Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents an interesting case study in system scaling when paired with an Intel Core i5-12400 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. The benchmark data for this combination reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions but begins to show its CPU limitations as graphical fidelity increases. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to understand the relationship between resolution, settings, and the components driving performance.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation in the data is how average frame rates collapse as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the system delivers 228 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 167 FPS at 1440p, and further down to 108 FPS at 4K. This represents a 53% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, a clear sign that the rendering load is scaling significantly with pixel count.

The pattern holds across other settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 239 at 1080p to 192 at 1440p, and then to 124 at 4K. The Low preset shows the most dramatic drop in raw terms: 272 FPS at 1080p, 245 at 1440p, and 174 at 4K. Even the Ultra preset, which starts at 171 FPS at 1080p, falls to 125 at 1440p and bottoms out at 81 FPS at 4K.

What does this tell us about the limiting component? At 1080p High, the 228 FPS mark is far beyond what most displays can show, but the fact that it is not maxing out the RTX 4090's potential suggests the CPU is starting to cap performance. The gap between 1080p and 1440p at High is 61 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 59 FPS. This near-linear drop indicates that the GPU is taking on more work at each higher resolution, but the CPU is still keeping pace until the very high frame rates at lower resolutions.

The 4K results are particularly informative. At 4K Ultra, the system manages 81 FPS, which is a playable level for this genre. The spread between 4K Low (174 FPS) and 4K Ultra (81 FPS) shows a 93 FPS difference, meaning the game's visual settings have a massive impact on the GPU load. This suggests that at 4K, the RTX 4090 is the clear bottleneck, as frame rates scale directly with the graphics preset's intensity. The data indicates that this combination is best suited for high-refresh 1440p gaming or smooth 4K at medium-to-high settings, rather than chasing maximum frame rates at 1080p where the CPU becomes a more significant factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a colossal piece of hardware, and its specifications frame the performance ceiling for this combo. With 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, it provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This memory capacity is more than sufficient for Lockdown Protocol's textures at any resolution, meaning VRAM is not a limiting factor in the measured results.

The GPU's clock behavior is also relevant. It has a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The boost clock is what the card sustains under load, and the data suggests it is being pushed hard at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 81. The GPU's compute capabilities are massive: 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, 16384 shading units, and 128 RT cores. These figures translate to raw rasterization power that dominates the measured FPS at lower resolutions.

However, the benchmark data shows that at 1080p and even 1440p, the RTX 4090 is not being fully utilized in this game. The 272 FPS at 1080p Low is impressive but likely constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls. The GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 4K Medium, the card produces 124 FPS with a minimum of 105 and a maximum of 142, showing a frame time variance that is typical of a GPU under heavy load. The 4K Ultra result of 81 FPS is where the card's architecture—with its 512 TMUs and 176 ROPs—is fully engaged, rendering the highest quality assets.

The RTX 4090's 450 W TDP and triple-slot cooler design are not directly performance metrics, but they explain why the card can sustain these high clocks under sustained gaming loads. The data suggests that in Lockdown Protocol, the GPU is the dominant contributor to performance only when the resolution is high enough to saturate its shading units and memory bandwidth, which occurs at 4K. At lower resolutions, the GPU's headroom is left on the table, waiting for a stronger CPU to unlock it.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for this combo at 2560x1440 with High settings is 167 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the bottleneck in this game at 1080p?

A: No, the data indicates the Intel Core i5-12400 is the limiting factor at 1080p. The FPS drops from 272 at Low to 228 at High, which shows the CPU can't push the GPU to its limits at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset yields 174 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 81 FPS, a difference of 93 FPS.

Q: Does the RTX 4090 have enough VRAM for Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Yes, the card has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, which is more than sufficient for the game's assets at any resolution, so VRAM is not a constraint.

Q: Which resolution provides the highest average FPS in the dataset?

