Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core i5-14600KF + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070

This combo ranks 1387th out of 1637 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems. The pairing of a modern 14-core Intel processor with a Pascal-era GPU creates a significant bottleneck, and the data confirms that the graphics card is the limiting factor across nearly every resolution and settings combination. The GTX 1070, while once a capable 1080p card, struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at higher settings, though the i5-14600KF ensures that CPU-related frame dips are rarely the cause of stutter.

How This Combo Ranks

The 1387th position out of 1637 combos is a poor showing, but context matters. This ranking reflects the GPU's age more than the CPU's capability. The GTX 1070 sits at the 51st percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-14600KF ranks in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs. That disparity—a near-top-tier processor paired with a mid-pack graphics card—explains why this combo lands in the bottom 15% of tested systems. The data shows that the CPU is effectively wasted in this pairing for Lockdown Protocol, as the GPU cannot keep up with the processor's output. In practical terms, upgrading the GPU alone would yield dramatic improvements, while swapping the CPU would produce negligible gains in this title. The combo's ranking is consistent with what the benchmark data suggests: a system held back by its oldest component.

GPU Role

The GTX 1070 features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock runs at 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, delivering 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. In Lockdown Protocol, these specifications translate to playable but not impressive results. At 1080p with Low settings, the card averages 131.3 FPS, showing that it can still handle lighter loads. However, the 1070's 64 ROPs and 1920 shading units become the constraint as settings increase. At 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 59.5 FPS, indicating that the GPU is working near its limits. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for this game at lower settings, but the card's compute throughput—not memory—is what limits performance. The data suggests that the GTX 1070 is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium settings, where it delivers 96.1 FPS, or Low settings for higher refresh rates.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 131.3 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 94 FPS—a 28% reduction. At 4K Low, it falls to 63.4 FPS, a 52% drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-limited system, where pixel count directly impacts performance. The CPU's capacity is not the issue; the i5-14600KF can handle the frame generation at all resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Ultra (59.5 FPS) versus 1440p Ultra (45.1 FPS), the drop is 24%, while 4K Ultra (29.4 FPS) represents another 35% reduction from 1440p. These consistent, predictable declines across resolutions confirm that the GTX 1070 is the bottleneck. For smooth 60 FPS gameplay, users should target 1080p Medium or 1440p Low, as the card cannot sustain 60 FPS at higher settings on any resolution above 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings/resolution combination for this system?

A: The data shows 1080p Medium averaging 96.1 FPS is the sweet spot for smooth gameplay. For higher visual quality, 1080p High at 82.6 FPS is acceptable, while 1440p Low at 94 FPS offers a resolution boost with similar performance.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: At 4K Low, the combo averages 63.4 FPS, which is playable. However, 4K Medium drops to 42.7 FPS, and 4K Ultra falls to 29.4 FPS, making higher settings at 4K impractical for competitive play.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The i5-14600KF ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GTX 1070 sits at the 51st percentile. The frame rate scaling across resolutions is consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU constraints.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rivals in raw benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 12331, which is 0.7% higher than the Quadro K4200 (12241), 1.3% lower than the GTX 880M (12490), and 1.4% lower than the GTX 1650 SUPER (12504). This places it in a closely contested performance tier.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the combo delivers 94 FPS on Low, 71 FPS on Medium, 59 FPS on High, and 45.1 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p Medium setting offers a good balance of visual quality and playability.

Q: Is the i5-14600KF's performance consistent with its CPU peers?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the i5-14600K (49166), 0.5% lower than the AMD EPYC 4345P (49595), and 0.6% higher than the Ryzen 9 5950X (49062). It performs within a tight band of similar processors.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 131.3 FPS, Medium achieves 96.1 FPS, High reaches 82.6 FPS, and Ultra falls to 59.5 FPS. This resolution is clearly the card's comfort zone, with only Ultra dipping below the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 94 FPS, Medium hits 71 FPS, High manages 59 FPS, and Ultra drops to 45.1 FPS. The 1440p results show that the GTX 1070 can handle competitive play at Low settings but struggles at higher presets.

At 3840x2160, the card is pushed to its limits. Low settings average 63.4 FPS, Medium drops to 42.7 FPS, High falls to 35.9 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 29.4 FPS. The 4K results are only playable at the lowest settings, and even then, the frame rate is marginal for fast-paced FPS gameplay. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent, with each resolution step costing roughly 25-30% of the frame rate at equivalent settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF brings 14 cores and 20 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4/DDR5) make it a heavyweight processor, reflected in its 93rd percentile ranking. In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to feed frames to the GPU, and with a PassMark single-thread score of 4273 and a multithread score of 38697, it has ample headroom. The benchmark data shows no indication of CPU-related frame drops; the FPS declines are entirely attributable to GPU load. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32889 and Geekbench single-core score of 2778 demonstrate its capability, but in this game, those resources go largely unused. For this combo, the i5-14600KF is overkill—a less powerful processor would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. However, this CPU provides future-proofing: upgrading the GPU later would allow this system to handle much more demanding titles without changing the processor.