Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers a highly capable 1440p and 1080p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the data showing that the Ultra preset remains playable even at 4K. The pairing sits at rank 417 out of 1637 tested combos, placing it comfortably in the top quarter of all systems tested for this FPS title. The measured results indicate a system that prioritizes high refresh rates at standard resolutions while still offering a viable path to 4K gaming with adjusted settings.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers 58.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Dropping to High raises the average to 77.8 FPS, and Medium reaches 88.1 FPS, both of which are smooth for this FPS title.

Q: What is the best resolution for maximum performance?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces 260.2 FPS. This is the highest measured average in the dataset, indicating the combo is well-suited for competitive play at 1080p where frame rates above 240 Hz are desirable.

Q: How much of a performance jump is there from Ultra to Low at 1440p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 87.5 FPS, while Low settings jump to 190.1 FPS. That is a 102.6 FPS increase, representing more than double the frame rate.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 the bottleneck at 1080p, or does the CPU limit performance?

A: The data shows the strongest scaling from resolution changes at lower settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 260.2 FPS, while at 4K Low it drops to 124.6 FPS. This indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases, while the i7-13700K provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the most balanced settings preset for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset (118.5 FPS) is the closest match to a 144Hz refresh rate, with Medium (134.8 FPS) also exceeding that target. For 1920x1080, Medium (183.9 FPS) and High (161.2 FPS) both provide significant headroom above 144Hz.

Q: How does this combo rank relative to all other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 417th out of 1637 tested combos, placing it in the 74th percentile of all systems tested for Lockdown Protocol. This is a strong showing, especially considering the RTX 4070's 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which allows it to handle both lightly-threaded game logic and heavily-threaded background tasks. The processor includes 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, which helps reduce memory latency in scenarios where the game engine needs rapid access to frequently used data.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical for handling game logic, physics, and AI. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5505 indicate strong per-core performance, which is essential for maintaining high frame rates. The multi-threaded capability is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a Passmark multithread score of 45887, ensuring that streaming, recording, or background applications do not interfere with frame pacing.

The processor's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs (avg benchmark score 47282) places it well above the 81st percentile of the GPU. This suggests that in most scenarios, the i7-13700K will not be the limiting factor. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, is virtually identical with a deltaPct of -0.1%, confirming that the integrated graphics on the 13700K do not impact its compute performance in this context. The 125W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory give builders flexibility, though the memory bus is dual-channel, which is standard for this platform.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, featuring a die with 35,800 million transistors. It comes with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective), and the GPU has a base clock of 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. These specifications allow the card to handle high-resolution textures and complex shading workloads.

For Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs are responsible for pixel fill rate (158.4 GPixel/s) and texture rate (455.4 GTexel/s). The 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power provides the raw throughput needed for modern rendering techniques. The card also includes 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores, which, while not directly benchmarked in this dataset, support the DirectX 12 Ultimate API and Vulkan 1.4.

The RTX 4070's benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 26927 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854. Its 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs (avg benchmark score 37283) is respectable but lower than the CPU's percentile. This gap means that at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU will be the limiting component. The nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, has a deltaPct of -0.6%, showing that the RTX 4070 is slightly ahead of that older card, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A is 1.9% behind, indicating the 4070's position is solid but not dominant.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 417th out of 1637 tested combinations, which places it in the top 25.5% of all systems benchmarked for Lockdown Protocol. This is a strong result, but the ranking reveals more nuance when compared against the individual component percentiles. The CPU's 93rd percentile and GPU's 81st percentile suggest a slight imbalance, with the processor having more headroom than the graphics card.

The rank of 417 out of 1637 also implies that there are many combinations with higher-end GPUs paired with similar or lesser CPUs that outperform this setup. However, the measured FPS data shows that this pairing is still highly capable for the game's demands. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves over 121 FPS even at the Ultra preset, and at 2560x1440, it exceeds 87 FPS on Ultra. This indicates that the combo is well-matched for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the CPU providing enough performance to push the GPU to its limits.

The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals (all within 0.5%) confirm that the i7-13700K is not a differentiating factor at this performance tier. The ranking is therefore primarily determined by the RTX 4070's capabilities. For users considering whether this combo is future-proof, the data suggests that lowering settings is the primary lever for maintaining high frame rates, rather than relying on CPU headroom.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1920x1080 display, the High preset (161.2 FPS) is the best balance of visual quality and performance, offering over 160 FPS which is ideal for competitive play. The Medium preset (183.9 FPS) and Low preset (260.2 FPS) are better for esports-focused users who prioritize maximum frame rates. The Ultra preset (121.5 FPS) is also viable if visual fidelity is the priority, as it stays above 120 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the High preset (118.5 FPS) is the recommended starting point, as it provides a smooth experience on 120Hz or 144Hz monitors. The Medium preset (134.8 FPS) offers a slight performance boost with minimal visual loss, making it the best choice for users with high-refresh-rate panels. The Ultra preset (87.5 FPS) is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced FPS action where frame consistency matters. The Low preset (190.1 FPS) is only recommended for users who prioritize frame rate above all else.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset (88.1 FPS) is the optimal choice, as it provides a smooth experience without the need for upscaling tools. The High preset (77.8 FPS) is also viable for users who prefer better visuals, while the Ultra preset (58.1 FPS) is borderline and may result in noticeable stutter in intense firefights. The Low preset (124.6 FPS) is surprisingly strong at 4K and could be considered if the user has a 120Hz 4K display, though the visual compromises are significant.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured frame rates show a clear progression from Low to Ultra. The Low preset achieves 260.2 FPS, Medium delivers 183.9 FPS, High produces 161.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 121.5 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is the largest single reduction (76.3 FPS), indicating that the Medium preset introduces significant graphical effects that tax the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the results are 190.1 FPS for Low, 134.8 FPS for Medium, 118.5 FPS for High, and 87.5 FPS for Ultra. The relative gap between Medium and High is smaller (16.3 FPS) than between Low and Medium (55.3 FPS), suggesting that High settings add only a modest load over Medium. The jump from High to Ultra is 31.0 FPS, showing that Ultra settings are the most demanding.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are 124.6 FPS for Low, 88.1 FPS for Medium, 77.8 FPS for High, and 58.1 FPS for Ultra. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at the same settings is substantial: Low drops by 65.5 FPS, Medium by 46.7 FPS, High by 40.7 FPS, and Ultra by 29.4 FPS. This demonstrates that the RTX 4070's 12 GB VRAM and memory bandwidth become significant constraints at 4K. The data shows that the combo is most efficient at 1080p and 1440p, where the CPU's performance is fully utilized, while at 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck.