Lockdown Protocol

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

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and can boost up to 5.00 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The chip features a hybrid design with a 25 MB shared L3 cache and per-core L1 and L2 caches. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 28,838 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,071 in single-core, placing it in the 85th percentile of all tested CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores nearly identically at 35,403 average benchmark points, a delta of only -0.1%, indicating the 12700KF sits at a performance plateau where minor architectural differences yield negligible gains.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, this CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with enough draw calls and physics calculations to maintain high frame rates. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 217 FPS average, which is well above the refresh rates of most monitors. This suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is not the primary bottleneck — the frame rate is high enough that the GPU is still keeping pace. However, the 12700KF's 12 cores and 20 threads provide substantial headroom for the game's FPS genre workloads, which often involve multiple simultaneous entities, projectile calculations, and environmental interactions. The 3DMark multi-threaded score of 9,983 at max threads indicates strong parallelism, which is relevant for a modern FPS that can utilize multiple cores for game logic and rendering preparation.

The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 single-core at 4,071 points, is also critical. Many game engines still rely heavily on a primary game thread, and a strong single-core result ensures that thread isn't the limiting factor. At 1080p Ultra, the combo still achieves 101 FPS average, showing that even with high graphical demands, the CPU can maintain playable frame rates. The data indicates that as resolution increases, the CPU's relative importance diminishes — at 4K Ultra the FPS drops to 48, which is far more likely a GPU limitation than a CPU one, given the 12700KF's robust multi-threaded capabilities. The CPU's PassMark multi-thread score of 34,092 and Geekbench multi-core score of 14,367 further corroborate its ability to handle demanding game logic without becoming the bottleneck in most scenarios tested here.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF strong enough to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, based on the measured data. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 217 FPS average, and at 1080p High it still reaches 135 FPS. These numbers indicate the CPU provides ample processing power to feed the GPU, and even at 4K Ultra where FPS drops to 48, the limiting factor is far more likely the GPU's rendering load than the CPU's computational throughput, given its 28,838 Cinebench R23 multi-core score.

Q: How does the 12700KF compare to its closest rivals in raw processing power?

A: The 12700KF's average benchmark score is 35,365, putting it virtually tied with the Intel Core i7-13700T (35,403, delta -0.1%) and the Intel Core 5 213PE (35,428, delta -0.2%). It is slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-13600T (35,305, delta 0.2%) and the Intel Core i7-12700K (35,287, delta 0.2%). These deltas are all within 0.2%, meaning performance differences are within statistical noise.

Q: What frame rates can a user expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 99 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a solid result for a competitive FPS, providing a smooth experience on most 144Hz monitors. The minimum FPS is not listed for this configuration, but the average suggests consistent performance.

Q: Does the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB's 8 GB VRAM become a limitation at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU's overall capability drops significantly at 4K. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 48, and at 4K High it's 64. While the 8 GB GDDR7 memory is a factor, the GPU's 23.70 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are more indicative of its compute limits. The GPU's low percentile ranking (29th) relative to all GPUs further suggests it is not designed for maximum 4K performance.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Lockdown Protocol with this combo?

A: Based on the data, 1440p with High settings offers a balanced experience at 99 FPS average. For maximum smoothness, 1080p with Low settings yields 217 FPS, while 1080p High gives 135 FPS, which is still excellent. At 1440p, the FPS ranges from 74 (Ultra) to 159 (Low), so users can adjust settings to match their refresh rate preferences.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested system configurations?

A: This specific Intel Core i7-12700KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB combination ranks 1,091st out of 2,828 total tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 38.6% of all configurations, indicating it outperforms a majority of systems but is not at the extreme high end.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 217 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the FPS drops to 159, a reduction of 58 FPS or approximately 26.7%. At 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 103, representing another drop of 56 FPS from 1440p, or about 35.2%. This scaling pattern — where each step up in resolution causes a substantial FPS loss — strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component as resolution increases, because the CPU's workload remains relatively constant regardless of pixel count.

