at higher settings and resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations rather than CPU constraints.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 73 FPS. This indicates the average is above 60 FPS, but frame time dips below that threshold can occur during demanding scenes.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This combination ranks 3166th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. The CPU sits at the 71st percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, placing the overall combo in the lower third of tested configurations.