Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination delivers a strong 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and settings increase. The data indicates that this pairing is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate play, though the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16,518 and a single-core score of 2,332, with a Geekbench multi-core result of 9,138.

The CPU’s performance percentile stands at 77, meaning it outperforms 77% of all tested processors. Its average benchmark score of 19,221 places it in close competition with the Intel Core i7-8700K, which scores 19,210 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i5-1335U at 19,167 (0.3% delta). Interestingly, the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS edges ahead with a score of 19,364, representing a -0.7% delta relative to the i5-12400F.

For Lockdown Protocol, this processor provides ample headroom. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 276.2 FPS, which indicates the CPU is not limiting frame delivery at lower graphical loads. Even at 1080p Ultra, the system maintains 133.3 FPS, showing that the 6-core/12-thread configuration handles the game’s threading requirements effectively. The single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 909, is sufficient to drive high frame rates without creating a bottleneck in this FPS title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus with 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1387 MHz, a game clock of 2025 MHz, and a boost clock of 2394 MHz. Based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 31 chip, it delivers 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and includes 84 ray tracing cores.

The GPU’s percentile ranking is 82, with an average benchmark score of 38,358. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile, which scores 38,349 (a 0.0% delta), while the NVIDIA CMP 70HX trails slightly at 38,225 (0.3% delta). The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 posts a higher score of 38,494 (-0.4% delta), though this appears to be an outlier in the data.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s capabilities are most evident at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the combo delivers 62.3 FPS, while dropping to High settings at 4K improves this to 85 FPS. The 20 GB VRAM buffer ensures no memory-related stuttering occurs, even at 4K with Ultra textures. At 1440p, the GPU pushes 208.2 FPS on Low settings and 129.2 FPS on High, demonstrating that the RX 7900 XT has ample compute headroom for competitive play at this resolution.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High delivers 129.2 FPS, while 1440p Medium achieves 147.7 FPS. Both are excellent for smooth gameplay. At 1080p, all settings exceed 133 FPS, with Low reaching 276.2 FPS, making 1080p the choice for maximum frame rates.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F scores 19,221 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-8700K’s 19,210. However, it trails the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS by 0.7%, as that chip scores 19,364.

Q: Is the GPU powerful enough for 4K gaming in this title?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 62.3 FPS, which is playable. Lowering to 4K High increases performance to 85 FPS, and 4K Medium yields 95.8 FPS. For 60+ FPS at 4K, High settings are recommended.

Q: What is the GPU’s ranking relative to other tested graphics cards?

A: The RX 7900 XT has a percentile rank of 82, placing it above 82% of all GPUs. Its average score of 38,358 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile, which scores 38,349.

Q: How does frame rate scale between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings produce 208.2 FPS, Medium produces 147.7 FPS, High produces 129.2 FPS, and Ultra produces 94.8 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra represents a significant 54.5% reduction in frame rate.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any tested configuration?

A: Based on the data, no. At 1080p Low, the system hits 276.2 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra it maintains 133.3 FPS. The consistent scaling across settings suggests the GPU remains the limiting factor at all tested resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 302nd out of 1,637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 18.4% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing: the CPU’s 77th percentile performance complements the GPU’s 82nd percentile performance without either component becoming a persistent bottleneck.

The rank is particularly strong when considering the CPU’s modest positioning. The i5-12400F’s average score of 19,221 is only 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-8700K, yet the overall combo rank benefits from the RX 7900 XT’s high-end capabilities. In practical terms, this means the combo outperforms many configurations with newer or more expensive CPUs because the GPU carries the workload in Lockdown Protocol’s graphics-intensive scenes.

At 1080p, the combo’s performance is exceptional, with even Ultra settings delivering 133.3 FPS. At 1440p, the system remains highly competitive, with High settings achieving 129.2 FPS. The 4K results are more moderate, but the 62.3 FPS at Ultra is still within playable territory. This ranking suggests the combination is optimized for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p monitors, where it delivers frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience, the data points to 1440p High settings as the optimal balance. This configuration delivers 129.2 FPS, which is smooth on most high-refresh-rate displays, while maintaining visual fidelity. For players prioritizing competitive performance, 1440p Low offers 208.2 FPS, providing a significant frame rate advantage with minimal graphical compromise.

At 1080p, Medium settings achieve 201.9 FPS, making this the sweet spot for esports-style play where responsiveness is paramount. The 1080p High setting at 171.6 FPS is also excellent, offering better visuals with only a 15% frame rate penalty compared to Medium. For those with 4K displays, High settings at 85 FPS is the recommended configuration, as it provides the best balance between visual quality and smoothness; Ultra at 4K drops to 62.3 FPS, which may feel less responsive in fast-paced FPS action.

The data shows diminishing returns beyond High settings. At 1440p, moving from High to Ultra costs 34.4 FPS (129.2 to 94.8), while the visual improvement is typically modest in most titles. Similarly, at 1080p, the jump from High to Ultra reduces performance from 171.6 to 133.3 FPS. Therefore, High settings at 1080p or 1440p represent the most efficient use of this hardware, maximizing frame rates while preserving image quality.