The High settings row shows a similar trend. At 1080p High, the average is 135 FPS; at 1440p High, it falls to 99 FPS (a 26.7% drop); and at 4K High, it reaches 64 FPS (a 35.4% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings levels suggests that the GPU's rendering pipeline is scaling predictably with the increased pixel workload. This is reinforced by the fact that the CPU's performance, as measured by its 85th percentile ranking, is not degrading — the processor is likely still capable of producing higher frame rates if the GPU could render faster.

For Ultra settings, the progression is steeper in relative terms. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 101; at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 74 (a 26.7% drop); and at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 48 (a 35.1% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth, indicating that this combination is not well-suited for maximum quality at 4K. The data suggests that at 4K, the GPU's 23.70 TFLOPS compute capability and 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates with Ultra settings, making the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is still the main limiting factor, but the higher frame rates (135-217 FPS at 1080p) show that the GPU is capable of delivering playable performance. The fact that Low settings at 1080p produces 217 FPS while Ultra at 4K produces 48 FPS — a 4.5x difference — highlights how much of the performance envelope is dictated by the GPU's pixel throughput rather than the CPU's processing speed. The 12700KF's robust multi-threaded scores (e.g., 28,838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) and high single-thread performance (4,071) suggest it could support even higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful GPU.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB achieves a combo rank of 1,091 out of 2,828 total tested system configurations in Lockdown Protocol. This places the combo in the 61st percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 61% of all other combos tested. This is a respectable mid-to-upper tier ranking, but it is far from the top of the leaderboard, which is expected given the GPU's relatively modest 29th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

Breaking down the ranking, the CPU's 85th percentile performance (relative to all CPUs) is significantly higher than the GPU's 29th percentile (relative to all GPUs). This discrepancy indicates that the system's overall rank is constrained by the GPU, not the CPU. If the same CPU were paired with a higher-performing GPU, the combo rank would likely rise substantially. Conversely, the GPU's ranking is dragged down by its modest passmark G3D score of 21,981 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4,019, which place it in the lower quartile of all GPUs.

In practical terms, a rank of 1,091 out of 2,828 means that this combo sits above the median but not near the top. For comparison, the top-ranked combos in the database would likely feature high-end GPUs with much higher percentile rankings. The data shows that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming at competitive settings, where it produces 101-217 FPS at 1080p and 74-159 FPS at 1440p depending on settings. At 4K, the combo's performance (48-103 FPS) places it in a range where it can handle High settings (64 FPS) but struggles with Ultra (48 FPS).

The gap between the CPU's and GPU's percentile rankings suggests that users who prioritize this combo for Lockdown Protocol are likely getting more CPU headroom than they need for this specific game. The 12700KF's nearest rivals all have average benchmark scores within 0.2% of each other, indicating that the CPU is not the differentiator in this combo's ranking. Instead, the GPU's 29th percentile ranking is the primary factor limiting the combo's overall position. This means that while the combo ranks 1,091st, a user could potentially achieve a similar rank with a weaker CPU and the same GPU, or a stronger GPU with a similar CPU would push the rank significantly higher.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and the user's refresh rate preference. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 154 FPS average with a minimum of 131 FPS and maximum of 178 FPS. This is a strong recommendation for users with 144Hz monitors, as it stays comfortably above the refresh rate for most of the time. The High preset at 1080p drops to 135 FPS average, which is still above 120Hz but provides slightly lower minimums (not listed) and less headroom. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 101 FPS, which is adequate for 100Hz monitors but not ideal for 144Hz. The Low preset at 1080p produces 217 FPS, which is excellent for 240Hz monitors but sacrifices visual quality.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides 113 FPS average with a minimum of 96 FPS and maximum of 130 FPS. This is the sweet spot for 1440p users with 120Hz or 144Hz monitors, as it maintains an average well above 100 FPS while offering better visuals than Low. The High preset at 1440p drops to 99 FPS average, which is still playable but may not fully saturate a 144Hz display. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 159 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh 1440p monitors but comes with significant visual compromises. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 74 FPS, which is suitable for 60-75Hz displays but not ideal for competitive play.