A: The highest average FPS is 272, which occurs at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only recorded minimum FPS values are for the Medium preset. The lowest minimum is 105 FPS at 4K, while the highest minimum is 204 FPS at 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of how each settings preset impacts performance. The best experience depends on the user's display and preference for frame rate versus visual quality.

For players with a 4K display, the High preset at 108 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium (124 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above 60. The Ultra preset at 81 FPS is still playable but sacrifices 27 FPS for marginal visual gains. The Low preset at 174 FPS is smooth but undermines the point of having a high-end GPU.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 167 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset at 192 FPS offers even more headroom for 165 Hz or 240 Hz displays, but the visual fidelity drop may be noticeable. Ultra at 125 FPS is a strong choice for those who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rate, as it still clears the 120 FPS threshold comfortably.

For 1080p users, the High preset at 228 FPS is the recommended choice. It provides a stable, high frame rate that exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors. The Low preset at 272 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing esports-level responsiveness, and the Ultra preset at 171 FPS is a balanced option for those who want maximum detail without dropping below 144 FPS. The data suggests that High settings across all resolutions offer the best balance of performance and visual quality, with Medium being a viable fallback for higher refresh rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a rank of 176 out of 3714 combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 5% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing given the CPU's mid-range positioning.

The rank is likely buoyed by the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 4090 is one of the most powerful cards available. The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking among all CPUs (based on its average benchmark score) suggests it is not a top-tier processor, but it is capable enough to avoid being a severe bottleneck in this game. The combo's rank of 176 indicates that many other pairings, likely with higher-end CPUs, achieve better overall FPS in this title.

However, the rank should be interpreted with context. The gap between this combo and the top-ranked ones is likely smaller at 4K, where the GPU is the primary driver, and larger at 1080p, where CPU limits become apparent. The data shows this combo is a high performer, but it is not the absolute best, leaving room for improvement if the CPU were upgraded to match the GPU's tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured FPS data for this combo, organized by resolution and settings.

1920x1080:

• High: 228 FPS average
• Low: 272 FPS average
• Medium: 239 FPS average (min 204, max 275)
• Ultra: 171 FPS average

2560x1440:

• High: 167 FPS average
• Low: 245 FPS average
• Medium: 192 FPS average (min 163, max 220)
• Ultra: 125 FPS average

3840x2160:

• High: 108 FPS average
• Low: 174 FPS average
• Medium: 124 FPS average (min 105, max 142)
• Ultra: 81 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent scaling pattern. Across all settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces FPS by roughly 25-27%, while moving from 1440p to 4K reduces FPS by another 35-36%. This non-linear drop is a hallmark of GPU-bound scenarios, where pixel count increases exponentially. The Medium preset at each resolution provides a middle ground, with the only recorded minimum and maximum FPS values showing frame pacing that is stable enough for competitive play.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 18 MB of shared L3 cache is respectable, but the CPU's benchmark scores reveal its positioning: it ranks at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with a multi-core score of 15989 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 2257.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p. The average FPS at 1080p High is 228, which is likely near the CPU's limit for this game. The fact that 1080p Low (272 FPS) is only 44 FPS higher than 1080p High (228 FPS) suggests that the CPU is struggling to process the game's logic and draw calls at these high frame rates. At 1440p, the CPU has more breathing room, as the GPU takes on more work, allowing the combo to reach 245 FPS at Low and 167 FPS at High.

The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for modern FPS titles, but they are not overkill. The data shows that at 4K, the CPU is no longer the limiting factor, as frame rates are entirely dictated by the GPU's rendering speed. The single-thread performance, as measured by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910, is adequate but not exceptional. This means that in CPU-heavy moments, such as large firefights with many players, the frame rate may dip, but the overall average remains high.

The CPU's TDP of 65 W and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are relevant for system builders, but the benchmark data indicates that this processor is a capable partner for the RTX 4090, provided the user targets 1440p or 4K rather than chasing extreme frame rates at 1080p. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-14100F, show that the i5-12400 is slightly better in multi-threaded workloads, but the difference is minimal in gaming scenarios.