Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core i7-12700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a revealing look at how a 12th-gen 12-core processor and a Turing-based 8 GB GPU handle a 2024 FPS title. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four settings tiers show a system that is clearly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but the data exposes a hard ceiling at 4K that shifts the bottleneck decisively toward the graphics card. With the combo ranking 2165th out of 3714 tested combinations, this is a mid-pack performer whose behavior under load tells a story about balancing CPU headroom against GPU memory and shading limitations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is the single most instructive metric in this dataset. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 175 FPS at 1920x1080 to 129 FPS at 2560x1440, then plummets to 83 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 26% decline from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 36% decline from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is steep and consistent, which strongly indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER becomes the limiting component as pixel count rises. At High settings, the same progression shows 109 FPS at 1080p, 80 FPS at 1440p, and 51 FPS at 4K — a 27% drop, then a 36% drop. The consistency of these percentage declines across settings tiers is notable; it suggests the GPU's rendering throughput, not CPU logic, governs the frame rate at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling becomes even more punishing. The 1080p result of 82 FPS falls to 60 FPS at 1440p and then to 39 FPS at 4K. That final 4K Ultra figure is less than half the 1080p Low result, and the gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 44 FPS. The data implies that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even reducing settings from Ultra to Low only recovers 44 FPS, whereas at 1080p the same settings change yields 93 FPS. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario: the CPU has ample headroom, but the graphics card's shading units, texture units, and memory bandwidth are maxed out. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 9.062 TFLOPS FP32 throughput simply cannot keep pace with the pixel workload at 3840x2160.

The 1440p results are the most balanced. Medium settings at 1440p produce 91 FPS average with a minimum of 78 FPS and maximum of 105 FPS, which is a playable and stable range. The scaling from 1080p Medium (125 FPS) to 1440p Medium (91 FPS) is a 27% reduction, identical to the High settings drop. This uniformity across settings at each resolution step reinforces that resolution, not preset, is the dominant factor in performance degradation. The data suggests that players targeting 4K will need to accept Low settings for 83 FPS, while those at 1440p can comfortably run Medium or High.

GPU Role

The RTX 2070 SUPER is the star of this analysis because it is the clear limiting factor in most scenarios. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but becomes strained at 4K. The GPU's base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz are modest by modern standards, and the 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output pipelines are the physical constraints behind the measured FPS. The 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present but do not appear to provide any measurable benefit in this game's standard rendering path, as the FPS numbers show no signs of ray tracing acceleration.

The GPU's benchmark scores contextualize its position. It achieves a passmark G3D score of 18169 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1651, with a percentile rank of 65 against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (1% higher), the RTX 3070 Mobile (1.2% higher), and the Intel Arc B570 (1.3% higher), meaning the 2070 SUPER sits in a tight competitive cluster. The average benchmark score of 20282 places it in the upper-middle tier of GPUs, but the measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol shows that the game's demands at 4K push it beyond its comfort zone. The 4K Ultra result of 39 FPS is particularly telling — it is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset and indicates that the GPU's pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s are insufficient for that workload.

The memory subsystem is a critical factor. With 8 GB VRAM, the GPU likely hits capacity limits at 4K with higher textures, though the exact VRAM usage is not measured. The 14 Gbps effective memory speed and 256-bit bus width provide 448.0 GB/s, which is adequate for 1440p but creates a bottleneck at 4K where the frame buffer demands more data per second. The fact that Low settings at 4K (83 FPS) outperform Ultra at 1440p (60 FPS) by 38% underscores that resolution has a larger impact than graphical fidelity on this GPU, which is typical for a card of this generation and class.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends entirely on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the data shows that Medium settings (125 FPS average, 106 minimum, 143 maximum) offer the best balance of visual quality and performance. High settings at 1080p (109 FPS) are also excellent, but the 16 FPS gain from dropping to Medium is marginal compared to the 43 FPS gain from dropping to Low (175 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1080p (82 FPS) is the only setting that dips below the 100 FPS threshold, making it less desirable for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings (91 FPS average, 78 minimum, 105 maximum) are the clear recommendation. The minimum of 78 FPS ensures frame times stay within a playable range, and the average of 91 FPS provides smooth motion. High settings at 1440p (80 FPS) are acceptable for slower-paced play, but the 11 FPS difference between High and Medium is noticeable. Low settings at 1440p (129 FPS) sacrifice too much visual fidelity for a 38 FPS gain over Medium, unless the player prioritizes maximum frame rate above all else. Ultra at 1440p (60 FPS) is playable but leaves no headroom for dips, which is risky in a fast-paced FPS.

At 3840x2160, the choices are stark. Low settings (83 FPS) are the only preset that achieves a consistently smooth experience, while Medium (59 FPS average, 50 minimum, 68 maximum) is borderline and High (51 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) are below the threshold for responsive gameplay. The data suggests that 4K players should either run Low settings or accept the frame rate limitations of higher presets. The 50 FPS minimum at 4K Medium is a red flag for competitive integrity, as any scene complexity spike could push the frame rate into the 40s. For the best experience per the measured rows, Medium at 1080p or 1440p delivers the highest average FPS while maintaining a playable minimum, making it the sweet spot for this combination.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2165 out of 3714 tested combinations places this system near the 58th percentile of all CPU-GPU pairings tested in Lockdown Protocol. This is a middle-of-the-pack result that reflects the age of the RTX 2070 SUPER (released in 2019) relative to the game's 2024 release date. The Intel Core i7-12700K, released in 2021, holds up better on the CPU side, but the GPU drags the overall ranking down. The rank of 2165 means that 1549 other combinations perform better, which is expected given that the RTX 2070 SUPER's percentile rank is 65 against all GPUs, meaning 35% of GPUs outperform it.

