Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core i7-14700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 produces a highly capable Lockdown Protocol setup, ranking 1031st out of 3714 tested combinations. The data shows a system that handles the game comfortably across all resolutions, with the RTX 3080 emerging as the primary performance determinant at higher settings. The measured frame rates reveal a clear progression from 4K to 1080p, with the gap between Low and Ultra presets widening as resolution decreases, indicating a balanced but GPU-centric workload.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly demonstrates where the bottleneck lies. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 155 FPS at 1920x1080 to 113 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 73 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 27% reduction moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 35% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The pattern is consistent across all settings presets, with the most dramatic scaling occurring at Low settings where the 1080p result of 249 FPS drops to 183 FPS at 1440p and 118 FPS at 4K.

This scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 3080 is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The 10 GB GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth become increasingly taxed as pixel count grows, particularly at Ultra where 4K yields only 55 FPS versus 116 FPS at 1080p. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, does not appear to bottleneck the system at any tested configuration, as even the lowest 4K result remains above playable thresholds. The diminishing returns from 1440p to 4K are steeper than from 1080p to 1440p, a typical sign of GPU memory bandwidth saturation. Players targeting 4K will need to accept either reduced settings or lower frame rates, while 1440p offers a more balanced experience with frame rates ranging from 85 FPS at Ultra to 183 FPS at Low.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain high frame rates?

A: At 2560x1440, the combo delivers 113 FPS at High and 130 FPS at Medium, making it the resolution with the best balance between visual quality and performance. 1080p pushes higher numbers (155 FPS High, 177 FPS Medium), but the 1440p results remain well above 60 FPS across all presets.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 4K?

A: Ultra at 3840x2160 produces 55 FPS average, while High at the same resolution produces 73 FPS. The 18 FPS difference represents a 33% performance loss for the Ultra preset, suggesting that High is the more practical choice for 4K gaming on this hardware.

Q: Is the RTX 3080's 10 GB VRAM sufficient for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The measured results indicate the 10 GB GDDR6X memory is adequate, as the game runs at all resolutions and settings without reported issues. The 760.3 GB/s bandwidth helps sustain performance, though the steep 4K scaling suggests memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at that resolution.

Q: What frame rate can players expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows 177 FPS average, with a minimum of 151 FPS and maximum of 204 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above high-refresh-rate display requirements and indicates the CPU-GPU pairing is well-suited for competitive play.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The system ranks 1031st out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all configurations. This ranking reflects strong overall capability for Lockdown Protocol, though it is not at the very top tier of performance.

Q: Does the Low preset provide a competitive advantage at 1440p?

A: Low settings at 2560x1440 yield 183 FPS, which is 61% higher than the Ultra preset's 85 FPS. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, this preset offers the highest competitive performance at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K brings substantial processing power to Lockdown Protocol, with 20 cores and 28 threads running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process, provides strong single-thread performance as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160. This is crucial for a fast-paced FPS where game logic and physics calculations often depend on single-thread responsiveness.

The CPU's multithreaded capabilities are equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 33440.5 and a Geekbench multicore score of 20767. These results place the processor in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark score of 69355. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, scores 69515 for a delta of just -0.2%, indicating the i7-14700K is essentially on par with AMD's flagship in general processing tasks. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain high throughput during extended gaming sessions.

In Lockdown Protocol specifically, the CPU does not appear to be the limiting factor at any resolution or settings combination. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU load is lightest and CPU demands are highest, the system achieves 249 FPS. This suggests the 28 threads provide ample headroom for game engine tasks, background processes, and potential streaming or recording workloads. The processor's 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory allow flexible system configuration, though the performance data indicates the GPU handles most of the scaling burden as resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience for this hardware. At 4K resolution, High settings deliver 73 FPS, which is the most balanced option at this resolution. Medium yields 84 FPS but with a minimum of 71 FPS, while Ultra drops to 55 FPS and Low jumps to 118 FPS. For 4K users, High represents the sweet spot, providing solid visual quality without the performance penalty of Ultra.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts toward Medium or High. Medium produces 130 FPS with a minimum of 110 FPS, while High delivers 113 FPS. Both are excellent for smooth gameplay, but Medium offers a 15% performance increase with minimal visual compromise. The Ultra preset at 85 FPS remains playable but does not provide enough visual benefit to justify the 35% performance loss compared to High. Low settings at 183 FPS are only recommended for competitive players who prioritize maximum frame rates.

