Lockdown Protocol

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 297th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. That places this pairing in the top 8% of all configurations tested, which is a strong result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The ranking reflects a system that can push very high frame rates, but the data also reveals that the CPU is the limiting factor in several scenarios. Being in the 297th position means there are 296 configurations that outperform it, but it also means this combo beats over 3400 other tested setups. The percentile placement of the individual components supports this: the CPU sits in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The gap between those two percentile figures is telling, as it suggests the processor is holding back the graphics card from reaching its full potential in this specific title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 brings six cores and twelve threads to the table, running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosting up to 4.40 GHz. This is an Alder Lake-S architecture part built on Intel's 10 nm process, with an 18 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel interface, which gives builders flexibility when choosing a platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows a clear scaling pattern from 2-thread to multi-thread workloads: a 3DMark score of 1692 with 2 threads jumps to 3012 with 4 threads, 4745 with 8 threads, and peaks at 5890 with max threads. Cinebench R23 results show 15989 points in multi-core and 2257 in single-core, which are respectable numbers for a six-core part.

Looking at the nearest rivals, the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643, which scores 18697 (a delta of -0.1%), and the Intel Core i7-1355U at 18730 (a -0.3% delta). The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 is slightly ahead at 18811 (-0.7% delta), while the Intel Core i3-14100F trails at 18519 (a +0.9% delta for the i5). What this tells us is that the i5-12400 is punching well above its weight class in raw compute, competing with enterprise and newer mobile parts. In Lockdown Protocol specifically, the CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration appears adequate for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the measured FPS data suggests it becomes a bottleneck as the GPU load decreases.

The single-thread performance is particularly relevant for an FPS title like Lockdown Protocol. A 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257 indicate that the architecture handles lightly-threaded game logic well. However, the PassMark single-thread score of 3456 and the fact that the CPU's percentile rank (72) lags behind the GPU's (86) hints that at 1080p, where the GPU has less work to do, the processor's limits will surface. The CPU's 65W TDP and locked multiplier mean it is not an overclocking part, so builders should not expect to squeeze additional performance from it beyond what the boost clock of 4.40 GHz provides.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the heavy lifter in this pairing. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, this GPU packs 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation processors. The memory subsystem is substantial: 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus delivers 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, with memory clocked at 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). The core clocks run at 2205 MHz base and 2505 MHz boost, producing 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The RTX 4080 also features 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores, which support DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 APIs.

In benchmark comparisons, the RTX 4080's average score of 54247 puts it right alongside the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 (a delta of just 0.1% in favor of the 4080). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (-1.1% delta), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (-2.6% delta) and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (-2.7% delta). These deltas show that the RTX 4080 is essentially on par with its SUPER variant in aggregate benchmarks, and actually trails the AMD cards listed by a small margin in average score, though those differences are minor.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Lockdown Protocol at any resolution tested. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567, along with Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores of 214739 and 263779 respectively, indicate strong compute performance that translates well to gaming. The PassMark G3D score of 34457 and GPU compute score of 20671 further confirm the card's capability. With a 320W TDP and a recommended 700W PSU, this is a power-hungry card, but the performance it delivers in Lockdown Protocol justifies the requirement. The triple-slot cooler and 310 mm length mean case compatibility should be checked, but that is a physical consideration rather than a performance metric.

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 4080 bottlenecked by the i5-12400 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data suggests yes, particularly at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 272 FPS, while at 4K Low it drops to 157 FPS. The frame rate does not scale proportionally with resolution, indicating the CPU becomes a larger factor as the GPU workload decreases.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its closest rival in terms of raw performance?

A: The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 is within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (18811) and within 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-1355U (18730). It edges out the Intel Core i3-14100F by 0.9% (18519).

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo based on the measured data?

A: 1440p High offers 151 FPS average, which balances visual quality with high refresh rates. At 4K High, the average drops to 98 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for competitive FPS play.

Q: Does the RTX 4080 outperform its direct successor in this database?

A: The RTX 4080 scores 54247 on average compared to the RTX 4080 SUPER's 54209, a 0.1% difference. The data shows them as effectively equivalent in aggregate performance.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4080 have and is it enough?

A: The card has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory. Given that all measured settings at 4K produce playable frame rates (73 FPS at Ultra), the VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in Lockdown Protocol.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance relative to its multi-thread performance?

A: The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2257 versus 15989 multi-core, a ratio of roughly 1:7. The 3DMark single-thread score of 910 versus max-thread 5890 shows similar scaling, indicating the CPU relies on multi-threading for heavy workloads.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows clear resolution scaling patterns that reveal the system's balance. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 206 FPS at 1080p to 151 FPS at 1440p (a 26.7% decrease), then to 98 FPS at 4K (a 35.1% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is steep, indicating the GPU is becoming the primary limiter as resolution increases. At Low settings, the pattern is different: 272 FPS at 1080p drops to 244 FPS at 1440p (a 10.3% decrease), then to 157 FPS at 4K (a 35.7% decrease from 1440p). The smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings suggests the CPU is holding the frame rate down at 1080p, since the GPU has less work to do but the FPS does not scale up as much as it could.

Medium settings show the most complete data with min and max FPS recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 236 FPS with a range of 201-272 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 173 FPS (range 147-199), and at 4K Medium, the average is 112 FPS (range 95-129). The min FPS values at Medium settings show that frame pacing remains consistent, with the minimum staying within about 15% of the average across resolutions. Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates: 155 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is a 27.1% drop, and from 1440p to 4K it is a 35.4% drop, which mirrors the High settings pattern.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting component. The difference between Low (272 FPS) and Ultra (155 FPS) at 1080p is 117 FPS, but at 4K, the difference between Low (157 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) is 84 FPS. This compression of the performance gap at higher resolutions suggests the GPU is doing more of the work, and the CPU has less influence on the final frame rate. For competitive play, 1080p or 1440p with lower settings yields the highest frame rates, while 4K is viable for visual fidelity at the cost of responsiveness.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and frame rate across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 236 FPS average with a minimum of 201 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. At 1440p Medium, 173 FPS average with a 147 FPS minimum still provides a smooth experience for fast-paced FPS gameplay. Even at 4K Medium, the 112 FPS average with a 95 FPS minimum is playable, though competitive players may prefer lower settings.

The High preset is a reasonable alternative for those prioritizing visuals over raw frame rate. At 1080p High, 206 FPS is still excellent, and 1440p High at 151 FPS is suitable for 144Hz monitors. However, 4K High at 98 FPS dips below the 100 FPS threshold that many FPS players consider minimum for competitive play. The Ultra preset should be reserved for single-player or casual play, as 155 FPS at 1080p and 113 FPS at 1440p are acceptable, but 73 FPS at 4K will feel sluggish in a fast-paced shooter.

The Low preset maximizes frame rate but sacrifices visual quality. At 1080p Low, 272 FPS is the highest measured result in the entire dataset, and 1440p Low at 244 FPS is also exceptional. Even 4K Low at 157 FPS is higher than what most systems achieve at lower resolutions with higher settings. For esports players who prioritize response time above all else, Low settings at 1440p or 1080p are the recommended configuration. The Medium preset at 1440p appears to be the sweet spot for this combo, offering 173 FPS with a 147 FPS minimum, which comfortably exceeds the 144Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors. The data does not include any frame generation or upscaling metrics, so these recommendations are based purely on the native rendering performance measured in the database.