Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol with the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT presents a compelling case study in how a high-refresh-rate FPS scales with resolution. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but begins to show its limitations at 4K, particularly when pushing the highest graphical presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to understand where this combo excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, but the pattern is not uniform across all settings. At the Low preset, the average frame rate falls from 260 FPS at 1920x1080 to 123 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 137 FPS. This indicates that even at the lowest fidelity, the 4K resolution imposes a significant load on the rendering pipeline. The scaling is more dramatic when moving to the High preset, where the average drops from 161 FPS at 1080p to 76 FPS at 4K, a 85 FPS difference. This suggests that the combination of higher resolution and increased detail is heavily taxing the GPU.

The data implies that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is likely a significant factor in the upper frame rate limits, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames quickly. However, as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the primary limiting component. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS plummets to 57, a figure that is only 22% of the 1080p Low result. This steep curve indicates that the RX 9070 XT, while powerful, is not sufficient to maintain high refresh rates at 4K with the most demanding settings. The frame rate drop from Medium to High at 1440p is 17 FPS (135 to 118), while the drop from High to Ultra is 29 FPS (118 to 89), showing that the Ultra preset has a disproportionately heavy impact on performance.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing sits at rank 874 out of 3714 combos. This places the system in the top 23.5% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a mainstream high-end setup. The combo rank is a holistic measure of the system's overall capability, taking into account both the CPU and GPU's performance. While the individual components are powerful, the fact that they do not rank higher suggests that there are many other combinations that can achieve higher frame rates in this specific game.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 46881, which puts it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. This high percentile is reflected in its nearest rivals, which include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, with the Core i7-13700K scoring 0.2% and 0.3% lower, respectively. The GPU's average benchmark score is 13543, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are significantly older and less powerful cards, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which are not in the same performance class. This indicates that while the CPU is a top-tier part, the GPU's average benchmark score is skewed by its performance across a wide range of tests, not all of which are gaming-specific. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's actual gaming performance is strong, as evidenced by the measured FPS, but the rank of 874 shows that the combo is not the absolute fastest available.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on the best settings for different resolutions. At 1920x1080, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 161 FPS. This is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate that many competitive players use, and the jump to Ultra only yields 121 FPS, which is a 40 FPS decrease for marginal visual gains. For players with 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitors, the Medium preset at 185 FPS is also a viable option, but High offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is again the recommended choice, with an average of 118 FPS. This is an excellent result for a 1440p monitor, and it is smooth and responsive for a fast-paced FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 89 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. The 4K resolution presents a challenge. The High preset achieves 76 FPS, which is borderline acceptable for a less competitive experience. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is not recommended for a game like Lockdown Protocol, where frame rate is critical. For 4K, the Medium preset at 87 FPS is a better choice than High, as it provides a more stable and responsive experience while still maintaining decent visual quality.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with the High preset provides an excellent balance, delivering an average of 118 FPS. This is high enough for smooth, responsive gameplay while offering a significant visual upgrade over 1080p.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K with the High preset, it averages 76 FPS. However, the Ultra preset drops to 57 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. For a better 4K experience, the Medium preset at 87 FPS is recommended.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance drop is significant. At the High preset, the average FPS falls from 161 at 1080p to 76 at 4K, a reduction of 85 FPS. This indicates a major shift in the rendering load, making the GPU the primary bottleneck.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is likely a more significant factor in limiting the frame rate. The GPU has enough headroom to produce very high frame rates, but the CPU's processing power may cap the maximum output. This is evidenced by the high frame rates at Low (260 FPS) which are likely near the CPU's limit.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 118 on High to 89 on Ultra, a 24.6% decrease. At 4K, the drop is from 76 to 57 FPS, a 25% decrease. The visual uplift from Ultra may not justify the substantial performance cost.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 874 out of 3714 tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol. This puts it in the top 23.5% of all systems in the database, indicating a very capable setup for this game.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the central component in determining the game's visual output. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are essential for handling the high-resolution textures and detailed environments present in Lockdown Protocol at 4K. The GPU's boost clock of 2970 MHz and game clock of 2400 MHz allow it to process the rendering workload efficiently. Its 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs are key to its pixel-pushing capabilities, which are reflected in its strong performance at 1440p.

The GPU's role becomes more critical as the resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can feed it, but at 4K, the GPU's raw processing power becomes the limiting factor. The data shows that the GPU is capable of high frame rates at 4K on lower presets, but its performance drops off sharply when the visual complexity increases. The GPU's 48.66 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a theoretical measure, but the real-world impact is seen in the frame rate differences between presets. The GPU's nearest rivals in the average benchmark score are far older cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which highlights that the RX 9070 XT is in a different performance league, but the average score is not indicative of its gaming performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K plays a crucial role in feeding the GPU with data and processing game logic. With 16 cores and 24 threads, it has substantial multi-threaded capabilities, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745. Its high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures excellent single-threaded performance, which is often critical in FPS games. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce latency when accessing frequently used data. The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which it is nearly identical to in performance (0.2% difference).

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 260 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum throughput for this game. This indicates that the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates, but it is not the limiting factor at 4K. The CPU's strong performance ensures that it will not hold back the GPU in most scenarios, allowing the RX 9070 XT to deliver its full potential. The data confirms that this processor is a solid match for the GPU, as it does not create a significant bottleneck at any resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset achieves an average of 260 FPS. The Medium preset averages 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 212 FPS. The High preset averages 161 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, but still averages a very respectable 121 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent. The Low preset averages 191 FPS. The Medium preset averages 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS. The High preset averages 118 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 89 FPS. This resolution offers a great balance between visual quality and frame rate, with the High preset being a strong choice for competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become apparent. The Low preset averages 123 FPS. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. The High preset averages 76 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 57 FPS. While the system can play at 4K, the frame rates at the higher presets are not ideal for a fast-paced FPS, and lower settings are necessary for a smoother experience. The data shows a clear trend: the higher the resolution and the more demanding the preset, the greater the strain on the GPU.