Lockdown Protocol

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 1080p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows playable frame rates at 1080p across all settings. The Low preset averages 122 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS, High averages 76 FPS, and even Ultra stays above 60 FPS at 57 FPS average.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to its closest rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The CPU sits at the 90th percentile of all processors tested. Its average benchmark score of 48995 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49196, 0.4% higher) and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228, 0.5% higher). It edges out the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 0.6% and the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

Q: Where does the GTX 1660 Ti stand relative to other GPUs?

A: The GPU ranks at the 41st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7723. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon 540, scores 7673 (0.7% behind). The AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is 1.9% behind, and the Intel Arc A310 trails by 2.3%.

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

A: For a consistently smooth experience, 1080p is the strongest option. At 1440p, frame rates remain respectable with Low at 90 FPS, but Ultra drops to 42 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset (58 FPS) reaches playable territory; Ultra falls to 27 FPS.

Q: Does this combo have ray tracing or AI acceleration features?

A: No. The GTX 1660 Ti's FACT PACK lists no RT cores and no tensor cores. It relies on standard Turing shader hardware, with 1536 shading units and 48 ROPs.

Q: How much VRAM does the GTX 1660 Ti have and does it matter for this game?

A: The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. This capacity is sufficient for the measured settings in Lockdown Protocol, though the 4K Ultra result of 27 FPS suggests the memory system is under significant strain at the highest resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the limiting factor in this pairing. Its Turing architecture, built on TSMC's 12 nm process, provides 5.437 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. Memory runs at 1500 MHz with 12 Gbps effective speed, feeding 6 GB of GDDR6 across a 192-bit bus. This configuration delivers 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Benchmark data places this GPU at the 41st percentile overall, which is a mid-pack position. Its PassMark G3D score of 12871 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1061 reflect modest direct performance. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 51029 and Vulkan score of 5827 show similar standing. The GPU's nearest rivals are all within 2.3% of its average score, indicating a tight cluster of comparable hardware. The AMD Radeon 540 is essentially tied at 0.7% behind, while the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 and Intel Arc A310 trail by 1.9% and 2.3% respectively.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's role becomes clear through the measured FPS data. At 1080p, the card handles all presets well. The jump from Low (122 FPS) to Medium (87 FPS) costs 35 FPS, while High (76 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) continue the downward trend. This scaling pattern shows the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes as settings increase. At 1440p, the same pattern holds: Low runs at 90 FPS, Medium at 64 FPS, High at 56 FPS, and Ultra at 42 FPS. The step from Low to Medium at 1440p costs 26 FPS, a significant drop that indicates the GPU is approaching its limits.

At 4K, the situation becomes more severe. Low preset averages 58 FPS, but Medium drops to 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS. High falls to 36 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 27 FPS. The 4K results show a GPU that cannot sustain high settings at this resolution. The VRAM capacity of 6 GB and bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s are likely contributing factors, as the higher resolutions demand more memory throughput. The measured minimum FPS values at Medium settings — 74 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K — reveal how frame pacing degrades as resolution increases.

The GPU's 41st percentile ranking aligns with its performance in this game. It sits above entry-level cards but below the majority of modern GPUs. The 12 nm process node and 6,600 million transistors on a 284 mm² die represent older manufacturing technology. The card's 120 W TDP and single 8-pin power connector suggest it was designed for mainstream systems, and its 229 mm length (9 inches) fits most cases. The dual-slot cooler and 300 W suggested PSU are modest requirements.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 provides strong processing capability that complements the GTX 1660 Ti. This Arrow Lake-S chip, built on TSMC's 3 nm process, packs 14 cores and 14 threads. Base clock is 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The 65 W TDP keeps thermals manageable while delivering substantial compute throughput. Memory support includes DDR5 in dual-channel configuration with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The CPU also features integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, though the discrete GPU handles game rendering.

CPU benchmark results show a processor at the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32924 and single-core score of 4648 demonstrate balanced performance across both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. PassMark multithread score of 38706 and single-thread score of 4394 reinforce this picture. Data compression (400942) and encryption (30236) scores show strong throughput for background tasks. Floating-point math (120548) and integer math (91187) scores indicate solid general-purpose computing.

The CPU's nearest rivals are all within 0.8% of its average benchmark score. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 are marginally ahead at 0.4% and 0.5% respectively. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and Intel Core i5-14600K trail by 0.6% and 0.8%. This grouping means the Core Ultra 5 245 sits in a highly competitive performance tier where no single processor holds a decisive advantage.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with prepared frames. The 14-core configuration with 14 threads means each core handles one thread, which can be beneficial for games that scale across multiple cores. The 5.10 GHz boost clock provides strong single-thread performance for game logic and physics. The 24 MB shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache offer ample storage for frequently accessed data.

