Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS where frame pacing and responsiveness matter as much as raw visual fidelity. This analysis pairs the Intel Core i5-14400F with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, using measured data to determine what this combination delivers at various resolutions and settings. The benchmark results show a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the CPU still plays a critical role in maintaining high frame rates at 1080p.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. It features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the measured performance here does not differentiate between those memory types. With a TDP of 65 W and a process node of 10 nm, this is a mainstream desktop part, but its benchmark scores indicate it is no slouch for gaming.

In synthetic tests, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914 and a single-core score of 3093. These numbers place it in the 88th percentile versus all CPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i7-12800H and AMD Ryzen 7 250, with delta percentages of 0% and -0.2%, respectively. This effectively puts the i5-14400F in a dead heat with those parts, which is notable because the i7-12800H is a mobile chip with higher power limits. The i5-14400F also edges out the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 by 0.2%.

For Lockdown Protocol, the single-threaded performance is crucial for game logic, physics, and draw call submission. The Cinebench R15 single-core score of 311 and Geekbench single-core score of 2333 suggest that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 260.8 average FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this scenario. The 10-core configuration with 16 threads also provides headroom for background tasks, like Discord or streaming software, without significantly impacting frame rates.

However, the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases. At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop substantially across all settings, which points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The data does not show the CPU exceeding 70% utilization in any measured row, but the benchmark results imply that the i5-14400F is sufficient to drive the RX 9070 XT to its limits at 1080p and 1440p. If you were to pair this CPU with a slower GPU, the frame rates would likely drop, but with this specific card, the processor is a capable partner.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 48 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1660 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz and a boost clock of 2970 MHz. This is a high-end card, evidenced by its 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, plus 64 ray tracing cores.

In compute benchmarks, the RX 9070 XT scores 26795 in Passmark G3D and 7260 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. It ranks in the 82nd percentile versus all GPUs, which is strong, though its nearest rivals are interesting: the AMD Radeon Pro 575 and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, both with delta percentages around 0.1% to 0.2%. These are professional or mobile parts, which suggests the benchmark database has limited direct gaming comparisons, but the relative performance is clear. The GPU’s FP32 compute is rated at 48.66 TFLOPS, which is substantial for rasterization-heavy titles like Lockdown Protocol.

The 16 GB VRAM is a key asset. The measured FPS data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo still manages 59.8 average FPS, which indicates the card isn’t running out of memory and causing stutters. At 2560x1440, the VRAM capacity allows for High settings at 119.6 FPS without any indication of texture thrashing. The memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s is also sufficient for the high frame rates seen at 1080p, where the card reaches 260.8 FPS on Low settings.

The GPU’s clock speeds are notable because they show a significant boost over base clock in gaming workloads. The difference between the 1660 MHz base and 2970 MHz boost is 1310 MHz, which suggests effective thermal and power management. The card’s TDP is 304 W, and it requires a 700 W PSU, which are important system-level considerations, but the measured frame rates confirm that this power is being put to good use.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Can this combo handle Lockdown Protocol at 4K with High settings?

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 76.4 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings. That is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, making this a viable 4K configuration.

Q: What is the best resolution for competitive play with this setup?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 260.8 average FPS. This is the highest measured frame rate and is ideal for fast-paced FPS action where every millisecond counts.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in the database?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32508, which is within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (avg score 32584) and the Intel Core i7-13705H (avg score 32586). It is essentially tied with these parts.

Q: Is 16 GB of VRAM enough for Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows 89.4 average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings. The 16 GB VRAM capacity ensures that texture quality does not cause performance degradation at this resolution.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and High settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield 260.8 FPS, while High settings yield 161.8 FPS. That is a 99 FPS difference, showing that visual fidelity has a significant cost at this resolution.

Q: Does the GPU’s percentile ranking indicate it is a top-tier card?

A: The RX 9070 XT ranks in the 82nd percentile versus all GPUs. While this is strong, it is not in the top 20% of all GPUs, meaning there are faster cards, but this one still delivers very high frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high. With Low settings, the average FPS is 260.8, which is the peak performance for this configuration. Medium settings reduce the average to 182.7 FPS, while High settings produce 161.8 FPS. Pushing to Ultra drops the average to 123.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 136.9 FPS drop, which is substantial, but even the lowest of these numbers is well above what most monitors can display.

At 2560x1440, the pattern continues but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings deliver 192.6 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive gaming. Medium settings yield 135.6 FPS, and High settings drop to 119.6 FPS. Ultra settings bring the average down to 89.4 FPS. The relative drop from Low to Ultra is 103.2 FPS, which is slightly less severe than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are more modest but still playable. Low settings achieve 121.9 FPS, which is surprising for 4K and indicates the game is not extremely demanding. Medium settings drop to 87.8 FPS, while High settings yield 76.4 FPS. Ultra settings produce 59.8 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold. This is the only measured configuration where the average FPS falls below 60, so if you want a locked 60 FPS at 4K, you will need to use High settings or lower.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 389th out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 23.8% of all configurations in the database. That is a strong showing, considering the database includes many higher-end CPUs like the Core i9 series and more expensive GPUs.

The rank indicates that this combo is well-balanced for this game. The CPU’s 88th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 82nd percentile ranking combine to produce a system that performs better than the vast majority of alternatives. The rank of 389 is particularly notable because it suggests that many combos with either a faster CPU or GPU do not necessarily translate to better in-game performance, likely due to diminishing returns in a game that is not extremely CPU-intensive.

The data shows that this combo is more competitive at 1080p and 1440p than at 4K, where the GPU’s raw power starts to become the sole determinant. If the rank were broken down by resolution, it would likely be higher at 1080p, where the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s frame generation, and lower at 4K, where the GPU is the sole bottleneck. Still, a rank of 389 out of 1637 is a solid endorsement of this pairing for Lockdown Protocol.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For the best overall experience, the data suggests using High settings at 2560x1440. This yields an average of 119.6 FPS, which is above the refresh rate of most high-refresh monitors and well above the 60 FPS threshold. The visual quality at High is noticeably better than Medium, and the 119.6 FPS is still high enough for responsive gameplay. If you have a 144 Hz monitor, this is the sweet spot.

For competitive play where frame rate is king, the 1920x1080 Low setting at 260.8 FPS is the clear choice. This provides the maximum frame rate and minimizes input latency, which is crucial in a fast-paced FPS. The visual trade-off is significant, but for esports-style play, the smoothness is worth it. Medium settings at 1080p (182.7 FPS) are a compromise if you want slightly better visuals without sacrificing too much performance.

For 4K gaming, the recommendation is High settings at 3840x2160, which delivers 76.4 FPS. This is above 60 FPS and provides a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. Avoid Ultra at 4K, as the 59.8 FPS average is just below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in inconsistent frame pacing. If you have a 4K 60 Hz display, High settings are the way to go.

If you prefer to maximize visual quality at 1440p, Ultra settings at 89.4 FPS are acceptable, but the drop from High to Ultra is 30.2 FPS, which is a significant cost for marginal visual gains. The data suggests that High is the better value in terms of frame rate per visual quality. Overall, this combo performs best when you prioritize frame rate over absolute graphical fidelity, particularly at lower resolutions.