Lockdown Protocol

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop reveals important information about where the performance bottleneck sits. At 1080p with Low settings, this combination produces 167 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 123 FPS, a reduction of 26%. Stepping up to 4K Low yields 79 FPS, which is another 36% decline from the 1440p figure. The cumulative drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 53%, meaning the system loses more than half its frame rate when pushing four times the pixel count.

The High settings preset tells a similar story, though the absolute numbers are lower. At 1080p High, the average is 104 FPS. At 1440p High, that falls to 76 FPS, a 27% reduction. At 4K High, the average is 49 FPS, which is 36% below the 1440p result and 53% below the 1080p result. The consistency of these percentage drops across Low and High settings—both showing roughly 26-27% for the first step and 36% for the second—suggests that resolution scaling is behaving in a regular, predictable manner rather than hitting any sudden wall.

The Medium preset shows the same pattern with slightly different absolute values: 119 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p (27% lower), and 56 FPS at 4K (36% lower than 1440p). The Ultra preset follows suit with 78 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p (27% lower), and 37 FPS at 4K (35% lower than 1440p). The uniformity of these percentage drops across all four settings presets is notable—it indicates that the performance scaling is dominated by the resolution change itself, not by any particular setting interacting poorly with higher pixel counts.

What this scaling pattern suggests about the limiting component is that the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The consistent 36% drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings points to fill-rate and memory bandwidth limitations, which are classic GPU-bound symptoms. The CPU is not showing signs of struggling to feed the GPU, because if it were, we would expect to see smaller percentage drops at 4K (where CPU load per frame is lower relative to GPU load) and larger drops at 1080p. Instead, the scaling is smooth and uniform, which is the signature of a system where the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting at every resolution tested.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings substantial processing resources to this combination: 12 cores and 20 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The chip also carries 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. In synthetic benchmarks, this processor achieves a single-thread score of 1043 in 3DMark and a max-thread score of 9979, with Cinebench R23 results of 1850.5 single-core and 19784 multi-core.

The role of the CPU in Lockdown Protocol appears to be secondary to the GPU, based on the resolution scaling data. At 1080p Low, the system produces 167 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU is likely not limiting—if it were, we would expect to see the frame rate plateau regardless of resolution. The fact that 4K Low still yields 79 FPS, less than half of the 1080p number, indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at all tested resolutions.

That said, the processor's strong multi-threaded performance provides headroom for the game's background tasks and any streaming or recording workloads. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 and the max-thread score of 9979 show that the CPU scales well with additional threads, which is relevant for a modern FPS that may offload physics, AI, or netcode to separate threads. The PassMark multi-thread score of 34404 and the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 reinforce this picture of a capable multi-core processor.

The single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2308 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4013. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, where frame pacing and reaction times matter, strong single-core performance helps maintain consistent frame delivery. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz is particularly relevant here, as it represents the maximum frequency the CPU can reach for lightly-threaded workloads.

The processor's percentile ranking of 84 (meaning it outperforms 84% of all CPUs in the database) places it well above average, and its nearest rivals show how tightly grouped this performance tier is. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305 (0.1% lower), the Core i7-12700KF scores 35365 (0.2% lower), the Core i7-13700T scores 35403 (0.3% lower), and the Core 5 213PE scores 35428 (0.4% lower). These differences are negligible in real-world gaming terms.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 76, which is playable, while 1080p High delivers 104 FPS and 4K High drops to 49 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset provides 87 FPS, and 1440p Low reaches 123 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT's 16 GB VRAM affect 4K performance?

A: The 16 GB GDDR6 memory with a 288.0 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient for the game's 4K Ultra preset, which averages 37 FPS. The memory configuration does not show signs of being a limiting factor, as the resolution scaling pattern is consistent across settings rather than showing a sudden collapse at 4K Ultra.

Q: Is the Core i7-12700K holding back the RX 7600 XT?

A: The data does not indicate CPU bottlenecking. The 1080p Low result of 167 FPS suggests the CPU can feed frames at a high rate, and the smooth resolution scaling pattern (approximately 26-27% drop from 1080p to 1440p, then 35-36% drop to 4K across all settings) is characteristic of GPU-limited performance.

Q: Which settings preset offers the highest frame rate?

A: The Low preset provides the highest average FPS at every resolution: 167 at 1080p, 123 at 1440p, and 79 at 4K. The Medium preset is the next fastest, with 119, 87, and 56 FPS respectively at the same resolutions.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combination ranks 2360 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower portion of the overall field, which is consistent with the mid-range positioning of the RX 7600 XT (60th percentile among all GPUs) paired with a higher-tier CPU (84th percentile among all CPUs).

Q: What is the difference between Ultra and High settings at each resolution?

A: At 1080p, Ultra averages 78 FPS versus 104 FPS on High, a 25% reduction. At 1440p, Ultra averages 57 FPS versus 76 FPS on High, a 25% reduction. At 4K, Ultra averages 37 FPS versus 49 FPS on High, a 24% reduction. The consistent percentage penalty for Ultra suggests a uniform increase in GPU workload.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2360 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 36th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning roughly 64% of tested system pairings achieve higher average frame rates in this game. The ranking reflects the GPU's positioning more than the CPU's, as the RX 7600 XT sits at the 60th percentile among all GPUs, while the Core i7-12700K ranks at the 84th percentile among all CPUs.

The gap between the CPU's high percentile ranking and the combo's lower overall ranking indicates that Lockdown Protocol is more dependent on graphics processing than on CPU compute. This is consistent with the resolution scaling data, which shows the GPU becoming the bottleneck at all tested resolutions. A system with a lower-tier CPU but higher-tier GPU would likely rank better in this specific game, while this combination's strong CPU does not translate to a proportionally strong in-game ranking.

