Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination. The measured data reveals a system that is firmly balanced between its two primary components, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, though it requires careful settings management to maintain smooth performance at higher presets.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 clearly illustrates where the bottleneck lies within this system. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 99 FPS at 1080p to 72 FPS at 1440p, a drop of 27%. The subsequent jump to 4K yields an average of 47 FPS, representing a further 35% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting factor as pixel count increases, with the GPU's rendering throughput struggling to keep pace with the 4K resolution's demands.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 159 FPS, which suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with a substantial number of frames. However, at 4K Low, the average drops to 75 FPS, a 53% reduction. This larger percentage drop at lower graphical settings points to a shift in the performance ceiling; while the CPU can push high frame rates at lower resolutions, the GPU's raw compute limits become increasingly dominant as resolution rises.

The Medium preset provides additional insight into this dynamic. The frame rate averages are 113 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p, and 53 FPS at 4K. The consistent step-down of roughly 30 FPS per resolution tier suggests a linear relationship between pixel count and rendering load, typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The minimum FPS values at Medium settings also reinforce this trend: 96 FPS at 1080p, 70 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K, showing that even the worst-case frame times scale proportionally with resolution.

The data indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit memory bus are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but become strained at 4K. The bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s and the boost clock of 1650 MHz are sufficient for handling the geometry and texture loads at lower resolutions, but the sheer pixel fill rate required at 3840x2160 exceeds what the card can comfortably deliver, particularly at High and Ultra presets where frame rates dip below 50 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the extensive database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Core i5-12400F and RTX 2060 SUPER holds a rank of 2630 out of 3714 total combos. This places the system in the lower-mid tier of all tested configurations, positioning it well below the top performers but also comfortably ahead of the least capable systems. The percentile standing suggests that while this combo is not optimized for maximum frame rates, it is far from being an outlier in terms of poor performance.

The ranking reflects a system that prioritizes balance over raw power. The Core i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides a solid foundation for a modern FPS title, while the RTX 2060 SUPER offers enough graphical horsepower to make the pairing competitive in the broader context. The data shows that this combination is more capable than roughly 29% of tested systems, which is a meaningful distinction given the wide variety of hardware configurations that have been benchmarked.

The position in the rankings is likely influenced by the GPU's age and architecture. The Turing-based RTX 2060 SUPER, while still competent, lacks the newer feature set and raw performance of more recent generations. The benchmark results indicate that the combo's performance is respectable for its hardware tier but does not challenge higher-end configurations that feature newer GPUs with more memory bandwidth and shading units. This ranking serves as a useful reference point for users considering this hardware pairing, showing that it delivers a consistent, if not spectacular, experience in Lockdown Protocol.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary driver of visual performance in this combo, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured frame rates. The GPU features 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, which collectively determine its ability to process geometry and pixels. The 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores indicate that the card is equipped for ray tracing and AI-enhanced features, though the measured data focuses on traditional rasterization performance in this title.

The memory subsystem of the RTX 2060 SUPER is a critical factor in its performance. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory operating at 14 Gbps effective and a 256-bit bus, the card achieves a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data suggests it becomes a limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings, where the average frame rate drops to 35 FPS. The high texture detail and complex shading at Ultra settings likely consume significant memory bandwidth, contributing to the performance degradation.

The clock speeds also play a role in the observed performance. The base clock of 1470 MHz and boost clock of 1650 MHz are modest by modern standards, but they are consistent with the card's power envelope of 175 W. The measured frame rates at 1080p High (99 FPS) and 1440p High (72 FPS) indicate that the GPU's compute throughput is well-matched to the CPU's capabilities at these settings. However, the 4K results show that the GPU cannot maintain the same level of performance, with even the Low preset only achieving 75 FPS, highlighting the card's limitations at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all tested settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its strongest results, with the Low preset achieving an impressive 159 FPS average. This is a highly playable frame rate for a competitive FPS title, suggesting that users prioritizing frame rate above all else can achieve excellent performance at this resolution. The Medium preset yields 113 FPS with a minimum of 96 FPS and maximum of 130 FPS, providing a smooth experience with improved visual quality. The High preset drops to 99 FPS, while the Ultra preset settles at 74 FPS, both of which remain above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scaling becomes more pronounced. The Low preset still delivers a strong 117 FPS, but the High preset falls to 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS. The Medium preset offers a balanced 83 FPS with a 70 FPS minimum, which remains playable but begins to show the strain of increased resolution. The data indicates that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo at higher settings, with Ultra requiring a compromise on smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations are fully exposed. The Low preset manages 75 FPS, which is still playable, but the Medium preset drops to 53 FPS, and the High preset falls to 47 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers a mere 35 FPS average, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a fast-paced FPS. The 4K Medium preset records a minimum FPS of 45, indicating that frame times can become inconsistent at this resolution. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo at higher settings, with users needing to stick to Low or Medium presets to maintain acceptable performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F serves as the central processing unit in this combo, and its specifications play a crucial role in ensuring the GPU is adequately fed with data. The processor features 6 cores and 12 threads, operating at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This configuration is well-suited for modern gaming workloads, which often benefit from higher single-thread performance alongside adequate multi-threading capabilities.

The CPU's cache hierarchy is notable for its size and organization. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache provides a substantial buffer for frequently accessed data, which can reduce latency and improve performance in games that rely on large working sets. The per-core L1 cache of 80 KB and L2 cache of 1.25 MB are also generous, ensuring that each core has quick access to critical instructions and data. This robust cache design helps maintain high frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor.

Benchmark results for the i5-12400F show strong performance across various workloads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and single-core score of 1680 indicate a capable processor for gaming, with the single-thread performance being particularly relevant for FPS titles. The 3DMark scores also reflect this, with a single-thread score of 909 and a max threads score of 5912. The processor's percentile ranking of 73 against all CPUs confirms that it is a solid mid-range option, capable of handling the demands of Lockdown Protocol without creating a significant bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination. For users prioritizing the highest frame rates at 1080p, the Low preset offers an exceptional 159 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play where responsiveness is paramount. However, for a more balanced experience, the Medium preset at 113 FPS provides a significant visual upgrade while maintaining frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 99 FPS remains viable, but the Ultra preset's 74 FPS may introduce noticeable frame pacing issues for some users.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts towards the Medium preset, which delivers 83 FPS with a 70 FPS minimum. This setting offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, ensuring smooth gameplay without excessive compromise. The High preset at 72 FPS is also playable, but the Ultra preset's 54 FPS falls below the ideal range for a fast-paced FPS. The Low preset at 117 FPS is the best choice for users who prioritize frame rate above all else at this resolution.

For 4K gaming, the data strongly suggests using the Low preset, which achieves 75 FPS and remains playable. The Medium preset at 53 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 45 FPS that could lead to stuttering in intense scenes. The High and Ultra presets, at 47 FPS and 35 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a smooth experience in Lockdown Protocol. Overall, the best experience across all resolutions is achieved by selecting the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p, as it offers the most favorable trade-off between visual quality and performance, with the Low preset serving as the fallback for higher resolutions or competitive play.