Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol scales almost exactly the way the hardware mix suggests it should: heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU headroom becoming visible only when the preset drops. At 1080p Low, this Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT combo delivers 165 FPS average. Crank the resolution to 4K on the same Low preset, and the average falls to 78 FPS. That is a 53% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, which points squarely at the Radeon RX 6650 XT as the primary limiter once pixel count rises. The 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory bus are working hard at 3840x2160, and the data reflects it.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. Going from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 on High drops the average from 75 FPS to 49 FPS, a 35% loss. On Medium, the same resolution jump costs 30 FPS (86 to 56). At Ultra, the 1440p average of 56 FPS tumbles to 36 FPS at 4K. The interesting part is the Low preset: 121 FPS at 1440p drops to 78 FPS at 4K, which is a 36% hit—similar to the other presets. This tells you that even at Low, the GPU is still the bottleneck at 4K; the CPU is not saving you there. Conversely, at 1080p, the gap between Low (165 FPS) and Ultra (77 FPS) is 88 FPS, showing that the GPU is also the limiting factor at lower resolutions once you raise the quality. This combo is a 1080p/1440p performer, and 4K is only viable on the Low preset if you accept a sub-80 FPS average.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the sweet spot, with every preset delivering playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 165 FPS, High averages 103 FPS, and even Ultra holds 77 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low (121 FPS) and High (75 FPS) clear the 60 FPS line comfortably; Medium sits at 86 FPS. 4K is not recommended for consistent performance, as only the Low preset (78 FPS) breaks 60 FPS.

Q: How large is the performance gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 165 FPS, while Ultra averages 77 FPS. That is a 88 FPS difference, or roughly 53% lower performance at Ultra. High (103 FPS) and Medium (117 FPS) sit between those extremes, so the scaling is fairly linear across the four presets.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: Based on the measured FPS, the CPU does not appear to be the limiting factor in most scenarios. The largest gap between 1080p and 1440p on the same preset is 42 FPS (Low: 165 to 121), which is consistent with GPU load increasing. If the CPU were the bottleneck, you would see smaller FPS drops when raising resolution. The only possible exception is 1080p Low, where 165 FPS may be approaching the CPU's practical limit, but the data does not confirm a hard cap.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like on Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded min and max FPS values. At 1080p, the average is 117 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 135 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 86 FPS with a 73 FPS minimum and 99 FPS maximum. At 4K, the average is 56 FPS with a 47 FPS minimum and 64 FPS maximum. The spread between min and max is roughly 30% of the average at each resolution, indicating some frame pacing variance but no severe stutters.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High averages 75 FPS while Ultra averages 56 FPS. That is a 19 FPS drop, or about 25% lower performance, for the visual upgrade. Given that 56 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold many players target, High is the more practical choice at this resolution. The same pattern holds at 4K, where High (49 FPS) beats Ultra (36 FPS) by 13 FPS.

Q: Is this combo ranked well for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 1864 out of 2828 tested combinations, placing it in the 34th percentile of all tested systems for this game. That puts it in the lower-middle tier overall, but the ranking reflects all possible hardware pairings, many of which use far more powerful GPUs. For a mainstream mid-range setup, the measured FPS numbers are respectable, particularly at 1080p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 brings 14 cores and 14 threads to the table, running at a 3.40 GHz base clock and 5.00 GHz boost clock. That is a solid foundation for a modern FPS, though Lockdown Protocol's frame rates here suggest the game leans more on the GPU than the CPU. The CPU's passmark single-thread score is 4516, and its multithread score is 37816. These numbers place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, so it is not holding this combo back in any meaningful way.

The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals confirms it is a strong partner for the RX 6650 XT. Its average benchmark score of 46062 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, 0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, 0.1% lower). The AMD EPYC 4364P (45970, 0.2% higher) and EPYC 7303 (45960, 0.2% higher) are also within a rounding error. This means the Core Ultra 5 235 is delivering compute performance on par with those chips, which are typically found in systems with much faster GPUs. For Lockdown Protocol, this CPU is unlikely to be the reason for any frame rate shortfall.

The data supports this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 165 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that CPU overhead becomes relevant. If the CPU were weak, you would expect to see the FPS plateau or even drop when lowering resolution further. Instead, the FPS scales cleanly from 4K (78 FPS) to 1440p (121 FPS) to 1080p (165 FPS) on Low, showing that the CPU can feed the GPU at every step. The 14 threads are more than sufficient for a game of this type; Lockdown Protocol does not appear to be a heavily threaded workload, so the single-thread performance (4516 passmark single-thread score) is the more relevant metric, and it is strong.

