Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, exhibits a pronounced sensitivity to resolution and graphics settings when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070. The measured data reveals a system that scales predictably, with frame rates shifting dramatically between 1080p and 4K, and between Low and Ultra presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes it against other tested combinations, and offers guidance based strictly on the observed numbers.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates a clear and expected decline in average frame rates across all settings, but the magnitude of the drop varies significantly. At the Low preset, the average FPS falls from 278 at 1080p to 204 at 1440p, and finally to 132 at 4K. This represents a 52.5% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the GPU is being pushed substantially harder at higher resolutions. The scaling is not linear, with the 1080p-to-1440p step costing 74 FPS (a 26.6% drop), while the 1440p-to-4K step costs another 72 FPS (a 35.3% drop), showing a steeper decline as pixel count increases.

At the High preset, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The average FPS drops from 172 at 1080p to 126 at 1440p, and then to 82 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 52.3%, nearly identical to the Low preset, which suggests the resolution scaling factor is consistent regardless of the quality preset. However, the gap between Low and High presets narrows at higher resolutions; at 1080p, Low is 106 FPS faster than High, but at 4K, that advantage shrinks to 50 FPS. This indicates that at 4K, the resolution itself becomes a more dominant limiting factor, reducing the relative impact of the preset choice.

The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory, with averages of 197 FPS at 1080p, 145 FPS at 1440p, and 93 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding 129 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and just 61 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that from 1080p to 4K, the performance drop is roughly 52-53% for Low, High, and Medium, while Ultra sees a slightly larger 52.7% decline. This consistency points to a GPU-bound scenario where the RTX 5070's rendering workload scales almost directly with pixel throughput. The limiting component at 4K is clearly the GPU, as the CPU's role becomes less prominent when the frame rate is capped by pixel processing demands.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a rank of 727 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 19.6% of all configurations, indicating a strong performance tier. The rank reflects the system's ability to maintain high frame rates across the tested resolutions, particularly at 1080p and 1440p where averages exceed 120 FPS on High and Medium settings.

The CPU itself performs at the 89th percentile when compared to all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030 (a delta of 0.1%), and the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46098 (a delta of -0.1%). This near-parity in CPU benchmarks suggests that the Ultra 5 235 is not a bottleneck in most scenarios, but its 14 cores and 14 threads are more aligned with mainstream workloads than with extreme multi-threaded tasks. The GPU ranks at the 82nd percentile among all graphics cards, with an average score of 40377, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (score 40318, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (score 40063, delta 0.8%). These rival scores are close, but the RTX 5070's raw compute advantage is evident in the game's frame rates.

The combo's rank of 727 suggests that while it is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it delivers a very playable experience in this title. The data shows that the system is well-balanced, with neither component drastically outclassing the other, allowing for consistent performance across the resolution range. The fact that the combo ranks higher than the 80th percentile implies it is a capable pairing for Lockdown Protocol, but not one that dominates the charts.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 278, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is the peak performance point in the data.

Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 132 on Low to 61 on Ultra. For a smooth experience, the Medium preset, averaging 93 FPS, is the highest quality setting that stays above 60 FPS on average.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 95 FPS, while the High preset averages 126 FPS. This is a 31 FPS difference, or a 24.6% performance drop for the higher quality settings.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 278 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 129 FPS. The Low preset is 149 FPS faster, more than double the frame rate of Ultra.

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

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution, suggesting the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The CPU's 89th percentile benchmark ranking supports this, as it is not a weak component.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum FPS values. The minimums are 168 FPS at 1080p, 123 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K, providing a floor for frame time consistency.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset, averaging 172 FPS, offers a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at 129 FPS is also viable for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the 43 FPS drop from High may not justify the visual gains for all users. The Medium preset at 197 FPS is an excellent choice for competitive play, ensuring frame rates stay well above 144 Hz with a minimum of 168 FPS.