The CPU's individual standing is stronger. The i7-12700K has a percentile rank of 84 against all CPUs, placing it in the top 16% of processors. Its average benchmark score of 35287 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals: the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305, 0.1% higher), the i7-12700KF (35365, 0.2% higher), and the i7-13700T (35403, 0.3% higher). This tight clustering suggests the CPU is well-matched to its performance class, and it is not the limiting factor in this combo. The GPU, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 20282 with rivals like the RTX 3070 Mobile (20534) and Intel Arc B570 (20556) exceeding it by 1.2-1.3%. The gap between the CPU's 84th percentile and the GPU's 65th percentile explains why the combo ranks where it does — the system is held back by its graphics card.

The rank of 2165 is not a condemnation but a reflection of hardware balance. A newer GPU would likely push this combo into the top 1000, as the CPU has demonstrated headroom in synthetic benchmarks. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19784 and Geekbench multicore score of 15790 indicate that the i7-12700K can feed a more powerful GPU without becoming a bottleneck. The data implies that this combo is a sensible pairing for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not optimized for 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings 12 cores and 20 threads from its Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The 25 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support provide ample bandwidth for feeding the GPU. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU excels: the 3DMark max-threads score of 9979 and the PassMark multithread score of 34404 demonstrate strong multi-core performance, while the single-thread scores (3DMark single-thread 1043, Cinebench R23 single-core 1850.5) are competitive for the era. The 84th percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms that this processor is not the bottleneck in Lockdown Protocol.

The measured FPS data supports this conclusion. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 175 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU's single-thread performance must be sufficient to drive the game's logic and draw calls. The fact that FPS scales down consistently with resolution — rather than plateauing at a CPU-imposed limit — indicates the CPU has headroom. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across resolutions at the same settings, but the data shows a clear 1080p-to-4K drop. The i7-12700K's 20 threads and high boost clock are more than adequate for a 2024 FPS title, and the 12 cores provide future-proofing for games that leverage multi-threading.

The CPU's passmark data encryption score of 23408 and floating-point math score of 88035 are indicative of strong compute capabilities, but these are less relevant to gaming than the single-thread and multi-thread scores. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 versus the 2-thread score of 2065 shows a scaling efficiency that suggests the CPU handles both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads well. In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role appears to be delivering consistent frame pacing rather than being the performance ceiling, and the measured minimum FPS values (e.g., 106 at 1080p Medium, 78 at 1440p Medium) indicate no stuttering issues that would point to CPU limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full settings ladder shows a clear hierarchy. Low settings produce the highest average at 175 FPS, followed by Medium at 125 FPS (with a minimum of 106 and maximum of 143), High at 109 FPS, and Ultra at 82 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 93 FPS, which gives players a wide range of choices depending on their refresh rate and visual preferences. The Medium preset's 106 FPS minimum ensures that even demanding scenes stay above the 100 FPS threshold, making it the most consistent option at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 129 FPS for Low, 91 FPS for Medium (minimum 78, maximum 105), 80 FPS for High, and 60 FPS for Ultra. The Medium preset at 1440p is the standout, offering a 91 FPS average with a 78 FPS minimum that maintains smoothness. The drop from Medium to High is 11 FPS (12%), while the drop from High to Ultra is 20 FPS (25%), indicating that the Ultra preset's additional graphical demands disproportionately impact performance. The Low preset at 1440p (129 FPS) is a viable competitive option, but the visual sacrifice is substantial.

At 3840x2160, the results are the most constrained. Low settings average 83 FPS, Medium averages 59 FPS (minimum 50, maximum 68), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS. The 50 FPS minimum at Medium is the only sub-60 FPS minimum in the entire dataset, highlighting the GPU's struggle at 4K. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 24 FPS (29%), which is the largest relative drop between any two consecutive settings tiers across all resolutions. This indicates that the Medium preset's additional texture and shading work pushes the GPU past its comfortable operating point. The 39 FPS Ultra result at 4K is the lowest measured value, confirming that this resolution and preset combination is not viable for competitive play.

The data across all three resolutions shows a consistent pattern: the RTX 2070 SUPER delivers strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results are only playable at Low settings. The CPU's performance remains stable throughout, as evidenced by the proportional FPS scaling with resolution changes. For players with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, Medium settings offer the best measured experience, while 4K players must accept Low settings for a smooth frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a 60+ FPS average?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 both achieve 60+ FPS averages at all settings tiers. At 3840x2160, only Low settings (83 FPS) and Medium settings (59 FPS) exceed or approach 60 FPS, while High (51 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) fall below.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-12700K bottleneck the RTX 2070 SUPER in Lockdown Protocol?

A: No. The CPU has a percentile rank of 84 against all CPUs, and the FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent GPU-bound pattern. If the CPU were the bottleneck, FPS would remain similar across resolutions, but the data shows a 92 FPS drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER's average benchmark score of 20282 is within 1.5% of its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, 1% higher), RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, 1.2% higher), and Intel Arc B570 (20556, 1.3% higher). Its percentile rank is 65 against all GPUs.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable at 1080p with this combo?

A: The highest measured average at 1920x1080 is 175 FPS, achieved at Low settings. Medium settings deliver 125 FPS, High settings deliver 109 FPS, and Ultra settings deliver 82 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: Barely. At 3840x2160, Low settings produce 83 FPS average, which is playable, but Medium settings drop to 59 FPS average with a 50 FPS minimum. High and Ultra settings produce 51 FPS and 39 FPS respectively, which are not recommended for an FPS title.

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

A: The combo ranks 2165th out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the middle of the field. The CPU's 84th percentile rank is significantly higher than the GPU's 65th percentile, indicating the graphics card is the primary performance limiter.