Lockdown Protocol

The data for Lockdown Protocol with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER reveals a system that is predominantly limited by the graphics card, particularly at higher resolutions. The measured frame rates show a clear pattern of performance degradation as pixel count increases, a trend that carries significant implications for how this combination should be configured. This analysis will break down the measured FPS data to understand the bottleneck, recommend optimal settings, and contextualize the combo's standing against other tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across the three resolutions tells a clear story about where the performance ceiling lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 161 FPS, which is a strong result for a fast-paced FPS. However, as resolution increases, the frame rate drops substantially. Stepping up to 1440p Low yields 114.8 FPS, a decline of roughly 29%. Moving to 4K Low further reduces performance to 73.1 FPS, which is a 55% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is a classic indicator of GPU-bound performance; the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, and the RTX 2060 SUPER is struggling to keep pace.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the drop from 1080p (98 FPS) to 1440p (75 FPS) is a 23% reduction, and the leap to 4K (50.2 FPS) represents a 49% loss from the 1080p baseline. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling, from 73.8 FPS at 1080p down to 35.4 FPS at 4K, a reduction of over half. This behavior indicates that the game's visual effects and geometry at higher resolutions are saturating the GPU's resources. The data suggests that the CPU, with its 16 cores and robust benchmark scores, is not the limiting factor here; it has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU's processing capacity is exhausted as the workload increases.

Settings Recommendations

Choosing the right settings preset is critical for this hardware pairing, as the data shows significant variance in performance. For players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the Low preset, which delivers 161 FPS, is the clear choice. It provides the maximum smoothness, which is often paramount in an FPS. However, the Medium preset at 113.9 FPS offers a substantial visual upgrade while still maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a potentially better balance for most users. The High preset at 98 FPS remains viable, but the Ultra preset at 73.8 FPS, while playable, begins to sacrifice the high-refresh-rate advantage.

At 1440p, the trade-off becomes more pronounced. The Low preset (114.8 FPS) remains excellent for competitive play, but the Medium preset (85.8 FPS) is a strong recommendation for those wanting better visuals without a drastic performance hit. The High preset (75 FPS) is still smooth, but the Ultra preset (54.7 FPS) dips below the 60 FPS mark, which may be a concern for some players. At 4K, the options are more constrained. The Low preset (73.1 FPS) is the only setting that consistently provides a smooth experience. The Medium preset (52.6 FPS) and High preset (50.2 FPS) are nearly identical in performance, while the Ultra preset (35.4 FPS) is not recommended for a playable experience. The data indicates that for a balanced visual-to-performance ratio, the Medium preset is the sweet spot at 1080p and 1440p, while at 4K, players must accept Low settings for fluid gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Core i7-13700K and RTX 2060 SUPER holds a rank of 1170 out of 1637 tested combos. This places it in the lower half of all configurations, which is expected given the age and tier of the graphics card. The GPU's performance percentile of 63 indicates it outperforms a solid majority of other GPUs, but its raw power is still outpaced by many modern or higher-tier cards.

This ranking is more a reflection of the GPU's limits than the CPU's capabilities. The Core i7-13700K is a top-tier processor, ranking in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 47282 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, which scores 47334 (a delta of -0.1%). The CPU is clearly capable of driving a more powerful graphics card. The combo's rank in this game, therefore, signifies that it is a system whose overall performance is capped by the RTX 2060 SUPER. The data implies that while the CPU has significant headroom, the GPU is the constraining factor, preventing the system from reaching higher frame rates in the more demanding settings. The ranking effectively highlights a system that is well-balanced in its components but is ultimately held back by its graphics card.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve over 100 FPS?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 161 FPS, and the Medium preset achieves 113.9 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset exceeds 100 FPS, with 114.8 FPS. The data shows that 1080p with Medium or Low settings is the most reliable way to maintain a high frame rate.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 54.7 FPS, which is a significant 27% decrease compared to the High preset's 75 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra settings demands a notable performance cost at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU has high benchmark scores and 16 cores, but the frame rate drops dramatically with resolution increases. For example, at Low settings, performance decreases from 161 FPS at 1080p to 73.1 FPS at 4K, showing GPU limits.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. At 4K, the Low preset is the only one that provides a smooth experience at 73.1 FPS. The Medium and High presets both fall in the 50 FPS range, and the Ultra preset drops to 35.4 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS.

Q: How does this GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706) and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (19680). This indicates its performance is very closely matched with those cards.

Q: What is the CPU's single-core performance like?

A: The Core i7-13700K scores 5505 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 2850 in Geekbench single-core. These figures, along with its 93rd percentile ranking, suggest it has very strong single-threaded performance, which is adequate for feeding the GPU in most gaming scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the defining component of this combo's gaming performance. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but is strained at 4K, as the FPS data shows. The GPU's base clock is 1470 MHz and it boosts to 1650 MHz, and this clock speed is what determines its processing throughput. With 2176 shading units and a FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS, the card has a defined compute capability that is being fully utilized in Lockdown Protocol.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a mixed profile. Its Passmark G3D score of 16462 and DirectX 12 score of 61 are modest, reflecting its age. Its performance percentile of 63 indicates it is a mid-range performer. In the context of this game, the GPU's role is the absolute limiter. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (35.4 FPS) versus 1080p Low (161 FPS) demonstrates that the card's rendering capabilities are quickly overwhelmed by the game's demands at higher resolutions and settings. The data suggests that the GPU's VRAM and compute units are insufficient to maintain high frame rates under maximum load, forcing players to compromise on visual fidelity to achieve playable performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K provides the processing foundation for this system. With 16 cores and 24 threads, it is a powerful multi-threaded processor. Its base clock of 3.40 GHz can boost up to 5.40 GHz, which is crucial for gaming workloads that often rely on high single-thread performance. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. The CPU's Passmark multithread score of 45887 and single-thread score of 4333 further underscore its capability.

In this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor. At 1080p, the frame rate is high, but it is the GPU that determines the final output. The CPU's strong single-core performance ensures it can process game logic and draw calls quickly, but the GPU's rendering speed is the bottleneck. The CPU's performance percentile of 93 and its close rivalry with the i7-13700KF (a delta of -0.1%) show that it is a top-tier part, but its power is largely untapped in this pairing. The data implies that the CPU has significant headroom and could support a much more powerful GPU without becoming a constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates for this hardware combination, sorted by resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the results are:

• Low: 161 FPS
• Medium: 113.9 FPS
• High: 98 FPS
• Ultra: 73.8 FPS

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: 114.8 FPS
• Medium: 85.8 FPS
• High: 75 FPS
• Ultra: 54.7 FPS

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: 73.1 FPS
• Medium: 52.6 FPS
• High: 50.2 FPS
• Ultra: 35.4 FPS

This data illustrates a clear and consistent hierarchy. The performance difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial at every resolution, with the gap widening as resolution increases. At 1080p, Low is 118% faster than Ultra. At 1440p, Low is 110% faster than Ultra. At 4K, Low is 106% faster than Ultra. This shows that the GPU's limited resources are disproportionately taxed by the higher preset's effects, reinforcing that players must make a significant choice between visual quality and frame rate, especially at higher resolutions.