Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combo in the 68th percentile of all tested pairings, ranking 1189th out of 3714. This is a configuration where the GPU vastly outclasses the CPU, creating a bottleneck that becomes less pronounced as resolution increases. The data shows a system that delivers excellent 1080p and 1440p performance but leaves the RTX 4080 underutilized at lower settings, with the CPU limiting frame rates in a way that is clearly visible in the measured results.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running on a 14 nm process node with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It has 9 MB of shared L3 cache and a 65 W TDP, making it a modestly powered desktop part from 2018 that is now end-of-life. Its benchmark scores place it at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254, and its nearest rivals—the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305—are all within 0.4% of its score, indicating that it sits in a crowded mid-range performance tier.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. With only 6 threads and no hyper-threading, the i5-9400 is not a high-end part by modern standards, and this becomes evident in the frame rate data. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 163, which is the highest figure recorded for this combo across all resolutions and settings. However, this number is not as high as the RTX 4080's raw capability would suggest, because the CPU is the limiting factor at this lower resolution. The boost clock of 4.10 GHz helps keep single-threaded performance reasonable, but the lack of additional threads means that when the game engine scales across cores, the i5-9400 cannot keep up with the GPU's demand for frames.

The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 provide a context for this behavior. The multi-core score is modest, indicating that the CPU will struggle in scenarios where all 6 threads are saturated. In Lockdown Protocol, which is a competitive FPS where CPU-bound scenes can occur during intense firefights with many players on screen, the i5-9400's 6 threads can become a bottleneck, causing the frame rate to dip below what the GPU could otherwise deliver. The 4.10 GHz boost clock is the saving grace, as it allows the CPU to handle single-threaded tasks like game logic and physics with adequate speed, but the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary driver of performance in this pairing—it is the limiting factor that prevents the RTX 4080 from reaching its full potential.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a flagship-tier GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for any game at 4K resolution. The GPU has a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz, with 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores. Its FP32 performance is 48.74 TFLOPS, and it ranks at the 86th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 54247. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% faster), AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (1.1% slower), AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (2.6% slower), and AMD Radeon 8060S (2.7% slower), making it a top-tier part that is only slightly outclassed by its direct successor.

In Lockdown Protocol, the RTX 4080's role is to render frames at high resolutions and settings, and the data shows it is more than capable of doing so. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 73, which is a playable frame rate for a demanding FPS, and at 4K High it jumps to 98 FPS. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is unlikely to be a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s ensures that texture streaming and memory-heavy effects do not cause stutters. The boost clock of 2505 MHz provides the raw compute needed to push high frame rates, and the benchmark results show that the GPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

However, the GPU's performance is artificially capped at lower resolutions due to the CPU. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 163, which is far below what the RTX 4080 could achieve if paired with a stronger processor. The data indicates that the GPU is underutilized in these scenarios, and the frame rate is instead determined by how fast the i5-9400 can issue draw calls. This is a classic case of a high-end GPU being held back by a mid-range CPU, and the measured FPS values reflect this imbalance. The RTX 4080's capabilities are best showcased at 4K, where the GPU becomes the primary driver of performance and the CPU bottleneck is less severe.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data reveals a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, but the rate of decline is not uniform across all settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 163, and at 4K Low, it drops to 127, a decrease of 22.1%. This relatively small drop indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, because the GPU has plenty of headroom to render more pixels, but the CPU cannot generate frames fast enough to take advantage of it. When moving to 4K, the GPU starts to become more engaged, and the frame rate only drops by 36 FPS, which is a modest reduction for a 4x increase in pixel count.

At 1080p High, the average FPS is 137, and at 4K High, it drops to 98, a decrease of 28.5%. This is a larger drop than at Low settings, which suggests that the GPU is beginning to exert more influence on performance. The GPU has to work harder to render the higher-quality textures and effects at 4K, and this reduces the impact of the CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 123, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 73, a decrease of 40.7%. This is the steepest drop across all settings, and it indicates that at Ultra settings, the GPU is the dominant limiting component. The RTX 4080 is being pushed to its limits at 4K Ultra, and the frame rate is now constrained by the GPU's raw compute power rather than the CPU.

The Medium settings data provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 144, with a minimum of 122 and a maximum of 165. At 1440p Medium, the average FPS drops to 129, with a minimum of 110 and a maximum of 149. At 4K Medium, the average FPS drops to 112, with a minimum of 95 and a maximum of 129. The minimum FPS values are particularly telling: at 1080p, the minimum is 122, which is 84.7% of the average, but at 4K, the minimum is 95, which is 84.8% of the average. This indicates that the frame time consistency is similar across resolutions, but the overall performance is lower at 4K, reinforcing the idea that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The data clearly shows that the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p, while the GPU becomes the bottleneck at 4K. For a pairing like this, users should consider playing at 4K to get the most out of the RTX 4080, as the CPU will hold back performance at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 1189th out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 68th percentile. This is a high ranking overall, but it is lower than what the GPU alone would suggest, given that the RTX 4080 ranks at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. The gap between the GPU's percentile and the combo's percentile indicates that the CPU is dragging down the overall performance. The i5-9400's 47th percentile ranking among CPUs is the weak link in this pairing, and the combo ranking reflects this imbalance.

