Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol with an Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT shows a pairing where the GPU is the clear bottleneck at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s strong multi-threading keeps frame rates high at 1080p. The data indicates this combo ranks 1145th out of 3714 tested configurations, placing it in the upper third of all systems for this title. The measured results show a wide performance spread across the four settings presets, with the gap between Low and Ultra widening significantly as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 144 FPS at 1920x1080 to 91 FPS at 2560x1440, a 37% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160 drops the average further to 48 FPS, which is 67% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical for a system where the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the limiting factor once pixel count rises.

At Low settings, the same trend appears but with a more dramatic absolute drop. The 1920x1080 average of 276 FPS falls to 204 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 107 FPS at 4K. That represents a 61% loss from the lowest to highest resolution. The fact that Low settings at 4K still deliver 107 FPS while High at 4K drops to 48 FPS shows that the GPU’s compute resources are heavily taxed by the higher quality presets, not just the pixel count.

The Medium preset provides the only complete min/max data across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average is 204 FPS with a minimum of 174 and maximum of 235. At 2560x1440, that average drops to 129 FPS with a range of 110 to 148. At 4K, the average is 67 FPS with a range of 57 to 78. The consistency of the minimum frame rates relative to averages suggests stable frame pacing, with only about a 15% gap between average and minimum at each resolution.

Ultra settings produce the lowest results across the board. The 4K average of 38 FPS is below the typically desired 60 FPS threshold, while 1440p manages 73 FPS and 1080p reaches 116 FPS. This shows that Ultra is only viable at 1080p for smooth gameplay, and even then, the 116 FPS average leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings 12 cores and 20 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost up to 5.00 GHz. The processor’s benchmark results indicate strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5. In Geekbench, it scores 15790 multi-core and 2308 single-core. These numbers suggest the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, where the measured FPS reaches 276 on Low settings.

The 3DMark thread scaling scores show how the CPU handles increasing workloads. The 16-thread score of 9276 is close to the max-thread score of 9979, indicating that additional threads beyond 16 provide diminishing returns. The 8-thread score of 7202 and 4-thread score of 4011 show linear scaling up to that point. For Lockdown Protocol, which appears to favor multi-threaded performance given the high 1080p results, the 12-core design with 20 threads provides ample headroom.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 84th among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 35287, places it near rivals like the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305, -0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i7-12700KF (35365, -0.2% difference). This performance tier is more than sufficient for the frame rates measured in this game. The PassMark multi-thread score of 34404 and single-thread score of 4013 further confirm the processor’s capability.

At 1080p Low, the 276 FPS result suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what most displays can show. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 116 FPS average indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck. The limiting factor only becomes apparent when the GPU is pushed harder at higher resolutions, where the frame rates drop regardless of CPU headroom.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 31 chip, featuring 5376 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 192 raster operation units. It operates with a base clock of 1387 MHz and a boost clock of 2394 MHz, with a game clock of 2025 MHz. The 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus provides 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for high-resolution textures.

The GPU’s benchmark results show a mixed picture. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623 is respectable, and the Geekbench Vulkan score of 71068 is strong. However, the PassMark G3D score of 29009 and the GPU compute score of 16828 are moderate. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 55th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13745, places it surprisingly close to much lower-tier cards like the AMD Radeon 660M (13812, -0.5% difference) and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13821, -0.5% difference). This suggests the RX 7900 XT’s average benchmark score does not reflect its gaming performance in this specific title.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s performance scaling is clear. At 1080p Low, the 276 FPS average shows the GPU is not stressed. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 204 FPS, and 4K Low to 107 FPS. The drop from 204 to 107 FPS when going from 1440p to 4K at Low settings indicates the GPU’s pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor. The 20 GB VRAM is unlikely to be a constraint at any tested resolution, as even the highest settings at 4K would struggle to exceed 16 GB in most scenarios.