At 4K, the options are more limited. The Low preset achieves 103 FPS average, which is the only 4K setting that breaks the 100 FPS barrier. Medium at 4K provides 73 FPS average with a minimum of 62 FPS and maximum of 84 FPS, which is acceptable for 60Hz displays but not for higher refresh rates. High at 4K drops to 64 FPS, which is borderline for 60Hz. Ultra at 4K yields only 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and not recommended for competitive FPS.

The best overall experience for most users would be 1440p with Medium settings, as it provides 113 FPS average with a minimum of 96 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay with no significant frame drops below 90 FPS. For users with 1080p 240Hz monitors, the Low preset at 217 FPS is the best choice. For 4K users, the Low preset at 103 FPS offers the best balance, though Medium at 73 FPS is preferable if visual fidelity is prioritized and the display is only 60Hz. The data shows that the Medium preset consistently offers the best balance of frame rate and visual quality across all resolutions, with the 4K Medium providing a minimum of 62 FPS that remains playable.

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

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 217 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is the highest FPS recorded for this combo in any configuration, indicating that at 1080p Low, the system is not pushing the GPU to its limits, and the CPU is providing ample headroom.
• Medium: Average 154 FPS, with minimum 131 FPS and maximum 178 FPS. The minimum of 131 FPS ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 120 FPS, making this a reliable choice for high-refresh gaming.
• High: Average 135 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This represents a 12.3% drop from Medium, which is a modest cost for improved visual fidelity.
• Ultra: Average 101 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 34.8% drop from Medium, showing that Ultra settings impose a significant performance penalty at 1080p.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 159 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 26.7% drop from the 1080p Low result, reflecting the increased pixel workload on the GPU.
• Medium: Average 113 FPS, with minimum 96 FPS and maximum 130 FPS. The minimum of 96 FPS is just above 90 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience on most 100Hz+ monitors.
• High: Average 99 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 12.4% drop from Medium and falls below the 100 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable on 144Hz displays.
• Ultra: Average 74 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 34.5% drop from Medium, consistent with the 1080p scaling pattern, showing that Ultra settings cost roughly one-third of the frame rate at this resolution.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 103 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 35.2% drop from 1440p Low, showing that even at Low settings, 4K imposes a substantial load on the GPU.
• Medium: Average 73 FPS, with minimum 62 FPS and maximum 84 FPS. The minimum of 62 FPS is just above 60 FPS, making this the lowest setting at 4K that can maintain a playable minimum frame rate.
• High: Average 64 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 12.3% drop from Medium and is borderline for 60Hz displays, with potential for noticeable stutters in heavy scenes.
• Ultra: Average 48 FPS (minimum and maximum not measured). This is a 34.2% drop from Medium and falls below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay in a competitive FPS title.

The data across all resolutions shows a consistent pattern: Medium settings cost roughly 29% of the FPS compared to Low (e.g., 217 to 154 at 1080p, 159 to 113 at 1440p, 103 to 73 at 4K), while High settings cost an additional 12% (e.g., 154 to 135 at 1080p, 113 to 99 at 1440p, 73 to 64 at 4K), and Ultra settings cost another 25% (e.g., 135 to 101 at 1080p, 99 to 74 at 1440p, 64 to 48 at 4K). This scaling is remarkably consistent across resolutions, indicating that the GPU's relative performance penalty for each settings tier is stable regardless of pixel count. The minimum FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings, with 131 FPS at 1080p, 96 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K, all of which are above 60 FPS, suggesting that Medium is the most stable preset for maintaining a playable minimum frame rate across all resolutions.