Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700K pairs a 20-core, 28-thread configuration with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, positioning it as a high-end desktop processor. Its benchmark results reflect this capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44,534 and a single-core score of 6,287, placing it in the 96th percentile among all CPUs. In Lockdown Protocol, the measured frame rates suggest that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions, where the GPU is typically the limiting factor. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 353, a figure that far exceeds what a weaker processor could feed to the RTX 4090. The processor’s 33 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support further contribute to its ability to handle the game’s data streaming without introducing stutter. While the CPU’s raw power is evident in synthetic tests, its influence on the game’s frame rates becomes more apparent at higher resolutions, where the workload shifts to the GPU. The data indicates that the i7-14700K provides ample headroom, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra settings yield an average of 80.3 FPS, a result that suggests the processor is not holding back the graphics card. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-14700K sits within a tight margin: it trails the Intel Core i7-14700KF by a negligible 0% deltaPct, while it leads the AMD EPYC 9115 by 0.3% and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by 0.5% in average benchmark score. This consistency across rivals reinforces that the CPU’s performance is stable and predictable for this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. Its Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process, includes 16,384 shading units and 128 RT cores, with a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The GPU’s benchmark scores are substantial, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223 and a PassMark G3D score of 38,194, placing it in the 91st percentile among all GPUs. In Lockdown Protocol, the RTX 4090’s role is critical, as the game’s frame rates scale directly with GPU load. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 170.1, a figure that drops to 108.3 at 3840x2160 with the same settings, demonstrating the GPU’s sensitivity to resolution. The 24 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game’s Ultra preset at 4K, as the measured 80.3 FPS at that setting shows no signs of memory capacity limiting performance. The GPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the NVIDIA Tesla T4, which trails by 0.4%, and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56, which leads by 0.9%, though these differences are marginal. The RTX 4090’s FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS provides the raw compute needed for the game’s rendering pipeline, though the measured data shows that the GPU’s advantage is most pronounced at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 350 FPS. The card’s 450 W TDP and triple-slot design indicate its high power draw, but the benchmark results confirm it delivers top-tier performance for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K, with the game becoming progressively more GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 174.6 at Ultra to 353 at Low, with a difference of 178.4 FPS between the lowest and highest settings. This wide spread indicates that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU are both capable of delivering extremely high frame rates, and the setting choice has a substantial impact on performance. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to a range of 124.1 at Ultra to 269.4 at Low, representing a 145.3 FPS spread. The reduction in maximum FPS from 353 at 1080p Low to 269.4 at 1440p Low suggests that the GPU is starting to become a limiting factor, as the pixel count increases by approximately 78% from 1080p to 1440p. At 3840x2160, the scaling becomes more pronounced: the average FPS ranges from 80.3 at Ultra to 177.1 at Low, a spread of 96.8 FPS. The drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is from 353 to 177.1 FPS, a 49.8% reduction, which closely aligns with the 4x increase in pixel count, indicating a GPU-bound scenario. Conversely, the drop from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is from 174.6 to 80.3 FPS, a 54% reduction, which is slightly larger due to the increased shading complexity. This data suggests that at 1080p, the system is partially CPU-bound, as the i7-14700K can push frame rates beyond 300 FPS, but at 4K, the RTX 4090 is the clear bottleneck, with the CPU having minimal impact on the final FPS. The transition from High to Medium settings at 4K yields a 15.9 FPS increase (from 108.3 to 124.2), while the transition from Medium to Low yields a 52.9 FPS increase (from 124.2 to 177.1), showing that the Low preset offers the most significant performance headroom when targeting high refresh rates at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS is 174.6 at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which is lower than the 229.1 FPS at High settings and the 264.7 FPS at Medium settings.

Q: How much faster is the 2560x1440 Low preset compared to the 3840x2160 Low preset?

A: The 2560x1440 Low preset achieves an average of 269.4 FPS, while the 3840x2160 Low preset achieves 177.1 FPS, representing a 52.3% performance advantage for the lower resolution.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows the GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160, as the FPS drops from 177.1 at Low to 80.3 at Ultra, a reduction that correlates with the increased graphical workload, while the CPU’s high single-core score of 6,287 in Cinebench R23 suggests it is not the bottleneck.

Q: What is the rank of this CPU-GPU combination among all tested combos in Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combo ranks 20th out of 1,637 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1.2% of all configurations.

Q: How does the RTX 4090’s PassMark G3D score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The RTX 4090 has a PassMark G3D score of 38,194, while its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, has a score of 66,733 in the average benchmark, though the deltaPct between them is only -0.4%, indicating near-identical average performance.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 Low is 269.4, while at Ultra it is 124.1, resulting in a 145.3 FPS difference, which is the largest spread among the three tested resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination achieves a rank of 20 out of 1,637 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 98.8th percentile of all configurations. This ranking indicates that the pairing is among the most powerful available for this game, with only 19 other combos outperforming it. The CPU’s 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU’s 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs contribute to this high placement, though the combo rank is lower than either component’s individual percentile, suggesting that other factors, such as memory configuration or driver optimization, may influence the final score. The nearest rival CPUs, including the Intel Core i7-14700KF with a 0% deltaPct and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X with a -0.5% deltaPct, show that the i7-14700K is competitively matched, but the overall combo rank benefits from the RTX 4090’s strength. The measured FPS data supports the high ranking, as the combo delivers playable frame rates even at the most demanding settings: 80.3 FPS at 4K Ultra is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and 108.3 FPS at 4K High provides a comfortable margin. The rank of 20 out of 1,637 means the combo outperforms 1,617 other configurations, and the data suggests that only combos with newer or more specialized hardware, such as those with higher-bandwidth memory or more optimized drivers, surpass it. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 70,074 and the GPU’s average of 66,473 indicate that both components are high-performing, but the game’s specific workload favors the GPU, as evidenced by the larger FPS swings when adjusting graphics settings versus resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings provides a clear guide for optimizing the gameplay experience. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 174.6 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on high-end monitors, making it the recommended choice for users with 1080p displays. The High preset at 229.1 FPS offers a 31.2% improvement over Ultra, but the visual fidelity loss may not be worth the extra frames unless the display supports 240 Hz or higher. For 2560x1440, the High preset at 170.1 FPS is the best balance, as it exceeds the 144 Hz threshold while maintaining better visuals than Medium at 191.6 FPS. The Ultra preset at 124.1 FPS is still playable but falls below the 144 Hz mark, making High the preferred option for competitive play. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 124.2 FPS provides the smoothest experience above 120 FPS, while High at 108.3 FPS is a solid alternative for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate. The Ultra preset at 80.3 FPS is the most demanding, and while it is playable on a 60 Hz display, it is not recommended for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Low preset at 4K yields 177.1 FPS, but this setting significantly reduces visual quality, making it a niche choice for players who prioritize maximum frame rates above all else. Across all resolutions, the data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance-to-quality ratio, with 264.7 FPS at 1080p, 191.6 FPS at 1440p, and 124.2 FPS at 4K, making it the recommended default for users who want a balanced experience without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.