The GPU’s power envelope of 300 W TDP with a suggested 700 W PSU means this is a power-hungry card, but the performance per frame in this game is adequate. The dual-slot cooler and 276 mm length should fit most mid-tower cases, though the 2x 8-pin power connectors need to be accounted for in cable routing.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 on High settings delivers 91 FPS average, which is smooth for competitive play. At 4K, only Low settings (107 FPS) and Medium (67 FPS) are playable, while High drops to 48 FPS and Ultra to 38 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XT compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The RX 7900 XT has an average benchmark score of 13745, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon 660M (13812) and 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13821). It scores 0.9% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 570X (13871) but 1.5% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (13543).

Q: Is the i7-12700K strong enough for high frame rates in this game?

A: Yes. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and single-core of 1850.5, combined with a PassMark multi-thread score of 34404, support frame rates above 200 FPS at 1080p Low. The 12 cores and 20 threads provide sufficient headroom for this FPS title.

Q: What settings preset should I avoid at 4K?

A: Ultra settings at 3840x2160 produce an average of 38 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. High settings at 4K also struggle at 48 FPS. Stick to Low (107 FPS) or Medium (67 FPS) for 4K play.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance scale in 3DMark?

A: The 3DMark scores show 2065 for 2 threads, 4011 for 4 threads, 7202 for 8 threads, 9276 for 16 threads, and 9979 for max threads. This indicates near-linear scaling up to 8 threads, with diminishing returns beyond 16 threads.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 Medium, the average FPS is 129 with a minimum of 110 and maximum of 148. The minimum is 85% of the average, indicating stable frame pacing without major stutters.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are consistently high across all settings. Low settings average 276 FPS, Medium averages 204 FPS with a minimum of 174 and maximum of 235, High averages 144 FPS, and Ultra averages 116 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU-limited in some scenarios, as the gap between Low and Ultra (160 FPS difference) is smaller than the jump from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop across the board. Low settings deliver 204 FPS, Medium averages 129 FPS with a range of 110 to 148, High averages 91 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a 26% reduction at Low (276 to 204), a 37% reduction at High (144 to 91), and a 37% reduction at Ultra (116 to 73). The Medium preset sees a 37% reduction as well (204 to 129).

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 107 FPS, Medium averages 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 and maximum of 78, High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 38 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a 48% reduction at Low (204 to 107), a 48% reduction at Medium (129 to 67), a 47% reduction at High (91 to 48), and a 48% reduction at Ultra (73 to 38). This consistent ~48% drop across all settings at 4K indicates the GPU’s pixel throughput is the limiting factor.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 174 to 235 FPS; at 1440p, it is 110 to 148 FPS; and at 4K, it is 57 to 78 FPS. The min-to-average ratio improves slightly at higher resolutions, going from 85% at 1080p to 85% at 1440p and 85% at 4K, showing consistent frame pacing.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the strongest recommendation. The 129 FPS average with a minimum of 110 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the visual uplift over Low settings is noticeable. The 148 FPS maximum shows there is headroom for less demanding scenes, while the 110 FPS minimum ensures no major drops during intense combat.

At 1920x1080, High settings provide an excellent experience at 144 FPS average. This matches typical high-refresh monitors and leaves room for future driver optimizations. Ultra at 1080p (116 FPS) is also viable if you prefer maximum visual fidelity, but the jump from High to Ultra only gains 28 FPS on average while the visual difference is often subtle in fast-paced FPS titles.

For 4K gaming, the data shows that Low settings (107 FPS) are the only option that consistently exceeds 100 FPS. Medium at 4K (67 FPS) is playable but requires accepting a lower frame rate. High and Ultra at 4K should be avoided, as the 48 FPS and 38 FPS averages respectively fall below the 60 FPS threshold and will feel sluggish in a competitive FPS.

The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where the 116 FPS average is still smooth. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 73 FPS, which is borderline for competitive play. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is 18 FPS (91 to 73), which is not worth the visual gains for most players. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot for this combo at both 1080p and 1440p, with Medium serving as a fallback if you prefer higher resolutions or want more headroom for demanding scenes.