Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Lockdown Protocol. The data shows this combination ranks 1209th out of 1637 tested combos, placing it in the lower-mid tier of the benchmark database. The CPU is a clear overachiever relative to the GPU, and the measured FPS numbers across resolutions and settings confirm that the graphics card is the primary constraint in most scenarios.

CPU Role

The Core i7-14700KF brings substantial processing muscle to this pairing. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it is a high-end desktop part built on the Raptor Lake architecture using Intel’s 10 nm process. The base clock of 3.40 GHz can boost up to 5.60 GHz, and the chip carries a 33 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier mark it as a performance-focused part, and its benchmark scores reinforce that positioning. In Cinebench R23, the chip scores 44557 multi-core and 6290 single-core; in Cinebench R20, it scores 18713 multi-core and 2641 single-core. Geekbench results show 19287 multi-core and 2972 single-core, and PassMark multithread score sits at 52425.

The CPU’s percentile ranking is 96, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 70104 places it within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (70420) and essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-14700K (70074). It is also 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9115 (69887) and 1.3% ahead of the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 (71056, though that delta is negative, indicating the Xeon is faster). For Lockdown Protocol, this CPU horsepower is more than sufficient; even at 1080p Low settings, where the game is least demanding on the GPU, the measured FPS reaches 157.7, which suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at any of the tested settings. The single-core performance, highlighted by the 633 Cinebench R15 single-core score, ensures that the game’s primary thread is well-fed, allowing the GPU to be the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the weaker link in this combination. Built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process, the GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost of 1650 MHz, and it houses 2176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, and its FP32 performance is 7.181 TFLOPS. The GPU’s percentile ranking is 63, which is modest compared to the CPU’s 96. Its average benchmark score of 19774 is within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (19680) and 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706), indicating that it performs nearly identically to those cards in synthetic tests.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and bandwidth are the key factors. At 4K Ultra, the measured FPS drops to 36.2, which is below the playable threshold for most users. At 1080p Low, the card can push 157.7 FPS, but this is likely CPU-limited given the high frame rate. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 16462 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 reflect its mid-range standing. The VRAM capacity is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the data suggests the card’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are stretched thin, resulting in the significant FPS drops observed.

FAQ

Q: How well does this CPU-GPU combo perform in Lockdown Protocol relative to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 1209th out of 1637 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier. The CPU is in the top 4% of all CPUs (96th percentile), while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile, indicating a significant mismatch in capability.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this setup?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield the highest average FPS at 157.7, while Medium produces 111.5, High produces 96.8, and Ultra produces 76.5. For a competitive edge, Low is optimal; for visual quality, Ultra remains playable.

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

A: At 3840x2160, High settings deliver 48.2 FPS, Medium delivers 53 FPS, Low delivers 77.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 36.2 FPS. Only Low settings approach smooth gameplay at 4K; higher presets are borderline or unplayable.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 19774 is within 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706), within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (19680), and within 0.8% of the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (19623). It is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (19519).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings hit 119 FPS, Medium hits 83.3, High hits 70.4, and Ultra hits 52.3. The CPU’s high single-core score (6290 in Cinebench R23) suggests it is not limiting; the GPU’s performance drop from 1080p to 1440p indicates it is the bottleneck.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF had a launch MSRP of $384.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data covers 12 distinct scenarios across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 76.5 at Ultra to 157.7 at Low, with Medium at 111.5 and High at 96.8. The spread of 81.2 FPS between Low and Ultra shows that settings have a strong impact at this resolution. At 2560x1440, the range tightens: Low delivers 119 FPS, Medium 83.3, High 70.4, and Ultra 52.3. The difference between Low and Ultra is 66.7 FPS, indicating that the GPU is starting to struggle with higher presets. At 3840x2160, the numbers drop further: Low hits 77.4, Medium 53, High 48.2, and Ultra 36.2. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 41.2 FPS, which is smaller in absolute terms but represents a larger proportional loss.

The data reveals that at 1080p, even Ultra settings remain playable above 60 FPS (76.5), making this resolution the sweet spot for this combo. At 1440p, Low and Medium are playable (119 and 83.3 FPS), but High and Ultra dip below 60 FPS (70.4 and 52.3). At 4K, only Low settings exceed 60 FPS (77.4), and Ultra is firmly in slideshow territory at 36.2 FPS. The intermediate presets at 4K—Medium at 53 and High at 48.2—are borderline, suggesting that players should either drop to Low or reduce resolution for smoother gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 157.7 at 1080p to 119 at 1440p (a 24.5% reduction) and then to 77.4 at 4K (a 35% reduction from 1440p). At Ultra settings, the decline is similar: 76.5 at 1080p drops to 52.3 at 1440p (a 31.6% reduction) and then to 36.2 at 4K (a 30.8% reduction). The percentage drops are relatively uniform across presets, which indicates that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s ability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p Low (157.7 FPS) shows that it can feed the GPU effectively. However, as resolution increases, the GPU’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth become the constraint. The RTX 2060 SUPER’s 448.0 GB/s bandwidth and 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 performance are simply not enough for 4K Ultra in this game, where the average FPS falls to 36.2. The data suggests that the i7-14700KF has significant headroom even at 4K, as the performance scaling tracks closely with resolution increases, a classic sign of GPU limitation. For players targeting 4K, the only viable option is Low settings at 77.4 FPS, but even that is a compromise. The 1440p resolution offers the best balance, with Medium and High presets providing playable frame rates above 60 FPS.