Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti combination. The measured FPS data indicates a configuration that is severely constrained by the graphics card, with the CPU's capabilities largely untapped at higher resolutions. The benchmark results show a system that can achieve playable frame rates only at the lowest settings and resolution, while higher visual fidelity quickly pushes performance into single-digit and low-teen territory.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior is the most telling aspect of this benchmark. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 at High settings produces a steep and consistent decline in average FPS: 38, 28, and 18 respectively. This represents a 26.3% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 35.7% drop from 1440p to 4K. The near-linear scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario; the rendering workload is increasing with pixel count, and the GTX 1050 Ti is the bottleneck.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average frame rates are 61 at 1080p, 45 at 1440p, and 29 at 4K. This translates to a 26.2% reduction at 1440p and a 35.6% reduction at 4K. The fact that the percentage drops are nearly identical across settings presets strongly suggests that the limiting factor is the raw pixel throughput of the GPU, not the complexity of the shaders or the CPU's ability to feed the renderer. The data shows a system where the GPU is saturated at all resolutions, and reducing settings does not change the fundamental scaling trend.

The 4K results are particularly illustrative. With a paltry 18 FPS on High and only 29 FPS on Low, the GTX 1050 Ti is simply overwhelmed by the 8.3 million pixels. The gap between Low and High at 4K is 11 FPS, which is a larger absolute difference than at other resolutions, but the frame rates are so low that neither is playable. This indicates that while the GPU is the primary limiter, its memory bandwidth and compute resources are exhausted, and even minimal settings cannot bring the workload into a playable range.

The data points to a component that is not just the limiting factor, but the sole limiting factor. The CPU, a 10-core Arrow Lake part, is unlikely to be challenged by this GPU, as the frame rates never approach a level where CPU overhead would be significant. The benchmark results indicate that the GTX 1050 Ti is the definitive bottleneck at all tested settings and resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combination?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 61, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 29 on Low settings, which is below playable thresholds. Ultra settings at 4K produce only 14 FPS on average.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has a virtually identical score of 36945, representing a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is 0.2% slower, and the Intel Core i9-12900T is 0.5% slower.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield 61 FPS on average, while Medium settings yield 44 FPS. This is a 17 FPS (27.9%) reduction in performance for the visual upgrade.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is in the 25th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is in the bottom quarter of performance. Its average benchmark score is 4193.

Q: What is the typical frame time variance at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the minimum and maximum FPS are only recorded for the tested resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 37 to 50 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 27 to 37 FPS. At 4K, the range is 18 to 24 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.90 GHz. While this CPU is clearly a modern, capable part, its role in this benchmark is largely passive, as the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU's performance metrics, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, are irrelevant to the final FPS figures because the GTX 1050 Ti cannot generate frames fast enough to burden the CPU.

The data supports this analysis. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 61. This is a modest frame rate that would not stress the CPU's single-threaded performance, which is a key factor in game physics and draw call processing. The Ultra 5 225's PassMark single-thread score of 4412 is robust, but it is not being fully utilized. The benchmark results indicate a system where the CPU is likely idle for significant periods, waiting for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks.

The only scenario where the CPU's role could be more significant is if the GPU were faster. However, given the measured data, the CPU's 10 cores and high boost clock are not the limiting factor. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than sufficient for the data throughput generated by a game at these low frame rates. In this configuration, the Core Ultra 5 225 is a high-performance component that is being severely underutilized by its graphics counterpart.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti ranks 2797 out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the bottom 1.1% of all configurations, which is a stark indication of its low performance ceiling. This ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which is in the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's low percentile creates a massively unbalanced system. The combo rank is dragged down by the GTX 1050 Ti, which is an end-of-life product from 2016. The data shows that this pairing is not just low-performing; it is among the absolute worst-performing combinations in the database for this game. The rank suggests that almost any other GPU paired with this CPU would yield a significantly better result.

The ranking of 2797 out of 2828 is a critical data point. It tells a user that they are at the very bottom of the performance spectrum, with only 31 other tested combos performing worse. This is not a case of a slightly underpowered system; it is a case of a severe hardware mismatch. The CPU is a modern, high-end part, but it is yoked to a GPU that was entry-level nearly a decade ago, resulting in a combination that is effectively unusable for this title at acceptable settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only playable configuration is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields an average of 61 FPS. This is the only tested setting that achieves a frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold. While Low settings will reduce visual fidelity, it is the sole option for a smooth experience. The next best option is 1080p Medium, which produces 44 FPS on average, but this is a compromise that may be acceptable to some, though it is below the 60 FPS target.

At 1440p, the results are marginal. Low settings yield 45 FPS on average, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings at 1440p drop to 32 FPS, which is likely too choppy for a fast-paced FPS. High and Ultra settings at 1440p are not recommended, as they fall to 28 and 21 FPS respectively. 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as all settings presets result in average frame rates below 30 FPS, with Ultra at a slideshow-like 14 FPS.

The data suggests that users should play at 1080p with Low settings for the best experience. The jump to Medium at 1080p costs 17 FPS, which is a 27.9% performance penalty. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, a stable high frame rate is likely more critical than visual enhancements. The benchmark results indicate that the GTX 1050 Ti is only capable of providing a consistent 60 FPS experience at the lowest settings and resolution; any deviation from this will result in a noticeable drop in smoothness.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full dataset provides a clear picture of the performance envelope. At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are 18 for High, 29 for Low, 21 for Medium, and 14 for Ultra. The Medium setting at this resolution has a recorded minimum of 18 and a maximum of 24 FPS. These are all unplayable frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 28 for High, 45 for Low, 32 for Medium, and 21 for Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37 FPS. The Low setting is the only one that approaches a playable level, but it is still below 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the results are more varied. The average FPS values are 38 for High, 61 for Low, 44 for Medium, and 29 for Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50 FPS. The Low setting is the only one to break the 60 FPS barrier. The progression from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a clear and consistent degradation in performance, with a 32 FPS difference between the lowest and highest presets.

The data shows a clear pattern: for every resolution, the Low preset is the fastest, followed by High, then Medium, and finally Ultra. This ordering is unusual, as one might expect High to be slower than Medium, but the specific settings in the High preset may be less demanding in certain aspects. Regardless, the performance hierarchy is consistent across all resolutions, with Low always being the fastest and Ultra always being the slowest. The variance between the minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings is also relatively tight, suggesting a stable frame pacing despite the low average.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the definitive performance bottleneck in this system. It is a Pascal-architecture GPU with 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It has a base clock of 1291 MHz and a boost clock of 1392 MHz. Crucially, it has only 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 112.1 GB/s. This limited memory capacity and bandwidth are likely the primary constraints in a modern game like Lockdown Protocol.

The GPU's benchmark scores are low, with a PassMark G3D score of 6340 and a DirectX 12 score of 26. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is a mere 305. These figures place it in the 25th percentile of all GPUs. The data shows that the GPU is not just old, but also was low-end when it was released in 2016. Its 2.138 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is insufficient for the demands of a 2024 FPS title at higher settings.

The GPU's role in this benchmark is to limit the entire system. At 1080p Low, it manages to produce 61 FPS, which shows it can handle a minimal workload. However, as the settings and resolution increase, it quickly runs out of compute and memory bandwidth. The 4 GB VRAM is likely a significant issue at Higher settings, potentially causing texture swapping and stuttering. The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the sole reason for the system's poor ranking, and its age and specifications make it unsuitable for anything beyond the lowest graphical settings.