Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB delivers a strictly entry-level experience in Lockdown Protocol, landing at rank 3269 out of 3714 tested combos. The data indicates a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card, especially at higher resolutions, but the CPU provides a solid foundation that prevents the combo from falling to the bottom of the rankings.

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

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, and it can boost up to 5.40 GHz. This is a high-end desktop part with a 125 W TDP, and its benchmark scores reflect its strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 30745 points in multi-core and 2116 points in single-core. In Geekbench, it achieves 19429 multi-core and 2529 single-core. These numbers place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it is more powerful than the vast majority of processors in the database.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, which is 0.3% slower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 are both 0.5% faster. This tightly clustered group shows that the 13700K is at the very top of its performance class, with deltas of less than one percent separating it from its closest competitors. This is a critical detail for Lockdown Protocol: the CPU is not the bottleneck.

In this game, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data. With a max-thread score of 12412 in 3DMark, the processor has ample headroom for the multi-threaded workloads of a modern FPS. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded performance is also excellent, which is relevant for the primary game thread that many titles rely upon. The data suggests that the i7-13700K provides a very strong platform, and its 30 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep data close for rapid access. The benchmark results indicate that any performance shortfall in this combo is not attributable to the processor, as it sits at the 89th percentile compared to all CPUs.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is the definitive limiting component in this pairing. Based on the Ampere architecture and built on Samsung’s 8 nm process, this GPU features a base clock of 1545 MHz and a boost clock of 1740 MHz. Its memory configuration is a critical weakness: it has only 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s. With 2048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, it is a cut-down version of the standard RTX 3050. Its FP32 performance is rated at 7.127 TFLOPS.

The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is exactly 50, placing it at the median. It has no nearest rivals listed in the data, which means its performance bracket is distinct from other tested cards. In Lockdown Protocol, the 4 GB VRAM capacity is the most likely source of performance degradation. At higher resolutions and settings, the game will attempt to allocate more video memory for textures and framebuffers. When that capacity is exceeded, the system may experience stuttering or reduced frame rates, though the measured data does not provide specific minFPS values for all settings to confirm this.

The 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is also a limiting factor. While the GPU’s compute power is modest, the low bandwidth can restrict performance in scenarios with heavy texture streaming. The 90 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest a low-power card, which aligns with its performance class. The data clearly shows that the RTX 3050 4 GB is the weak link in this combo, as its median percentile ranking contrasts sharply with the CPU’s 89th percentile standing.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 112 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops that to 82 FPS, a 26.8% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 53 FPS, which is a 52.7% drop from the 1080p result. This pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases is the hallmark of a system where the GPU is the primary constraint.

The scaling across all settings confirms this. At High settings, the frame rates are 70 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 27.1%, and from 1080p to 4K is 52.9%. These percentages are nearly identical to the Low settings scaling, indicating that the GPU is consistently saturated regardless of the quality preset. A CPU-bound system would show a much flatter curve, with frame rates staying similar across resolutions. That is not the case here.

The Ultra settings provide the clearest evidence. At 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 52 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 38 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 25 FPS. The 4K result is below the threshold for comfortable playability. The data shows that the RTX 3050 4 GB cannot maintain acceptable frame rates at 4K, even on Low settings, where it only manages 53 FPS. The conclusion is straightforward: the GPU is the limiting factor, and its performance scales poorly with resolution, which is expected given its 128-bit memory bus and 4 GB VRAM.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo’s rank in Lockdown Protocol is 3269 out of 3714 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems, a clear indication of its entry-level status. The data shows that this pairing is far from optimal, and the performance gap to better-ranked combos is substantial. The CPU’s high percentile (89th) is almost entirely negated by the GPU’s mediocre ranking (50th), resulting in a combined rank that is significantly lower than either component’s individual standing.

This rank suggests that most other tested combos, including those with slower CPUs but faster GPUs, tend to perform better in Lockdown Protocol. The game appears to be more sensitive to GPU performance than CPU performance, which is typical for a fast-paced FPS title. The combo’s low rank is not a reflection of the CPU, but rather a consequence of pairing a top-tier processor with a bottom-tier graphics card. The measured FPS data supports this, as the system struggles to break 60 FPS at 1440p on Medium settings, a resolution and settings combination that a more balanced system would handle easily.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 112 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. Medium settings reduce the average to 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. High settings yield 70 FPS on average. Ultra settings bring the average down to 52 FPS. This resolution is the most viable for this combo, as even Ultra settings remain technically playable, though the 52 FPS average leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades notably. Low settings average 82 FPS, which is still respectable. Medium settings drop to 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS. High settings average 51 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 38 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a fast-paced FPS. The jump from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 20-30% performance across all settings, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of the system.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to remain playable. Low settings average 53 FPS, which is the only preset that approaches a decent frame rate. Medium settings average 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS. High settings average 33 FPS. Ultra settings average 25 FPS, which is effectively unplayable for a competitive shooter. The 4K results confirm that this combo is not suited for high-resolution gaming, as even Low settings are marginal.

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

Based on the measured rows, the best experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average of 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS, ensuring a consistent and smooth gameplay experience. The minimum FPS of 68 is above the typical 60 FPS target, which is crucial for avoiding stutter in a fast-paced FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p provides a good balance between visual quality and performance, as the 80 FPS average offers enough headroom for demanding scenes.

While Low settings at 1080p offer a higher average of 112 FPS, the visual trade-off is significant. Medium settings provide a noticeable improvement in visual fidelity for a 28.6% reduction in average FPS, which is a reasonable sacrifice. The High preset at 1080p averages 70 FPS, which is still playable but with less margin for error. The Ultra preset at 1080p, averaging 52 FPS, should be avoided as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold and may introduce perceptible frame pacing issues.

For users who prefer higher resolutions, 2560x1440 with Low settings is the only viable option, averaging 82 FPS. However, this comes with the visual penalty of Low settings. The Medium preset at 1440p, averaging 59 FPS, is borderline, and the 50 FPS minimum could cause noticeable hitches. At 3840x2160, no preset is recommended, as even Low settings only reach 53 FPS, which is insufficient for a competitive FPS. The data strongly indicates that 1080p Medium is the optimal configuration for this hardware combination in Lockdown Protocol.