Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT presents a classic high-CPU, mid-range-GPU configuration for Lockdown Protocol. The CPU is a 20-core, 28-thread Raptor Lake Refresh part with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It carries a 33 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For this game, the CPU's high single-core boost clock is critical, as the benchmark data shows that frame rates scale significantly with graphics settings, indicating that the GPU is often the limiting factor rather than the processor's substantial 20-core count. The processor’s benchmark scores—such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and a single-core score of 6235—suggest it has ample headroom to feed the GPU in most scenarios, but the measured FPS indicate that the RX 6600 XT’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 2048 shading units are the primary drivers of performance variation across resolutions and presets.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Core i7-14700KF’s architecture is designed for high throughput, and its 20 cores (likely a mix of performance and efficiency cores) provide a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167. However, Lockdown Protocol, being a fast-paced FPS, does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded based on the data. The benchmark results show that the frame rate is highly sensitive to GPU load: at 1080p Low, the system produces 159 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 35 FPS. This pattern suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as a weaker CPU would show less variation between high and low settings. The processor’s 5.60 GHz boost clock is likely sufficient to handle the game's logic and draw calls at 1080p, where the GPU is less taxed, allowing the RX 6600 XT to reach its potential. The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score of 4480 further supports its capability to drive high frame rates in less demanding settings.

The data reveals that the CPU's role becomes more passive as resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count, and the CPU's 20 threads are underutilized. The processor's high memory bandwidth (dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 support) helps feed the GPU, but the RX 6600 XT's 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is the limiting factor for texture streaming at high resolutions. In essence, the i7-14700KF provides a stable foundation, but the measured FPS are a direct reflection of the GPU's capabilities. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs (avg benchmark score 70163) versus the GPU's 70th percentile (avg benchmark score 24442) confirms this imbalance; the processor is far more powerful than the graphics card, meaning that in Lockdown Protocol, the GPU dictates the playable settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks 2630 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower third of all configurations, reflecting the GPU's mid-range positioning rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The rank is a relative score, meaning that while the CPU is top-tier (94th percentile), the overall combo is dragged down by the GPU's 70th percentile standing. In practice, this means that many other tested combos with stronger graphics cards will outperform this setup, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the bottleneck. The combo's rank suggests that it is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where the CPU can help push frame rates higher, but it will struggle to maintain competitive performance at 4K.

The nearest rivals for the CPU include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.2% faster), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.4% faster), and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.9% faster), while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% slower. These deltas are negligible, indicating that the i7-14700KF is well-matched against its peers. For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (0.7% faster), Intel Arc A350M (0.8% slower), GTX 780 Ti (0.8% faster), and RTX 2080 SUPER (1.1% faster). This shows that the RX 6600 XT is positioned in a tight performance band, but it is notably behind modern high-end cards, which explains the combo's low rank. The data indicates that if a user were to upgrade the GPU, the combo rank would improve dramatically, as the CPU has significant headroom.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, average frame rates drop significantly across all settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 159 FPS, which drops to 117 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 75 FPS at 4K Low. This represents a 53% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. For Medium settings, the drop is from 113 FPS at 1080p to 83 FPS at 1440p (a 27% decrease) and then to 53 FPS at 4K (a 53% decrease from 1080p). High settings show a similar pattern: 99 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The most demanding preset, Ultra, starts at 74 FPS at 1080p, falls to 54 FPS at 1440p, and bottoms out at 35 FPS at 4K.

These scaling patterns reveal that the RX 6600 XT is the limiting component. The frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, with only minor dips at 4K. Instead, the data shows a steep decline, particularly from 1440p to 4K, where the GPU's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are strained. For example, at 4K Ultra, the system only manages 35 FPS, which is unplayable for a fast-paced FPS. The CPU's high benchmark scores (e.g., Geekbench multi-core 21462) suggest it could handle more frames if the GPU were faster, but the RX 6600 XT simply cannot keep up with the pixel throughput required at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The dataset provides specific average FPS for each resolution and settings combination, with some entries also including min and max FPS for Medium settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 159 FPS on Low, 113 FPS on Medium, 99 FPS on High, and 74 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a min FPS of 96 and a max of 130, indicating some frame pacing variance but generally smooth gameplay. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 117 on Low, 83 on Medium, 72 on High, and 54 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 1440p records a min of 70 and a max of 95, showing a tighter range than at 1080p, likely due to the GPU being more consistently loaded. At 3840x2160, the averages fall to 75 on Low, 53 on Medium, 47 on High, and 35 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K shows a min of 45 and a max of 61, which is a wider spread, suggesting that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame times.

These numbers illustrate that the RX 6600 XT is capable of delivering high refresh rate experiences at 1080p with lower settings, but it falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 1440p High and above, and at 4K, only the Low preset manages to exceed 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not viable for competitive play, as even at 1080p it only reaches 74 FPS. The min FPS data for Medium settings is particularly telling: at 1080p, the min is 96 FPS, which is good, but at 4K, the min drops to 45 FPS, which would cause noticeable stuttering in a fast-paced game. Overall, the data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with High settings or 1440p with Medium settings, where the average FPS remain above 70.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution, as it is the only resolution where the system consistently exceeds 99 FPS on High settings and reaches 159 FPS on Low. At 2560x1440, the High preset only achieves 72 FPS, which is below the ideal for a competitive FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is possible but not optimal. The Low preset at 4K achieves 75 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset drops to 53 FPS, and the High preset falls to 47 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is unplayable at 35 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF holding back the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT?

A: No, the data indicates the opposite. The CPU is ranked in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 70th percentile. The frame rate scaling across resolutions shows that the GPU is the limiting factor, as performance drops significantly when resolution increases.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442. It is 0.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630, 0.8% slower than the GTX 780 Ti, and 1.1% slower than the RTX 2080 SUPER. It is 0.8% faster than the Intel Arc A350M.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU and GPU?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF has a launch MSRP of $384. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT has a launch MSRP of 379 USD.

Q: Which settings preset offers the highest FPS at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average FPS at 159. The Medium preset is the next best at 113 FPS, followed by High at 99 FPS and Ultra at 74 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the user's refresh rate and resolution preference. For 1080p displays, the High preset is the best choice for a balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 99 FPS on average. This is high enough to take advantage of a 100Hz or 144Hz monitor, and it provides better visuals than the Low preset. If a user has a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the Medium preset at 113 FPS is a better option, as it provides a smoother experience with a min FPS of 96. The Low preset at 159 FPS is recommended for competitive play where frame rate is paramount over visuals, but the graphical fidelity will be noticeably reduced.

For 1440p users, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, yielding 83 FPS on average with a min of 70 FPS. This is playable and provides a good visual upgrade over 1080p. The High preset at 72 FPS is also viable, but the lower min FPS (not recorded) suggests that Medium is more stable. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS is not recommended for a FPS, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, only the Low preset is recommended, as it achieves 75 FPS and is the only 4K setting that stays above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 53 FPS is borderline, but the min FPS of 45 indicates potential stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 47 and 35 FPS respectively are not suitable for gameplay. In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is 1080p High for visual fidelity, 1080p Medium for high refresh rates, and 1440p Medium for a resolution upgrade, while 4K should be reserved for Low settings only.