Looking at the GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks provides context for its performance tier. The RX 7600 XT scores 17083 on average, which is 0.3% above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17037), 0.4% above the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (17019), and 0.9% above the NVIDIA Tesla M4 (16932). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (17208) by 0.7%. These rival deltas are all within 1%, indicating that the RX 7600 XT sits in a tightly contested performance band.

The CPU's nearest rivals show a similarly tight grouping, with all four competitors within 0.4% of the Core i7-12700K's average benchmark score of 35287. The Core i5-13600T (35305), Core i7-12700KF (35365), Core i7-13700T (35403), and Core 5 213PE (35428) are all effectively equivalent in synthetic performance. This means the CPU choice among these options would not meaningfully change Lockdown Protocol frame rates.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It features 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, along with 32 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1980 MHz, a game clock of 2470 MHz, and a boost clock of 2755 MHz. Memory is 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial for its class: 22.57 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a texture rate of 352.6 GTexel/s. The pixel rate of 176.3 GPixel/s helps explain the 4K performance characteristics, where the GPU must fill over 8 million pixels per frame. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is generous for the resolution range tested, and the memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s appears adequate for the demands of Lockdown Protocol at 4K.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7600 XT achieves a PassMark G3D score of 17132 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 92426. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2348 provides a modern gaming workload measurement. The GPU's 60th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the middle of the performance distribution, which aligns with the measured frame rates in Lockdown Protocol.

The GPU's role as the primary performance determinant is evident from the resolution scaling data. The consistent 35-36% frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings presets is a classic GPU-limited signature. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and pixel rate of 176.3 GPixel/s are the specifications most directly relevant to higher resolution performance, and the measured results indicate these resources are the limiting factor.

The RX 7600 XT's nearest rival comparisons in synthetic benchmarks show it performing nearly identically to several older or differently-positioned cards. The 0.3% advantage over the GTX 690 and the 0.7% deficit to the RTX 3070 indicate that in raw compute terms, this GPU is competitive with a wide range of products. However, the 16 GB VRAM capacity is a distinguishing feature, as it exceeds what many comparable GPUs offer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured frame rates show a clear progression from Low to Ultra. The Low preset delivers 167 FPS average, which is the highest figure recorded for this combination at any resolution. Medium produces 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 and maximum of 136. High yields 104 FPS, and Ultra drops to 78 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 89 FPS, representing a 53% reduction in performance from the lowest to highest quality preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates step down proportionally. Low averages 123 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100, High averages 76 FPS, and Ultra averages 57 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 66 FPS, again a 54% reduction. The Medium preset's minimum and maximum values at this resolution (74 and 100) show reasonable frame consistency, with the average sitting near the midpoint of the observed range.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates become more marginal for smooth gameplay. Low averages 79 FPS, Medium averages 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 65, High averages 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 42 FPS, a 53% reduction that mirrors the lower resolutions. The Medium preset's minimum of 48 FPS at 4K indicates that even mid-range settings can experience frame drops that approach the lower boundary of playability.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 101-136 FPS; at 1440p, it is 74-100 FPS; at 4K, it is 48-65 FPS. The spread between minimum and maximum is consistent at approximately 35 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. This narrowing range at higher resolutions is typical of GPU-bound scenarios where frame times become more uniform.

Comparing the same settings across resolutions reveals the scaling factors. Low settings show a 26% drop from 1080p to 1440p (167 to 123) and a 36% drop from 1440p to 4K (123 to 79). Medium shows the same pattern: 119 to 87 (27% drop) and 87 to 56 (36% drop). High follows with 104 to 76 (27% drop) and 76 to 49 (36% drop). Ultra completes the picture with 78 to 57 (27% drop) and 57 to 37 (35% drop). These consistent percentages across all settings reinforce that the resolution is the dominant variable.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS as a minimum playable frame rate, the data suggests specific settings and resolution combinations. At 1080p, all four presets exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra at 78 FPS being the lowest performer. This means 1080p Ultra is a viable choice for high-quality visuals without sacrificing smoothness. At 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, which is below 60, while High averages 76 FPS and Medium averages 87 FPS. For 1440p, High or Medium are the safe choices to maintain 60 FPS with some headroom.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. Only the Low preset (79 FPS) exceeds 60 FPS. Medium averages 56 FPS, which is close but may dip below 60 in demanding scenes, as evidenced by the minimum of 48 FPS recorded for that preset. High averages 49 FPS and Ultra averages 37 FPS, both of which fall short of smooth gameplay standards for a fast-paced FPS. Players prioritizing frame rate at 4K should use Low settings, while those who can tolerate frame rates in the 50s might find Medium acceptable despite its measured minimum of 48.

The Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions when considering the available min/max data. At 1080p, it provides 119 FPS average with a minimum of 101, ensuring consistent performance. At 1440p, the 87 FPS average with a minimum of 74 maintains comfortable headroom above 60 FPS. At 4K, the 56 FPS average is marginal, but the minimum of 48 indicates occasional dips that may be noticeable in action-heavy sequences.

For competitive play where maximum frame rate is the priority, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 167 FPS, which is the highest measured result for this combination. The Low preset also provides the only 4K option that stays above 60 FPS. Players willing to sacrifice visual fidelity for responsiveness should default to Low settings.

The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p use, where it achieves 78 FPS. At 1440p, the 57 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and at 4K the 37 FPS average is likely too low for a competitive FPS. The consistent 53-54% performance penalty from Low to Ultra at every resolution means the visual upgrade comes at a steep cost in frame rate, and the data suggests that High or Medium provide a better trade-off for most users.