Lockdown Protocol

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol reveals a dramatic scaling curve as resolution climbs, and the shape of that curve points squarely at the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings drops the average frame rate from 99 FPS to 72 FPS, a 27 FPS reduction. Pushing further to 3840x2160 at High settings yields just 47 FPS, meaning the jump from 1440p to 4K costs another 25 FPS. In percentage terms, the 1080p-to-4K transition at High settings represents a 52.5% performance loss, which is a classic sign of a graphics card operating near its limits.

The scaling pattern at Low settings is even more telling. At 1080p Low, the system produces 159 FPS, which drops to 117 FPS at 1440p and then to 75 FPS at 4K. The fact that Low settings still lose over half the frame rate from 1080p to 4K indicates that even with reduced graphical complexity, the rendering resolution itself is a massive workload for the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT. This is consistent with a GPU whose 8 GB VRAM and 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are being saturated by the increased pixel count.

The delta between settings presets grows larger as resolution increases, which further confirms GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 85 FPS (159 vs 74). At 1440p, that spread narrows to 63 FPS (117 vs 54). At 4K, the spread compresses to 40 FPS (75 vs 35). This compression at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor regardless of settings, whereas at 1080p the CPU has more headroom to let the graphics card flex its muscles. The 4K Ultra result of 35 FPS is below the 45 FPS minimum observed at 4K Medium, suggesting that Ultra settings at 4K are simply too demanding for this combination.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings a 10-core, 10-thread configuration with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz to this pairing. Its benchmark results place it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS, the single-thread performance is particularly relevant. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 and PassMark single-thread score of 4412 indicate strong per-core capability that should prevent CPU bottlenecks in most gaming scenarios.

The data supports this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 159 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU is likely doing its part to feed the GPU. However, the fact that 1080p Low (159 FPS) is substantially higher than 1080p Ultra (74 FPS) suggests that even at lower resolutions, the GPU is still the primary constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rates to cluster closer together across settings at 1080p. Instead, the wide spread indicates the GPU is struggling with higher graphical loads.

Comparing the Core Ultra 5 225 to its nearest rivals, it sits essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (-0.2% delta). It trails the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i9-12900T by 0.5%. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning the CPU is not a differentiating factor in this benchmark configuration. The 20 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provide adequate data throughput for the game's demands.

Lockdown Protocol appears to be more demanding on the graphics subsystem than on the processor. The measured frame rates show that the Core Ultra 5 225 can push the RX 6600 XT to 159 FPS at 1080p Low, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate many gamers target. Even at 1440p Low, the 117 FPS result indicates the CPU is capable of maintaining high frame rates when the GPU load is moderate. Only at 4K does the combination fall below 60 FPS across all settings, with the best 4K result being 75 FPS at Low.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset delivers the optimal balance of visual quality and performance for this hardware combination. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the strongest overall experience, with an average of 113 FPS and a minimum of 96 FPS. The maximum of 130 FPS shows there is headroom for smoother moments, but the minimum staying above 90 FPS ensures consistent gameplay without noticeable stutter. High settings at 1080p still deliver a respectable 99 FPS, but the drop to 74 FPS at Ultra is significant enough to recommend against Ultra for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. Medium settings produce 83 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum and 95 FPS maximum. This is playable for most users, but High settings at 72 FPS are nearly as good and offer better visual fidelity. The 1440p High result of 72 FPS is only 11 FPS below the Medium preset, making High the better choice for users with 1440p monitors who prioritize image quality. Ultra at 1440p drops to 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold most players consider the floor for smooth gameplay.

For 3840x2160, the data paints a challenging picture. The only setting that achieves a playable frame rate is Low, with 75 FPS average. Medium drops to 53 FPS, High to 47 FPS, and Ultra to 35 FPS. Given that the minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 45, even that preset risks dipping into uncomfortable territory during intense scenes. Users with 4K displays should either accept Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p, where Medium at 83 FPS provides a much better experience.

The overall recommendation is to use Medium settings at 1080p for the best combination of fluidity and visual quality, or High settings at 1440p if the display resolution demands it. At 4K, Low settings are the only viable option for maintaining acceptable frame rates. The minimum FPS data at Medium settings across all resolutions (96 at 1080p, 70 at 1440p, 45 at 4K) shows that this preset provides the most stable experience relative to its average.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combination in Lockdown Protocol?

A: 1920x1080 at Medium settings provides the best experience, with an average of 113 FPS and a minimum of 96 FPS. This combination keeps frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining reasonable visual quality.

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

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 75 FPS. Medium settings drop to 53 FPS, High to 47 FPS, and Ultra to 35 FPS. The 4K Medium minimum of 45 FPS indicates performance can dip during demanding scenes, making 4K playable only with reduced settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0% delta) and trails the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D by only 0.2%. It also lags the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i9-12900T by 0.5%, all negligible differences.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: Yes. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent drop of over 50% across all settings, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's strong single-thread performance allows high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU cannot maintain them as resolution increases.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Low settings average 117 FPS while Ultra averages 54 FPS, a difference of 63 FPS. This wide gap demonstrates that the GPU is heavily impacted by graphical settings, with Ultra nearly halving the performance of Low.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT's benchmark performance compare to its rivals?

A: The RX 6600 XT scores an average of 24442 in benchmarks, placing it in the 70th percentile among GPUs. It is 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 and 0.8% ahead of the GTX 780 Ti, while trailing the Intel Arc A350M by 0.8% and the RTX 2080 SUPER by 1.1%.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is clearly the dominant factor in this system's Lockdown Protocol performance. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus delivering 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, the GPU has enough memory capacity for most games at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest the bandwidth is stretched thin. The boost clock of 2589 MHz and game clock of 2359 MHz provide solid raw compute, with 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs handling the rasterization workload.

The GPU's benchmark profile shows it sits in the 70th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24442. Its nearest rivals are clustered tightly: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 is 0.7% slower, the Intel Arc A350M is 0.8% faster, the GTX 780 Ti is 0.8% slower, and the RTX 2080 SUPER is 1.1% faster. These small deltas indicate that the RX 6600 XT performs in a narrow band relative to its peers, and the measured FPS data confirms it is not a high-end part.

The 4K performance degradation is the clearest evidence of GPU limitations. At 3840x2160, even Low settings only produce 75 FPS, and the frame rate falls to 35 FPS at Ultra. The minimum FPS of 45 at 4K Medium shows that the GPU cannot sustain smooth performance at this resolution. In contrast, at 1080p, the GPU delivers 159 FPS at Low and 74 FPS at Ultra, demonstrating that it has ample power for lower resolutions but runs out of headroom as pixel count increases.

The GPU's DirectX 12 benchmark score of 61 and PassMark G3D score of 16461 provide additional context for its gaming capability. The Vulkan score of 72417 and OpenCL score of 80503 suggest the card is well-suited to modern graphics APIs, which Lockdown Protocol likely utilizes. The 10.60 TFLOPS FP32 compute performance is modest by current standards, which aligns with the observed frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 159 FPS, which is the highest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium settings follow at 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and maximum of 130 FPS, providing a very stable experience. High settings average 99 FPS, while Ultra drops to 74 FPS. The 85 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p demonstrates the GPU's sensitivity to graphical settings even at this resolution.

The 2560x1440 results show a clear step down from 1080p. Low settings average 117 FPS, which remains highly playable. Medium settings produce 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS and maximum of 95 FPS. High settings average 72 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 63 FPS, narrower than at 1080p but still significant. The 70 FPS minimum at Medium ensures that even demanding scenes stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes marginal for smooth gameplay. Low settings achieve 75 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 60 FPS. Medium settings drop to 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS. High settings average 47 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 35 FPS. The 40 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is the smallest of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor regardless of settings.

The complete measured FPS table is as follows: at 1080p, Low 159 FPS, Medium 113 FPS (min 96, max 130), High 99 FPS, Ultra 74 FPS. At 1440p, Low 117 FPS, Medium 83 FPS (min 70, max 95), High 72 FPS, Ultra 54 FPS. At 4K, Low 75 FPS, Medium 53 FPS (min 45, max 61), High 47 FPS, Ultra 35 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the RX 6600 XT is capable of high frame rates at 1080p and moderate rates at 1440p, but 4K gaming requires significant settings reductions. The combination ranks 2630 out of 3714 tested configurations for this game, placing it in the lower third of all hardware pairings. This ranking, combined with the measured results, suggests that users should target 1080p or 1440p for the best experience with this setup.