Lockdown Protocol

The data for Lockdown Protocol on the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination shows a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. The measured frames per second reveal a system that is heavily influenced by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s strong single-core performance ensures high frame rates at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand where the bottlenecks lie and how to optimize the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 illustrates a predictable but significant drop in frame rates across all settings. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 158.8 FPS at 1080p to 116.2 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 76.7 FPS at 4K. This represents a 51.7% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor when graphical load is light. The scaling is less drastic at the High preset, where the average drops from 100.4 FPS at 1080p to 72.1 FPS at 1440p and 46.4 FPS at 4K, a 53.8% reduction overall. This consistency suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER’s rendering pipeline is saturated similarly across presets, just at different absolute performance levels.

The most telling data point is at Ultra settings, where the 4K average of 35.5 FPS is less than half of the 1080p average of 73.4 FPS. The gap between 1440p (52.1 FPS) and 4K (35.5 FPS) is a 31.9% drop, which is steeper than the 29.0% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling is typical for a GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 256-bit memory bus, as the higher pixel count at 4K increases memory pressure and fill-rate demands beyond what the TU106 chip can efficiently deliver. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the i5-14600KF has enough headroom to push the GPU to its limits, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck, making resolution the dominant factor in performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear picture of which preset offers the best balance between visual quality and playable frame rates. For a 60 FPS target, the only viable options at 4K are Medium (55.7 FPS) and Low (76.7 FPS), as High (46.4 FPS) and Ultra (35.5 FPS) fall short. At 1440p, the High preset achieves 72.1 FPS, which is comfortably above 60 FPS, while Medium hits 85.4 FPS and Low reaches 116.2 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 52.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but may be acceptable for some users.

At 1080p, every preset exceeds 60 FPS, with Medium at 113.6 FPS and High at 100.4 FPS providing a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 73.4 FPS is still playable, but the jump from High to Ultra costs 27.0 FPS, which is a 26.9% reduction for what is likely a marginal visual gain. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot for this combination, as it delivers 100.4 FPS at 1080p and 72.1 FPS at 1440p, both of which are strong for a fast-paced FPS title. For users prioritizing frame rate over fidelity, Low provides a significant boost, especially at 4K where it is the only preset above 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the defining component in this configuration, as evidenced by the benchmark scores and the frame rate scaling. Its PassMark G3D score of 16462 places it in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, and it sits just 0.5% behind the RTX 2070 in average benchmark score. The card features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes strained at 4K Ultra.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a base of 1470 MHz and a boost of 1650 MHz, are modest compared to newer architectures, but the Turing design with 2176 shading units and 34 RT cores delivers consistent performance. The FP32 throughput of 7.181 TFLOPS is the raw compute capability that drives the measured frames, and the data shows that the card is capable of 158.8 FPS at 1080p Low, which is near the practical limit for a 60 Hz or 144 Hz display. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 reflects its DirectX 12 Ultimate support, which is relevant for a 2024 game like Lockdown Protocol. The GPU’s end-of-life production status and launch MSRP of 399 USD indicate it is an older design, but the measured data shows it still holds up well at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are consistently high across all settings. The Low preset delivers the highest average at 158.8 FPS, followed by Medium at 113.6 FPS, High at 100.4 FPS, and Ultra at 73.4 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 85.4 FPS, which is a 53.8% difference, showing that the GPU is the primary constraint even at this resolution. The jump from Low to Medium costs 45.2 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs 13.2 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 27.0 FPS, indicating diminishing returns as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable but manageable. Low averages 116.2 FPS, Medium 85.4 FPS, High 72.1 FPS, and Ultra 52.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 64.1 FPS, a 55.2% reduction. At this resolution, the High preset remains above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for competitive play. The Ultra preset dips below 60 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutters in a fast-paced FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed by the pixel count. Low averages 76.7 FPS, Medium 55.7 FPS, High 46.4 FPS, and Ultra 35.5 FPS. The only preset that maintains 60 FPS is Low, and even that is close to the threshold. The step from Low to Medium costs 21.0 FPS, while Medium to High costs 9.3 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 10.9 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming is only viable with significant settings compromises, making 1440p the practical maximum for a smooth experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Based on the measured frames, 2560x1440 with the High preset offers 72.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1920x1080, High achieves 100.4 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

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

A: Only at Low settings, which averages 76.7 FPS. Medium drops to 55.7 FPS, High to 46.4 FPS, and Ultra to 35.5 FPS, all of which are below 60 FPS. The data indicates 4K is not recommended for this GPU.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 2070?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 2070’s 19680. In practice, this means the two cards perform nearly identically in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low averages 116.2 FPS while Ultra averages 52.1 FPS, a difference of 64.1 FPS. This represents a 55.2% reduction in performance when moving to the highest preset.

Q: Is the i5-14600KF a bottleneck for the RTX 2060 SUPER in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the 1080p Low preset reaches 158.8 FPS, which is near the GPU’s limit. The CPU’s performance percentile of 93 and a single-core Geekbench score of 2778 indicate it has ample headroom for this GPU.

Q: What is the rank of this combination among all tested combos in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combination ranks 1184 out of 1637 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This is consistent with the GPU’s 63rd percentile ranking, as the CPU is a high-end part but the GPU is mid-range.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF plays a supporting role in this configuration, providing the computational foundation for the RTX 2060 SUPER. With 14 cores and 20 threads, the CPU has substantial multi-threaded capability, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and PassMark multithread score of 38697. However, for a game like Lockdown Protocol, the single-thread performance is more critical, and the CPU delivers a Geekbench single-core score of 2778 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4273. These numbers place the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all processors, which is high for a gaming-focused chip.

The CPU’s boost clock of 5.30 GHz is a key factor in maintaining high frame rates, as it allows for rapid execution of game logic and physics calculations. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache provides fast access to frequently used data, reducing latency in demanding scenes. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 158.8 FPS, which is likely near the GPU’s maximum output, meaning the CPU is not holding back performance. Even at 4K Low, the 76.7 FPS result suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s frame delivery, as the bottleneck is clearly on the graphics side.

The CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, has an average benchmark score of 49166, which is 0.4% lower than the 14600KF’s 49367. This negligible difference confirms that the unlocked multiplier on the KF variant does not translate into a meaningful performance advantage in this context. The CPU’s launch MSRP of $294 and its active production status indicate it is a current-generation part, but its role in this benchmark is to ensure the GPU is the limiting factor, which the data confirms across most settings and resolutions.