Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is a combination that leans heavily on the CPU's strong multi-threading and the GPU's mid-range rasterization. In Lockdown Protocol, this pairing produces a measured average FPS that ranges from 165.8 at 1080p Low to 36 at 4K Ultra, with a combo rank of 1109 out of 1637 tested configurations. The CPU carries a launch MSRP of $359, and the GPU a launch MSRP of 399 USD.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a consistent and steep drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, across all four settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 165.8 at 1080p to 122.7 at 1440p, then to 75.7 at 4K. That is a reduction of more than half from 1080p to 4K. The same pattern holds for Medium, High, and Ultra: each 4K average is less than half of its 1080p counterpart. For example, Medium drops from 115.7 to 55.2, High from 105.5 to 48.2, and Ultra from 76.7 to 36.

This scaling behavior indicates that the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the CPU's high single-thread and multi-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core 5003, multi-core 35443) is sufficient to push frame rates well above 100 FPS on all presets except Ultra, which still reaches 76.7. But at 4K, even the lowest preset only manages 75.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 36 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 4K is roughly the same in absolute terms for each setting—about 90 FPS for Low, 60 for Medium, 57 for High, and 40 for Ultra—but the relative drop is consistently above 50%. This suggests that the RX 6650 XT's rendering throughput, not the CPU, is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The 1440p results sit between the two extremes, with Low at 122.7 FPS and Ultra at 54.6. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is less severe than from 1440p to 4K, but still substantial. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, which is an FPS, the data implies that 1080p is the resolution where this combo can fully stretch its legs, while 4K requires significant settings compromises to maintain playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample headroom for game logic and asset streaming. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 35443 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 5003 in single-core, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 54097 is only 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and 1.1% behind the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, according to the nearestRivals data.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is evident in the high frame rates achieved at 1080p. At Low settings, the combo reaches 165.8 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many monitors. Even at Ultra, 1080p yields 76.7 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not the primary constraint at this resolution. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single 5003) is particularly relevant for an FPS, where per-frame logic and draw calls often depend on single-core speed. The 20 cores and 28 threads also ensure that background tasks and multi-threaded game systems do not starve the main render thread.

The CPU's TDP of 65 W is modest for a 20-core part, but that does not directly affect game performance. The data shows that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the 165.8 FPS ceiling. At higher resolutions, the CPU's contribution diminishes because the GPU becomes the bottleneck, but the CPU's headroom means that it will not hold back the GPU in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is a mid-range GPU based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 280.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2635 MHz, with a game clock of 2410 MHz. The GPU has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 32 ray-tracing cores. In synthetic tests, it scores 1859 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 17166 in Passmark G3D, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 29024 is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (0% delta) and 0.1% ahead of the RX 470.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is a notable consideration for Lockdown Protocol at 4K, where high-resolution textures can exceed that capacity. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 36, which is likely a combination of raw compute limits and memory pressure. At 1080p, the GPU is less stressed, and the combo achieves 165.8 FPS on Low, indicating that the GPU can handle the game's demands at lower resolutions. The 128-bit memory bus and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the bandwidth becomes a limiting factor, as seen in the steep drop from 1440p to 4K.

The GPU's boost clock of 2635 MHz is high for its class, and the 176 W TDP suggests it is a power-efficient part. However, the data shows that the GPU is the primary reason the combo ranks only 1109 out of 1637 in Lockdown Protocol. The CPU is in the 94th percentile, but the GPU is in the 72nd, and the combination's overall rank reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1109 out of 1637 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the lower half of the field. This rank is driven by the GPU's performance ceiling, as the CPU is a top-tier part. The CPU's percentile of 94 means it outperforms 94% of all CPUs, while the GPU's percentile of 72 means it outperforms 72% of all GPUs. The gap between these two percentiles explains why the combo does not rank higher: the GPU is the weaker link.

Compared to the nearest rivals, the CPU is nearly identical in average benchmark score to the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (0.6% behind) and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (1.1% behind). The GPU is statistically tied with the RX 6800M and RX 470, with deltas of 0% and 0.1% respectively. This means that swapping the CPU for a slightly faster model would not meaningfully change the combo's rank, but upgrading the GPU would have a much larger impact. The data suggests that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where the CPU's strength can be fully utilized, and the GPU can still deliver high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 48.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 75.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 55.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 36 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 73.3 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 122.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 88.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 54.6 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 105.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 165.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 115.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 76.7 |

At 1080p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 89.1 FPS (165.8 to 76.7), with Medium and High falling in between. At 1440p, the spread is 68.1 FPS (122.7 to 54.6). At 4K, the spread narrows to 39.7 FPS (75.7 to 36). This narrowing indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU's limits compress the performance range across settings. The best absolute result is 165.8 FPS at 1080p Low, and the worst is 36 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, High settings deliver 105.5 FPS, which is above 100 and likely sufficient for smooth gameplay on most displays. Medium offers 115.7 FPS, a modest gain, while Low reaches 165.8 FPS for maximum frame rates. Ultra drops to 76.7 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices a significant amount of performance for visual fidelity. For 1080p, High is a reasonable choice because it maintains a high frame rate while providing better visuals than Medium or Low.

At 1440p, Low is the only preset that exceeds 120 FPS (122.7), while Medium yields 88.6 FPS and High 73.3. Ultra falls to 54.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered smooth. For 1440p, Medium offers a good balance, as it stays above 85 FPS, while High is still above 70. At 4K, only Low achieves above 60 FPS (75.7), with Medium at 55.2, High at 48.2, and Ultra at 36. Therefore, for 4K, Low is the only viable preset for a playable experience, and even then, the frame rate is modest.

The data indicates that this combo is best used at 1080p or 1440p with medium-to-high settings, and that 4K should be reserved for Low settings if the user prioritizes frame rate over visual quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 76.7.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 54097, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X's score of 54450.

Q: What is the combo's rank in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 1109 out of 1637 tested combinations.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT has a memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s.

Q: Which resolution and settings yield the highest average FPS?

A: The highest average FPS is 165.8, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the CPU's boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz.