Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a playable, if not consistently fluid, experience in Lockdown Protocol. The data shows a configuration that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s substantial core and clock resources ensure that even the lowest preset at 1080p does not become CPU-bound. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, scaling behavior, and component roles to determine what this specific combo can achieve.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable, yet steep, drop in performance as resolution increases, confirming that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 109 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings reduces the average to 80 FPS, a decline of roughly 27%. The jump to 4K at High settings further slashes the average to 51 FPS, representing a 36% drop from the 1440p figure and a 53% drop from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the rendering resolution directly taxes the graphics card's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The scaling under Low settings is even more pronounced, highlighting the GPU's limits when the CPU has less work to do. At 1080p Low, the pair achieves 175 FPS, which drops to 129 FPS at 1440p Low. The most significant fall occurs when moving to 4K Low, where the average plummets to 83 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K Low is approximately 53%, identical to the High preset's drop, suggesting that the RTX 2070 SUPER's performance ceiling is consistently hit regardless of the graphics workload. The fact that Low settings at 4K still yields a higher frame rate (83 FPS) than Ultra settings at 1080p (82 FPS) is telling; it indicates that while resolution is a major factor, the graphics preset's complexity also plays a crucial role in dictating the final output.

The data indicates that the i9-14900K has ample headroom to feed the GPU at all resolutions. The consistent frame-time behavior, with no min FPS data points available for many settings, suggests that the CPU is not introducing stutter or bottlenecking the pipeline in a way that would cause frame drops below the average. The limiting component is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the linear relationship between pixel count and average FPS. For a user targeting high refresh rates, 1080p is the only resolution where this combo can consistently exceed the 144Hz mark, and only on lower presets. The 4K Ultra result of 39 FPS is a clear indicator that this resolution is not viable for competitive play, falling below the threshold for smooth motion.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the data suggests that the CPU's role is to provide a stable and high-frequency foundation, which it does admirably. The benchmark results show that the processor is never the bottleneck in this configuration, as evidenced by the substantial FPS gains when lowering the graphics preset. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 175 FPS, a figure that would be unattainable if the CPU were maxed out at lower settings.

The processor's strength is reflected in its synthetic benchmark scores, which place it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and single-core score of 2262.5 demonstrate a balanced capability for both heavily-threaded tasks and the lighter, latency-sensitive workloads typical of game logic and physics. The PassMark single-thread score of 4697 further supports this, indicating strong per-core performance. When comparing to its nearest rivals, the i9-14900K is statistically tied with the Intel Core i9-14900KF, showing a delta of only -0.3%, and is 1.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. This indicates that within this performance tier, the CPU is not a differentiating factor for this game.

The high core count and 36 MB of shared L3 cache are more than sufficient for Lockdown Protocol's requirements. The data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU would theoretically have the most influence, the system is able to push frame rates high enough to indicate that the GPU is still the primary constraint. The lack of min FPS data for the Low and High presets suggests that the frame delivery is consistent, with no sudden drops that would point to CPU-related hitches. The i9-14900K's job here is to stay out of the way, and the benchmark results confirm it executes this role effectively, providing a robust platform for the RTX 2070 SUPER to operate at its full potential. In this specific pairing, the CPU's capabilities are effectively in reserve, offering headroom for future GPU upgrades without needing a processor replacement.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Lockdown Protocol at 4K smoothly?*

A: The data suggests no. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 39, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K High, the average is 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS action. The GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming with this setup?

A: Based on the measured results, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo can achieve very high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average is 175 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it is 125 FPS. This makes 1080p the target for competitive play.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, has an average score of 20480, which is 1% higher. The Intel Arc B570 has an average score of 20556, which is 1.3% higher, and the Intel Arc A750 has an average score of 20582, which is 1.5% higher. These are all very close in overall performance.

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

A: No. The data shows that FPS scales significantly with resolution and settings, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck. The i9-14900K is in the 95th percentile of all CPUs and provides ample headroom. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 175 FPS, demonstrating that the CPU can handle high frame rates.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 80 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields an average of 60 FPS. This represents a 25% performance penalty for choosing Ultra over High. The visual fidelity increase may not justify the loss of 20 FPS.

Q: What is the performance rank of this specific CPU and GPU combination?

A: The combo ranks 2165 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU being a previous-generation model.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER pairing is ranked 2165 out of 3714 combos. This places the system in the 42nd percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it sits below the median performance level. This ranking is a direct consequence of the RTX 2070 SUPER's age and performance tier; the CPU is a top-tier component, but the GPU holds the overall system back.

The high CPU ranking, in the 95th percentile, contrasts sharply with the GPU's ranking in the 65th percentile. This imbalance is the core reason for the mid-pack combo ranking. The data suggests that this system is a prime candidate for a GPU upgrade to unlock the CPU's full potential. If the GPU were replaced with a more powerful model, the combo rank would likely improve significantly, as the i9-14900K has substantial headroom to support a faster graphics card. The current ranking serves as a quantitative measure of the system's overall capability in this specific title, confirming that while the CPU is a top performer, the complete system is only average due to the graphics solution. The performance delta between this CPU and its nearest rivals is less than 2%, meaning that the choice of CPU is not the differentiating factor in this combo's rank; the GPU is.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS, and where available, the min and max FPS, for each tested configuration.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 3840x2160 | High | 51 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 83 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 59 | 50 | 68 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 39 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 80 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 129 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 91 | 78 | 105 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 60 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 109 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 175 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 125 | 106 | 143 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 82 | - | - |

The data reveals a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, the system is capable of high performance, with the Low preset providing 175 FPS. The Medium preset offers 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience. At 1440p, the performance drops to a playable range, with Low and Medium presets yielding 129 and 91 FPS respectively. The 4K results are significantly lower, with only the Low preset exceeding 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding, resulting in an average of just 39 FPS. The Medium preset at each resolution provides the only available min/max data, showing a spread of around 35-37 FPS between the lowest and highest frames, which indicates some frame pacing variance under this specific load.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. For players using a 1080p display, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 125 FPS, which is well within the range for high refresh rate monitors, and the minimum of 106 FPS ensures that the action remains smooth even in busy scenes. The High preset is also viable at 109 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a significant 15% performance boost with only a minor visual compromise. The Ultra preset at 82 FPS is playable but sacrifices the headroom needed for competitive play.

At 1440p, the data suggests that the High preset is the best choice. It provides an average of 80 FPS, which is smooth for most players. The Low preset offers a much higher 129 FPS, but the visual downgrade is often significant. The Ultra preset drops to 60 FPS, which is the minimum threshold for smooth gameplay, but it leaves no margin for error and may not be worth the visual fidelity gain over High. The Medium preset at 91 FPS is a middle ground that could be preferred if the visual difference between High and Medium is noticeable on the specific monitor.

For 4K gaming, this combo is not recommended for high refresh rates. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a playable average of 83 FPS. The Medium preset at 59 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets at 51 and 39 FPS respectively are too slow for an FPS title. The data indicates that users should either stick to 1080p or 1440p for this game, or significantly lower the graphics settings if they are using a 4K display. The recommended path is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, as the game's performance is far more consistent at lower presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the decisive component in this configuration, and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth is the defining characteristic for Lockdown Protocol's performance at high resolutions. The GPU's 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, running at a boost clock of 1770 MHz, provide a raw compute capability of 9.062 TFLOPS. The data shows that this level of performance is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, where the average FPS drops below 60 on all presets except Low. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is likely a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, potentially causing texture swapping that contributes to the low 39 FPS average.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores place it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and the Intel Arc B570, are all within 1.5% of its score, indicating that it performs on par with these mid-range options. In the context of this game, the GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS scaling from Low to Ultra settings is significant; for example, at 1440p, the difference between Low (129 FPS) and Ultra (60 FPS) is over 100%. This demonstrates that the graphics card's compute and memory resources are heavily taxed by the higher presets.

The GPU's age is evident in these results. While it can handle 1080p gaming with ease, reaching 175 FPS on Low, it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher settings. The data implies that for a game like Lockdown Protocol, the RTX 2070 SUPER is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it can provide a good balance of visual quality and performance. Its end-of-life production status and the fact that it is a predecessor to the GeForce 30 series further contextualize its performance level. The 12 nm process node and 215 W TDP are characteristics of a previous generation, and the benchmark results in this title confirm that it is now a mid-range performer, unable to fully leverage the power of its newer CPU companion.