Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol’s measured performance with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti shows a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threading and high boost clocks provide ample headroom at 1080p. The data set covers three resolutions and four quality presets, offering a clear picture of how this pairing scales under load. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) to explain where the bottleneck lies, how the components contribute, and which settings deliver the best experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all quality presets, which points directly to the GPU as the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 163.4 FPS at 1920x1080 to 120.7 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 74.7 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 45% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a pattern typical of a graphics card being pushed to its limits by pixel count rather than a CPU bottleneck. The trend is even more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the average drops from 120.1 FPS at 1080p to 86.3 FPS at 1440p and finally to 55.5 FPS at 4K — a 54% loss from the lowest to the highest resolution tested.

Low settings show the largest absolute numbers, but the scaling tells the same story. The RTX 3080 Ti produces 261.4 FPS at 1080p Low, which falls to 193.1 FPS at 1440p and 125.3 FPS at 4K. The fact that even the lowest preset cannot maintain 4K at the same level as 1080p confirms that the render resolution is the dominant variable. At Medium settings, the curve is 186.4 FPS at 1080p, 136.9 FPS at 1440p, and 90.4 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern across all presets indicates that Lockdown Protocol’s engine scales linearly with resolution, and the RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 384-bit bus are what carry the load at 4K, not the processor.

The delta between 1440p and 4K is larger than the delta between 1080p and 1440p at every preset. For example, at High settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p costs 42.7 FPS, while moving from 1440p to 4K costs 46.0 FPS. This nonlinear scaling is typical of a GPU that is approaching its memory bandwidth ceiling at 3840x2160. The RTX 3080 Ti’s 912.4 GB/s bandwidth is substantial, but the pixel fillrate of 186.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s are the specs that matter here, and they are clearly saturated at 4K. Benchmark results indicate that for 4K gaming, this combo delivers playable but not exceptional frame rates, with Ultra dipping below 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K brings 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. In Lockdown Protocol, this processor is never the bottleneck at the tested resolutions. The evidence lies in the FPS scaling: if the CPU were limiting performance, we would see smaller differences between resolutions, but the data shows a clear GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 261.4 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate to stress even strong processors, yet the CPU handles it without issue.

The CPU’s benchmark scores reinforce this. In Cinebench R23, the i7-13700K scores 39000 in multi-core and 5505 in single-core. The multi-core figure is nearly 14% higher than the single-core result when scaled, suggesting that the processor can handle both lightly-threaded game logic and heavily-threaded background tasks. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10717 and max-thread score of 12412 indicate that the processor scales well beyond the 8 threads typically used by games, but Lockdown Protocol does not appear to leverage this fully at 4K, where the GPU is the clear limiter.

The Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process, provides a strong foundation for high-refresh-rate gaming. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for game data, and the 5.40 GHz boost clock ensures that single-threaded performance is competitive. However, the data does not show the CPU becoming a constraint even at the highest frame rates measured. The 1080p Low result of 261.4 FPS is the closest to a CPU limit scenario, but the fact that the GPU still drops to 125.3 FPS at 4K Low shows that the graphics card is what governs the experience. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and 24 threads are more than sufficient for this title, and the 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 confirms its strength in latency-sensitive tasks.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 383 out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 23% of all pairings, which is a solid result given the GPU’s age and the game’s 2024 release date. The CPU alone sits in the 93rd percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 83rd percentile of all graphics cards, so the combo’s rank is roughly in line with the weaker component — the GPU.

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the i7-13700K scores an average benchmark of 47282, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-13700KF at 47334 (0.1% faster) and slightly ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P at 47131 (0.3% slower) and the Intel Core i9-12900F at 47081 (0.4% slower). This means the CPU is not leaving performance on the table; it is statistically tied with its closest competitors. The GPU tells a similar story, with the RTX 3080 Ti averaging 41224, just 0.5% behind the RTX 3090 at 41441 and 0.9% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 at 41610. The RTX 5070 is 1.1% faster at 41687, which is within noise.