One caveat: the CPU's L3 cache is 24 MB shared, and it uses DDR5 memory with dual-channel support and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. That memory bandwidth is adequate for a mid-range GPU, but it is not exceptional. The measured FPS does not show any memory-related cliffs, so this is not a concern in practice. The CPU's 65W TDP also means it won't cause thermal throttling that would indirectly reduce frame rates in longer sessions. In short, the CPU role here is supportive: it provides enough throughput to keep the RX 6650 XT busy at 1080p and 1440p, and it does not become the bottleneck until you push frame rates past 165 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to High settings at 1920x1080 as the balanced pick. The High preset averages 103 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for smooth play, and it leaves headroom for drops in busy scenes. Ultra at 1080p averages 77 FPS, which is still playable, but the 26 FPS cost over High is steep for what is typically a marginal visual gain. If you want maximum smoothness, Low at 1080p delivers 165 FPS, but that sacrifices too much visual quality for most players.

At 2560x1440, High is the clear winner. The 75 FPS average is comfortable, and the 86 FPS on Medium is also viable if you prefer slightly lower quality for more headroom. Ultra at 1440p drops to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and will feel less fluid. Low at 1440p (121 FPS) is only for competitive players who prioritize frame rate over everything else. The Medium preset at 1440p has a documented minimum of 73 FPS, which means even the worst-case frame time stays above 60 FPS—that is a safe choice for consistent performance.

For 4K, none of the presets are ideal. Low averages 78 FPS, which is playable but requires significant visual compromises. Medium averages 56 FPS with a 47 FPS minimum, which will stutter in action. High (49 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are too slow for a fast-paced FPS. The recommendation is to avoid 4K with this combo unless you are willing to play on Low. The best overall experience is 1080p High (103 FPS) or 1440p High (75 FPS), depending on your monitor's native resolution. The data shows that High settings provide the best balance of visual fidelity and performance across all three resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT combo ranks 1864 out of 2828 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. That places it in the bottom 34% of all systems tested. This might sound low, but the context matters: the database includes every combination of CPU and GPU that has been measured, including top-tier pairings like flagship Intel and AMD CPUs with RTX 4090-class GPUs. Against that full field, this mid-range setup is naturally going to sit lower.

The ranking is more informative when you consider the actual frame rates. At 1080p High, this combo produces 103 FPS, which is a solid result for a 1080p gamer. The 165 FPS on Low is excellent for competitive play. The rank of 1864 is a function of the GPU's position in the overall hierarchy, not a sign that the combo is broken. The RX 6650 XT sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19765. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (19885, 0.6% higher), AMD FirePro D300 (19637, 0.7% lower), AMD FirePro W7000 (19905, 0.7% higher), and NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (19602, 0.8% lower). Those are all workstation or older cards, which tells you the RX 6650 XT is a competent mid-range gaming GPU, not a high-end part.

The CPU rank is much better: 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062. That means the processor is not dragging the combo down. In fact, the CPU could handle a significantly faster GPU without becoming a bottleneck. The rank of 1864 is almost entirely due to the GPU's mid-range status. If you were to pair this CPU with a faster GPU, the combo rank would jump substantially. For what it is—a mainstream 1080p/1440p gaming system—the ranking is appropriate. It is not a top-tier setup, but it delivers playable frame rates at the resolutions it was designed for.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low averages 165 FPS, Medium averages 117 FPS with a 100 FPS minimum and 135 FPS maximum, High averages 103 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded min/max values, showing a 35 FPS spread between the lowest and highest frames. This resolution is clearly where the RX 6650 XT is most comfortable, and every preset exceeds the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably but remains playable on most settings. Low averages 121 FPS, Medium averages 86 FPS with a 73 FPS minimum and 99 FPS maximum, High averages 75 FPS, and Ultra averages 56 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 73 FPS is reassuring, as it indicates the frame rate rarely dips below a smooth threshold. High at 75 FPS is also solid. Ultra is the only preset that falls below 60 FPS, making it a poor choice at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low averages 78 FPS, Medium averages 56 FPS with a 47 FPS minimum and 64 FPS maximum, High averages 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 36 FPS. Only the Low preset maintains an average above 60 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 47 FPS will produce noticeable hitches. High and Ultra are effectively unplayable for a fast-paced FPS at 4K. The data shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution costs roughly 30-35% performance on the same preset, and each step up in settings costs a similar amount at the same resolution. This combo's practical ceiling is 1440p High, with 1080p High being the most comfortable long-term choice.