For 1080p, the options are more flexible. Medium gives 177 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, while High provides 155 FPS. The Ultra preset at 116 FPS is still smooth but represents a significant drop from Medium. Low at 249 FPS exceeds the refresh rate of most displays, making it unnecessary for most users. The best overall experience at 1080p comes from Medium, which balances visual fidelity and performance with a minimum of 151 FPS ensuring no noticeable stutter.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1031st out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all systems tested with Lockdown Protocol. This ranking reflects a configuration that is clearly above average but not at the extreme high end. The RTX 3080's 68th percentile standing among all GPUs and the i7-14700K's 94th percentile among all CPUs suggest the GPU is the more modest component in this pairing, yet the overall result remains strong.

Compared to other combos, this system outperforms a majority of tested configurations, likely benefiting from the CPU's exceptional single-thread performance. The GPU's nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 with average scores of 23273 and 23250 respectively, show deltas of -0.4% and -0.3%, indicating the 3080 sits in a competitive mid-to-high tier. The CPU's rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 9115 at 69288 (delta 0.1%) and the Ryzen 9 7950X at 69515 (delta -0.2%), are extremely close in performance, showing the i7-14700K is well-matched against top-tier processors.

The rank of 1031 out of 3714 means roughly 72% of tested combos perform worse, while 28% perform better. This positions the system as a strong choice for Lockdown Protocol, particularly for players who want high frame rates at 1440p or playable performance at 4K without investing in top-end hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 249 FPS average, followed by Medium at 177 FPS (minimum 151, maximum 204), High at 155 FPS, and Ultra at 116 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 133 FPS, representing a 53% reduction in performance for the highest visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show clear scaling. Low achieves 183 FPS, Medium reaches 130 FPS (minimum 110, maximum 149), High hits 113 FPS, and Ultra drops to 85 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 98 FPS, a 54% reduction, mirroring the 1080p pattern.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. Low produces 118 FPS, Medium averages 84 FPS (minimum 71, maximum 96), High yields 73 FPS, and Ultra falls to 55 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread narrows to 63 FPS, but the percentage reduction remains consistent at 53%. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best minimum frame rates, with the 1080p result of 151 FPS ensuring no drops below playable levels.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 serves as the primary performance driver for Lockdown Protocol, with its 10 GB GDDR6X memory and 320-bit bus providing 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GA102 chip, manufactured on Samsung's 8 nm process, contains 28,300 million transistors across a 628 mm² die. The GPU's boost clock of 1710 MHz and base clock of 1440 MHz enable a peak FP32 throughput of 29.77 TFLOPS, which is more than sufficient for this game's rendering demands.

The benchmark data shows the GPU's percentile ranking at 68 among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 23172. Its nearest rivals, the NVIDIA P106-100 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16, score 23249 and 23250 respectively, with deltas of -0.3%, indicating the 3080 is closely matched with its performance peers. The card's 68 RT cores and 272 tensor cores provide hardware support for ray tracing and DLSS, though the measured data does not specify whether these features were enabled during testing.

The GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises, with the 4K results showing the greatest sensitivity to settings changes. The 10 GB memory capacity is adequate for Lockdown Protocol at all tested configurations, but the steep scaling from 1440p to 4K suggests memory bandwidth is a constraint at higher pixel counts. The card's 320 W TDP and dual-slot design require adequate cooling, but the performance delivered in this game justifies the power requirements. For players seeking to maximize performance, the GPU responds well to reduced settings, with Low at 1080p delivering over double the frame rate of Ultra at 4K.