Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents an unusual pairing: a top-tier 20-core Intel Core i7-14700K driving an entry-level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. The benchmark data reveals a system where the CPU is rarely the bottleneck, and the 4 GB GTX 1650 dictates the playable experience across all resolutions. The measured FPS rows show a clear pattern: this combo is playable at 1080p on Low settings, but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at higher resolutions or graphical presets. The data indicates a system with immense untapped processing potential, limited by its graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data makes the optimal settings path clear. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 77.1 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset to exceed the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth for an FPS. This is the definitive best experience for this combo. Moving up to Medium at 1080p drops the average to 56.4 FPS, a significant 20.7 FPS decrease that may introduce noticeable stutter in fast-paced gameplay. The High preset at 1080p yields 48.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 33.3 FPS, both of which are suboptimal for a competitive shooter.

At 2560x1440, the situation deteriorates. The Low preset is the only viable option, producing an average of 54.4 FPS. While this is close to the 60 FPS target, it represents a 22.7 FPS drop from the 1080p Low result, indicating the GPU is already working hard. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 41 FPS, and High drops to 34.3 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution is nearly unplayable at 23.7 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p should only be attempted with the Low preset, and even then, performance is borderline.

For 3840x2160, the data paints a grim picture. Even the Low preset only manages an average of 36.3 FPS, which is below the smooth-playability threshold. The Medium preset drops to 25.1 FPS, High to 19.7 FPS, and Ultra to 20.1 FPS. The data strongly indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combination in Lockdown Protocol. The best experience is unequivocally 1080p with the Low preset, which provides the highest average frame rate and the most headroom for the GPU.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows it cannot achieve smooth gameplay at 3840x2160. The best 4K result is 36.3 FPS on the Low preset, which is below the 60 FPS target. All other 4K presets fall below 26 FPS, making them effectively unplayable for a fast-paced FPS.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 77.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is the only measured configuration that surpasses 60 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 77.1 at 1920x1080 to 54.4 at 2560x1440, a decrease of 22.7 FPS. This indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is significantly stressed by the higher pixel count.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at 1080p for better visuals?

A: The data advises against it. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 yields an average of 33.3 FPS, which is less than half the FPS of the Low preset. This frame rate is likely to feel sluggish and unresponsive in a competitive FPS like Lockdown Protocol.

Q: Is the CPU holding back the GPU in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Intel Core i7-14700K has high benchmark scores, and the FPS drops are consistent with GPU limitations across resolution and settings changes. The i7-14700K has ample headroom to feed the GTX 1650.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between the Medium and High presets at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, while the High preset averages 34.3 FPS. This is a 6.7 FPS difference, showing that even a modest settings increase at 1440p has a noticeable impact on performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 77.1 at 1920x1080 to 54.4 at 2560x1440, and finally to 36.3 at 3840x2160. This is a direct and substantial decline. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 29%, and from 1440p to 4K it's roughly 33%. This scaling pattern is consistent with a graphics card that is overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count.

The same trend is visible on the High preset, where FPS falls from 48.9 at 1080p to 34.3 at 1440p, and then to 19.7 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, a 42.6% reduction. This suggests that the GTX 1650's 4 GB of VRAM and 128.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth are severely strained at 4K, causing a disproportionate performance collapse.

This data implies that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS values across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload would stay constant. Instead, the FPS scales inversely with resolution, which is the hallmark of a GPU-limited system. The Core i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and high boost clock, is capable of far more than the GTX 1650 can deliver.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a wide performance spread. The Low preset leads with an average of 77.1 FPS. The Medium preset follows at 56.4 FPS, representing a 20.7 FPS drop. The High preset averages 48.9 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings up the rear with 33.3 FPS. This demonstrates that graphical settings have a massive impact on performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS figures are significantly lower. The Low preset is the top performer at 54.4 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 41 FPS. The High preset manages 34.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to a lowly 23.7 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 30.7 FPS, highlighting the GPU's struggle with higher quality settings.

At 3840x2160, the results are consistently poor. The Low preset averages 36.3 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 25.1 FPS. The High preset falls to 19.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset is marginally better at 20.1 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is negligible at this resolution, suggesting the game is hitting a hard performance wall. The data shows that no preset at 4K provides a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data places this specific combination of Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 at rank 1586 out of 1637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This is a very low ranking, placing it in the bottom 3% of all tested systems. The data indicates that this combo is severely underpowered for the game, despite having a powerful CPU.

The combo's poor rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The GTX 1650's average benchmark score of 8713 places it at the 43rd percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile and AMD Radeon 550X, with performance deltas of -0.4%. This shows the GTX 1650 is a low-tier performer. In contrast, the Core i7-14700K is at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 70074. The pairing of a top-5% CPU with a bottom-half GPU creates a massive imbalance that results in the low overall rank.

The rank is a direct consequence of the measured FPS data. Since the game's performance is GPU-limited, the combo's rank reflects the GPU's capabilities. The data suggests that to improve the rank, replacing the GTX 1650 would be the only effective change, as the CPU is already a high performer.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with 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. These scores place it at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70074, making it one of the most powerful processors available.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is clearly diminished. The FPS data shows a consistent decline with increasing resolution and settings, which indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck. The Core i7-14700K has more than enough processing power to handle the game's physics, AI, and game logic. Its high single-core performance ensures it can feed the GPU with draw calls efficiently.

The data implies that the CPU is largely idle, waiting for the GPU to finish its work. The 20 cores and 28 threads are far more than a modern FPS like Lockdown Protocol can utilize, especially at lower resolutions. The CPU's performance is effectively wasted in this configuration. This is a strong indication that the system's performance is completely dictated by the graphics card, and the CPU's capabilities are not a contributing factor to the measured FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a Turing-architecture GPU with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its base clock is 1485 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. The GPU's benchmark scores are modest, with a PassMark G3D score of 7880 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 305. It sits at the 43rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 8713.

The GTX 1650 is the definitive bottleneck in this combo. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, it only achieves 77.1 FPS. The 4 GB VRAM is likely a limiting factor, as modern games at higher resolutions and settings can easily exceed this capacity. The 128.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth is also low by current standards, which explains the severe performance drops at 1440p and 4K.

The GPU's role is to render frames, and its performance is the sole determinant of the FPS in this system. The data shows that its capabilities are insufficient for a smooth experience at anything above 1080p Low. The GTX 1650's 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is simply not enough for the demands of Lockdown Protocol at higher settings. The system's rank of 1586 out of 1637 is a direct reflection of this GPU's limitations.