At 1440p, the High preset, averaging 126 FPS, is the recommended choice for a smooth experience on standard 120Hz or 144Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 145 FPS provides an even higher margin, with a minimum of 123 FPS, making it ideal for maintaining a locked frame rate. The Ultra preset at 95 FPS is borderline for 100Hz displays, but the risk of dropping below 60 FPS in intense scenes is minimal given the average is well above that threshold.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset, averaging 93 FPS, is the only quality level that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS. The High preset at 82 FPS is acceptable for 60Hz displays, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Low preset at 132 FPS is suitable for players prioritizing frame rate over visuals, while Ultra at 61 FPS is only recommended for those with a 60Hz panel who want maximum graphical quality, as the average is just above the refresh rate threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a detailed view of performance across all twelve tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset leads with an average of 278 FPS, followed by Medium at 197 FPS, High at 172 FPS, and Ultra at 129 FPS. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 168 FPS and a maximum of 227 FPS, indicating a tight frame time distribution. The other presets lack min/max data, but their averages suggest a similar spread.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 204 FPS, a 26.6% drop from 1080p. Medium follows at 145 FPS, with a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 166 FPS. High averages 126 FPS, and Ultra averages 95 FPS. The relative ordering remains consistent, with Low always the fastest and Ultra the slowest.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 132 FPS, which is still above 120 FPS, making it a viable option for high-refresh 4K panels. Medium averages 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS, providing a stable 60+ FPS experience. High averages 82 FPS, and Ultra averages 61 FPS, barely touching the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows a clear trend: each step up in resolution costs roughly 25-35% performance, and each step up in preset costs a similar amount, with the cumulative effect being most severe at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235, with its 14 cores and 14 threads, provides a solid foundation for Lockdown Protocol. Its base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz are well-suited for a fast-paced FPS, where single-thread performance is often critical. The processor's benchmark scores corroborate this: the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2085, and the multi-core score is 14769, showing a strong balance. In Passmark, the single-thread score is 4516, while the multithread score is 37816, with the physics test scoring 2570.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all processors indicates it is a high-performing part, and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Intel Core i9-13900HX, are within 0.1% of its average score. This suggests that the Ultra 5 235 is not a limiting factor in this game. The measured FPS data supports this, as the frame rates scale smoothly with resolution, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, but the data shows continuous improvement from 4K to 1080p, indicating the CPU has ample headroom.

The lack of hyper-threading (14 threads for 14 cores) is notable, but it does not appear to hinder performance in this title. The game's engine likely relies on a limited number of threads, and the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that those threads are processed quickly. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache also helps with data locality, reducing memory latency during gameplay. Overall, the CPU role is to provide a stable, high-frequency platform that allows the RTX 5070 to operate at its full potential.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the driving force behind this combo's performance, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured FPS. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for 4K gaming, as the data shows playable frame rates even at High settings. The base clock of 2325 MHz and boost clock of 2512 MHz are relatively high, contributing to the card's compute throughput of 30.87 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 and a Passmark G3D score of 29137. The Passmark GPU Compute score of 15787 highlights its parallel processing capabilities. The GPU ranks at the 82nd percentile, with nearest rivals like the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (score 40318) and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (score 40063) being slightly slower. The RTX 5070's 12 GB of VRAM is a key asset, allowing it to handle the texture and geometry loads of Lockdown Protocol without hitting memory limits, which would cause stuttering or frame drops.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary scaling factor across resolutions. The consistent 50%+ drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K across all presets indicates that the GPU is being fully utilized, with its rendering pipeline becoming the bottleneck at higher pixel counts. The 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, while not directly measured in the game's FPS, suggest that the card is well-equipped for modern rendering techniques. The boost clock of 2512 MHz, when sustained under load, ensures that the card maintains high throughput, which is reflected in the 278 FPS average at 1080p Low. In summary, the RTX 5070 provides ample performance for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, and it is capable of 4K at Medium settings with a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.