Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload for the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT when paired with the Intel Core i7-14700K. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the GPU is the primary limiting factor, but the CPU's headroom ensures consistent scaling. This analysis examines the measured data to characterize performance, compare the combo against other tested configurations, and provide actionable settings guidance.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly indicates a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 118.3 at 1920x1080 to 87.7 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 30.6 FPS, and then further down to 57 at 3840x2160. This represents a 51.8% decrease in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial hit that points to the RX 6700 XT's memory bandwidth and compute resources being saturated as pixel count increases.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system achieves 190.2 FPS at 1080p, but this drops to 143.1 at 1440p and 92.5 at 4K. The absolute FPS loss from 1080p to 4K is 97.7 FPS at Low, which is larger than the loss at High (61.3 FPS). This is because at Low settings, the CPU can feed frames more easily at 1080p, but the GPU's rendering capacity is still the bottleneck at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Low (50.6 FPS drop) is also more severe than the scaling from 1080p to 1440p (47.1 FPS drop), suggesting the GPU's limits are approached more rapidly at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the 4K average of 41.2 FPS is barely playable, while 1080p Ultra delivers a smooth 90 FPS. The relative scaling is similar: a 48.8 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K. The data consistently shows that the RX 6700 XT is the limiting component in this pairing for Lockdown Protocol. The i7-14700K, with its high single-thread performance, is not the constraint here; the FPS deltas between resolutions are entirely attributable to the GPU's fill rate and shading power. The 4K results, particularly at Ultra, suggest that this combination is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming if high frame rates are the priority.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT ranks 912th out of 1637 combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is a logical outcome given the GPU's position in the performance hierarchy. The RX 6700 XT has a percentile rank of 77 against all GPUs, meaning it outperforms 77% of the tested graphics cards, but it is far from the top tier.

The CPU in this combo is a top performer. The i7-14700K sits in the 96th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70074. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-14700KF, which scores 70104 with a negligible 0% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which scores 70420 and is 0.5% faster. This high CPU standing does not boost the combo's rank dramatically because the game's performance at higher resolutions is dictated by the GPU. The combo rank of 912 suggests that in a field of 1637, many other pairings feature stronger GPUs that are better matched to the CPU's capabilities. The data indicates that while the CPU provides a solid foundation, the overall combo performance is capped by the RX 6700 XT's mid-range standing, which is reflected in its 77th percentile GPU rank.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 118.3, which provides a smooth experience for competitive play.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to 1080p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Low is 190.2, while at 1080p Ultra it is 90. This means the Low preset is 100.2 FPS faster, or more than double the frame rate.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 62.3. At High settings, it drops to 57, and at Ultra, it falls to 41.2. Playable frame rates are achievable only at Medium or lower settings.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average FPS is 143.1, which is just above the 144Hz threshold. To maintain a higher visual quality, the High preset at 1440p yields 87.7 FPS, which would be suitable for a 75Hz or 90Hz display.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its closest rival?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 70074. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, scores 70104, which is a 0% difference, indicating near-identical performance.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 136.1. At 3840x2160 Medium, it is 62.3. This represents a drop of 73.8 FPS, or about a 54% reduction in performance.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing high refresh rates, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the clear choice, delivering an average of 190.2 FPS. This setting will maximize the responsiveness of the display and is ideal for fast-paced FPS gameplay. If a balance between visual fidelity and performance is desired at 1080p, the High preset at 118.3 FPS is a strong option, offering a significant improvement in detail over Low while maintaining a frame rate well above 100 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p still provides a playable 90 FPS, but the gains over High are marginal compared to the performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that Medium settings at 102.8 FPS offers the best experience for most users. This resolution provides a sharper image than 1080p, and the frame rate remains high enough for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 87.7 FPS is also viable, but the drop of over 15 FPS compared to Medium may be noticeable in fast-moving scenes. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 62.3 FPS is the highest quality setting that remains comfortably playable. The High preset at 57 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 41.2 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The overall recommendation is to stay within the Medium to High presets at 1440p for the best balance, or use Low at 1080p for maximum frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured data is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 92.5 FPS
• Medium: 62.3 FPS
• High: 57 FPS
• Ultra: 41.2 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 143.1 FPS
• Medium: 102.8 FPS
• High: 87.7 FPS
• Ultra: 67.7 FPS

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 190.2 FPS
• Medium: 136.1 FPS
• High: 118.3 FPS
• Ultra: 90 FPS

The data shows a consistent pattern: each reduction in resolution yields a substantial FPS increase at every settings level. The largest jump is from 4K Ultra to 1080p Ultra, which is a 48.8 FPS difference. The smallest absolute difference is between 4K High and 4K Medium, which is 5.3 FPS, indicating that the GPU has less headroom to spare at higher resolutions. These numbers confirm the GPU-bound nature of the system in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a high-end processor with 20 cores and 28 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its benchmark results are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and a single-core score of 6287. This single-thread performance is critical for gaming, as it ensures the CPU can quickly process game logic and feed the GPU with draw calls.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to provide a stable platform that does not bottleneck the GPU. Given that the FPS drops proportionally with resolution, it is clear that the i7-14700K is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 190.2 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate where CPU overhead could become an issue, but the data shows no such limitation. The CPU's high performance, evidenced by its 96th percentile rank and average benchmark score of 70074, ensures that the GPU is always the primary constraint. The processor's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory also contribute to its ability to handle the data throughput required by modern FPS games. The benchmark results indicate that the i7-14700K has more than enough headroom to support a more powerful GPU, making it a future-proof choice, but in this specific pairing, its capabilities are only partially utilized due to the RX 6700 XT's mid-range performance envelope.