In comparison to other combos, this pairing is likely to be outperformed by systems that pair the RTX 4080 with a more powerful CPU, such as a current-generation high-end processor. The data shows that the combo is in the top third of all tested systems, which is respectable, but it is not in the top tier. The combo's ranking of 1189 suggests that there are 1188 other combinations that produce higher frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, many of which likely feature a more balanced CPU-GPU pairing. The RTX 4080's nearest rivals, such as the RTX 4080 SUPER, would likely achieve a higher combo ranking when paired with a stronger CPU, but the data for this specific combo shows that the i5-9400 is the limiting factor.

The high average benchmark score of the RTX 4080 (54247) is not fully realized in this combo, and the measured FPS data confirms this. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 163 FPS, but a system with a stronger CPU might achieve significantly higher frame rates, potentially exceeding 200 FPS. The combo ranking of 1189 out of 3714 is a solid result, but it reflects the GPU's power rather than a balanced system. Users with this pairing should be aware that they are leaving performance on the table at lower resolutions, and the combo's ranking reflects this inefficiency.

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

The measured FPS data for this combo in Lockdown Protocol is as follows:

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the average FPS across settings is:

• Low: 163 FPS
• Medium: 144 FPS (min 122, max 165)
• High: 137 FPS
• Ultra: 123 FPS

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the average FPS across settings is:

• Low: 147 FPS
• Medium: 129 FPS (min 110, max 149)
• High: 123 FPS
• Ultra: 111 FPS

At 3840x2160 (4K), the average FPS across settings is:

• Low: 127 FPS
• Medium: 112 FPS (min 95, max 129)
• High: 98 FPS
• Ultra: 73 FPS

The data shows a consistent trend: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, and as settings increase, the frame rate also drops. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 40 FPS (163 vs 123), which is a 24.5% reduction. At 1440p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 36 FPS (147 vs 111), a 24.5% reduction. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 54 FPS (127 vs 73), a 42.5% reduction. This indicates that at 4K, the settings have a much larger impact on performance, because the GPU is more heavily loaded and the CPU bottleneck is less significant.

The Medium settings data provides the most complete picture, with minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the FPS ranges from 122 to 165, a spread of 43 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 110 to 149, a spread of 39 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 95 to 129, a spread of 34 FPS. The shrinking spread at higher resolutions indicates that the frame rate becomes more stable as the GPU becomes the limiting factor, which is a positive sign for consistency at 4K.

For 1080p and 1440p gaming, the combo is more than adequate, with all settings averaging above 111 FPS. For 4K gaming, the combo is playable at Low, Medium, and High settings, with averages of 127, 112, and 98 FPS respectively. At 4K Ultra, the average of 73 FPS is still playable for a competitive FPS, but it is the only setting where the frame rate drops below 90 FPS. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1440p High/Ultra gaming, where it delivers 123 and 111 FPS respectively, providing a smooth experience without pushing the GPU to its limits.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates that 1440p High settings provide an excellent balance, with an average FPS of 123. For a higher frame rate, 1440p Low delivers 147 FPS, while 4K High is also viable at 98 FPS. The combo is capable of 4K Ultra at 73 FPS, but the frame rate is noticeably lower.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the 163 FPS on Low settings, which is below the GPU's potential. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with the frame rate dropping from 127 FPS on Low to 73 FPS on Ultra, showing that the GPU is working harder to render more pixels.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1189th out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the 68th percentile. The GPU ranks at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU ranks at the 47th percentile, indicating that the CPU is holding back the GPU's performance.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K?

A: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 163 at 1080p to 127 at 4K, a 22.1% decrease. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 123 at 1080p to 73 at 4K, a 40.7% decrease. The larger drop at Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is more heavily loaded at 4K.

Q: Is the RTX 4080's 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: The data does not show any VRAM-related issues, and the 16 GB of GDDR6X memory with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is more than adequate for Lockdown Protocol at any resolution and settings tested. The memory bandwidth is unlikely to be a limiting factor in this game.

Q: What is the performance of the i5-9400 relative to its rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, with its nearest rivals being the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, 0.2% faster), Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, 0.3% slower), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246, 0.4% slower), and Intel Core i3-10305 (2264, 0.4% slower). This indicates it is a mid-range CPU that performs similarly to its direct competitors.