Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 257th out of 1,637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the top 15.7% of all systems evaluated. This is a strong result for a 1440p-focused build, but the data reveals a configuration that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions while showing impressive CPU headroom at 1080p. The pairing demonstrates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary performance arbiter in this FPS title, with the i5-14600K providing sufficient throughput to avoid becoming a bottleneck until frame rates exceed 280 FPS.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 SUPER brings 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is adequate for Lockdown Protocol's demands, as evidenced by the measured frame rates across all settings. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1980 MHz, combined with 7,168 shading units, produce a raw FP32 throughput of 35.48 TFLOPS. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the card scores 4,627 points, which places it at the 84th percentile among all GPUs.

Benchmark results indicate the GPU's nearest rival is the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which scores 42,653 on average—a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE is 0.3% faster in synthetic tests, while the AMD Radeon Pro 580X trails by 1.4%. These narrow margins in synthetic benchmarks do not translate directly to Lockdown Protocol performance, where the 4070 SUPER's architecture and driver optimization for FPS titles matter more.

The card's 12 GB VRAM capacity proves sufficient at 4K Ultra, where the combo still produces 63.8 FPS. This suggests the game's texture and geometry demands fit comfortably within the memory allocation, even at maximum settings. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the framerate drops to 63.8 FPS—a 53.3% reduction from 4K Low's 137.8 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 288.8 FPS, but this drops to 214.8 FPS at 1440p Low (a 25.6% reduction) and further to 137.8 FPS at 4K Low (a 52.3% reduction from 1080p). This steep falloff indicates the GPU is the constraining component, as the i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads are more than capable of feeding frame rates well above 200 FPS.

The scaling pattern becomes more pronounced at higher settings. At Ultra, the combo delivers 136.8 FPS at 1080p, 96.7 FPS at 1440p, and 63.8 FPS at 4K. The 4K-to-1080p ratio at Ultra is 0.47, meaning 4K performance is less than half of 1080p. This confirms that Lockdown Protocol's Ultra preset imposes significant GPU load, with the 4070 SUPER's compute and memory bandwidth being fully utilized at 4K.

The data shows that resolution scaling is not linear—going from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 25% performance, while 1440p to 4K costs another 34%. This non-linear relationship is typical of GPU-bound scenarios where pixel throughput becomes the dominant factor. The i5-14600K's role diminishes as resolution increases, with its 3.50 GHz base clock and 5.30 GHz boost clock providing ample single-thread performance for high-FPS scenarios at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p Results: At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 288.8 FPS on Low settings, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. Medium settings produce 208.9 FPS, High settings achieve 182.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 136.8 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 152 FPS, indicating that settings have a substantial impact at this resolution. Even at Ultra, the frame rate exceeds 136 FPS, making 1080p gaming exceptionally smooth for competitive play.

1440p Results: At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. Low settings yield 214.8 FPS, Medium delivers 149.4 FPS, High achieves 130.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 96.7 FPS. The 1440p results show a 118.1 FPS spread between Low and Ultra. Notably, 1440p Ultra still maintains above 96 FPS, which is playable for most users, though competitive players may prefer High settings for the 130.8 FPS result.

4K Results: At 3840x2160, the combo shows its limits. Low settings produce 137.8 FPS, Medium delivers 96.3 FPS, High achieves 87.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 63.8 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate a 74 FPS spread between Low and Ultra. While 4K Ultra is playable at 63.8 FPS, it falls below the 87.2 FPS High setting, which offers a better balance for 4K displays.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p as the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 130.8 FPS, which is well above the 96.7 FPS at Ultra. This provides high refresh rate capability without sacrificing visual quality significantly.

Q: How much performance does Ultra settings cost compared to Low?

A: At 1080p, Ultra costs 152 FPS compared to Low (136.8 vs 288.8 FPS). At 1440p, the difference is 118.1 FPS (96.7 vs 214.8 FPS). At 4K, the difference narrows to 74 FPS (63.8 vs 137.8 FPS).

Q: Is the i5-14600K a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER?

A: The data suggests no significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 288.8 FPS, which is near the practical limit for most displays. The CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads, along with a 5.30 GHz boost clock, provide sufficient headroom.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K High, the combo achieves 87.2 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 63.8 FPS. For 4K, Medium (96.3 FPS) or High (87.2 FPS) settings offer the best experience.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 42,576 is 0.2% below the RTX A6000 and 0.3% below the Radeon RX 7650 GRE. It outperforms the Radeon Pro 580X by 1.4% and the Tesla M40 by 1.6%. These margins are minimal in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the combo delivers 182.4 FPS at 1080p and 87.2 FPS at 4K. This represents a 52.2% performance reduction when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play at 1080p, Low settings provide the maximum frame rate of 288.8 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. However, for most users, Medium settings at 208.9 FPS offer a better balance between visual fidelity and performance. At 1080p, High settings (182.4 FPS) are also viable, providing good visuals without sacrificing competitive responsiveness.

At 1440p, the recommended preset is High, delivering 130.8 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on 144Hz displays while maintaining acceptable image quality. Medium (149.4 FPS) is also viable for those prioritizing frame rate, while Ultra (96.7 FPS) is only suitable for users with 100Hz or lower refresh rate monitors.

For 4K gaming, High settings at 87.2 FPS offer the best experience. Medium (96.3 FPS) provides a slight frame rate advantage, but High offers better visual clarity. Ultra (63.8 FPS) is the least recommended, as the frame rate drops below 70 FPS, which can affect gameplay smoothness in a fast-paced FPS title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K features 14 cores (6 performance and 8 efficiency) with 20 threads, operating at a 3.50 GHz base clock and 5.30 GHz boost clock. This configuration, built on Intel's 10 nm Raptor Lake architecture, delivers strong single-thread performance as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,642 points. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample data locality for gaming workloads.

In multi-threaded tasks, the i5-14600K scores 32,881 points in Cinebench R23, placing it at the 93rd percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 49,166 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49,062), which trails by only 0.2%. The i5-14600KF is 0.4% faster, while the AMD EPYC 4345P leads by 0.9%. These marginal differences in synthetic benchmarks have minimal impact on Lockdown Protocol performance.

The CPU's role in this combo becomes evident at 1080p Low, where the 288.8 FPS result indicates the processor can handle high frame rate scenarios without bottlenecking. The 5.30 GHz boost clock provides the single-thread responsiveness needed for FPS gameplay mechanics, while the 14 cores ensure background tasks do not interfere with game performance. At higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, but the i5-14600K's consistent performance ensures it never drags down the overall experience.