The combo’s rank of 383 suggests that while the CPU is top-tier, the RTX 3080 Ti holds the pairing back from the very top of the list. Many of the 1637 combos tested likely include newer GPUs with higher VRAM or faster memory. However, the data shows that this pairing is still competitive, particularly at 1440p where the average FPS exceeds 120 on High settings. The rank also implies that upgrading the GPU would move this combo up the list more than upgrading the CPU, since the processor is already near the top of its class.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 at High settings provides the best balance, delivering 120.7 FPS average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while 4K High drops to 74.7 FPS, which is still playable but less consistent.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 90.4, and at 4K High it is 74.7. Ultra settings at 4K drop to 55.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM is sufficient, but the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for the RTX 3080 Ti in this game?

A: No. The FPS scaling across resolutions shows a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the system hits 261.4 FPS, which is high enough to expose CPU limits, yet the processor keeps up. The CPU’s 16 cores and 5.40 GHz boost clock are more than adequate.

Q: How does this combo compare to the best-performing setups?

A: It ranks 383 out of 1637 combos, placing it in the top 23%. This is a strong result, but not top-tier. The CPU is in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU is in the 83rd, so the GPU is what prevents a higher rank.

Q: What settings should I use for the highest frame rates?

A: For maximum FPS, use 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields 261.4 FPS. If you want a balance of quality and speed, 2560x1440 at Medium gives 136.9 FPS, which is a significant improvement over High without a large visual sacrifice.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM on the RTX 3080 Ti matter for this game?

A: The data does not show VRAM limitations at the tested resolutions and settings. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, paired with 912.4 GB/s bandwidth, is sufficient for 4K Ultra, which is the most demanding preset measured.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the primary driver of performance in Lockdown Protocol, as evidenced by the resolution scaling. This Ampere-architecture GPU, built on Samsung’s 8 nm process, features 10240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures. The boost clock of 1665 MHz is not particularly high, but the sheer number of cores compensates for the moderate clock speed.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its position. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 is a solid result, and the PassMark G3D score of 26896 places it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 3090, which is only 0.5% faster, and the RTX 5070, which is 1.1% faster. This means the RTX 3080 Ti is still a highly capable card, even against newer models. The FP32 performance of 34.10 TFLOPS is identical to its FP16 output, indicating a 1:1 ratio that is typical of Ampere’s consumer cards.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s role becomes clear when comparing presets. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 69.8 FPS (125.3 to 55.5), which shows how sensitive the card is to shader complexity and texture quality. The 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present but not heavily utilized in this FPS title, as the game does not appear to rely on ray tracing based on the data. The card’s 350 W TDP and suggested 750 W PSU are worth noting for system builders, but the measured FPS suggests the card is running within its designed envelope.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for settings. At 4K, the only playable options are Medium (90.4 FPS) and High (74.7 FPS). Ultra at 4K falls below 60 FPS at 55.5, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. For 4K users, Medium is the recommended preset because it maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still offering better visuals than Low. High is acceptable if you prefer image quality, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the story improves. High delivers 120.7 FPS, which is excellent, and Medium is close at 136.9 FPS. Ultra at 1440p hits 86.3 FPS, which is still above 60 but not as smooth as the other presets. The best experience at this resolution is High, as it balances the 120.7 FPS with better textures and effects than Medium. Low at 1440p gives 193.1 FPS, but the visual downgrade is unnecessary given the headroom at higher presets.

At 1920x1080, the system is overkill. Medium delivers 186.4 FPS, High delivers 163.4 FPS, and Ultra delivers 120.1 FPS. Low at 261.4 FPS is only useful for competitive play where every frame matters, but the visual sacrifice is severe. For most players, High at 1080p is the sweet spot because it offers a high frame rate without the quality loss of Medium. The data shows that this combo is best paired with a 1440p monitor, where it can leverage its strengths without being held back by the CPU or GPU. The RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for all tested presets, so the choice comes down to your preference for frame rate versus fidelity.