The measured FPS numbers suggest the CPU is not the bottleneck at most settings. At 1080p Low, the 122 FPS average indicates the CPU can drive high frame rates. Even at 1080p Ultra, 57 FPS shows the CPU maintains adequate throughput. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase, which is expected given the GTX 1660 Ti's 41st percentile ranking versus the CPU's 90th percentile standing.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and DDR5 support ensure the GPU receives data without starvation. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 CPU lanes provides high-bandwidth connectivity. The 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die reflect modern manufacturing efficiency. The CPU's launch date of January 2025 makes it a recent addition to the market, and its active production status ensures ongoing availability.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings in Lockdown Protocol. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 87 FPS average with a 74 FPS minimum ensures smooth gameplay without the frame drops that could occur at higher settings. High preset at 76 FPS is also viable, but the 11 FPS gain from dropping to Medium is substantial for competitive play. Ultra at 57 FPS sits close to the 60 FPS threshold but risks dips below it during intense scenes.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts to Low preset. The 90 FPS average provides headroom above the 60 FPS target, while Medium drops to 64 FPS with a 54 FPS minimum. The 26 FPS difference between Low and Medium at this resolution is significant. High preset at 56 FPS and Ultra at 42 FPS fall below comfortable playability. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, Low is the clear choice at 1440p.

At 4K, the Low preset is the only practical option. The 58 FPS average barely clears the 60 FPS threshold, but the Medium preset's 41 FPS average with a 35 FPS minimum shows the GPU struggling. High at 36 FPS and Ultra at 27 FPS are not recommended for any gameplay scenario. The 4K resolution demands more from the GPU than the GTX 1660 Ti can provide at higher settings.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the GPU's performance ceiling dictates that lower presets are necessary as resolution increases. At 1080p, Medium provides the best experience. At 1440p, Low is the sweet spot. At 4K, only Low is viable. These recommendations prioritize consistent frame rates over maximum visual detail, which is appropriate for an FPS game where smoothness directly impacts gameplay quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2441 out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the pairing in the bottom 14% of all combinations tested. The ranking reflects the GPU's modest performance level, as the CPU's 90th percentile standing is dragged down by the GPU's 41st percentile position.

This ranking makes sense when considering the component-level data. The CPU is a high performer, nearly matching the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 in average benchmark score. The GPU, however, sits in the lower half of all GPUs, with its closest rivals being entry-level cards like the AMD Radeon 540 and Intel Arc A310. The combination creates a system where the CPU has significant headroom that the GPU cannot utilize.

The combo's position among 2828 tested configurations indicates that many other pairings deliver better performance in this game. The GTX 1660 Ti's age — released in February 2019 and now end-of-life — explains its lower standing. The GPU's 12 nm process and 6 GB VRAM are outdated compared to newer hardware. The CPU, released in January 2025, is much more recent and capable.

For players considering this combo, the ranking suggests that the GPU will need an upgrade to unlock the CPU's full potential. The 2441st position out of 2828 puts this system behind most modern gaming rigs. However, the measured FPS data shows that the combo can still deliver playable performance at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 122 FPS, providing excellent smoothness for competitive play. Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS, offering a good balance of visual quality and performance. High preset averages 76 FPS, still above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, which is playable but close to the minimum recommended for an FPS game.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low preset averages 90 FPS, maintaining good playability. Medium preset averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 73 FPS. The minimum FPS here is concerning, as it can lead to noticeable stutters during intense action. High preset averages 56 FPS, which falls below the ideal 60 FPS target. Ultra preset averages 42 FPS, which is not recommended for serious gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low preset averages 58 FPS, barely above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium preset averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS. The minimum FPS here indicates significant frame drops during heavy scenes. High preset averages 36 FPS, which is below acceptable levels for an FPS. Ultra preset averages 27 FPS, making it unplayable for most users.

The FPS scaling across resolutions shows the GPU's limitations clearly. At 1080p Medium, the 87 FPS average represents the best balance of quality and speed. At 1440p, the 64 FPS Medium average with 54 FPS minimum shows the GPU approaching its limits. At 4K, even the Low preset's 58 FPS is borderline.

The minimum FPS data at Medium settings illustrates the frame pacing characteristics. At 1080p, the 74 FPS minimum is 85% of the average, indicating consistent frame delivery. At 1440p, the 54 FPS minimum is 84% of the average, showing similar consistency. At 4K, the 35 FPS minimum is 85% of the average, maintaining the same relative consistency but at lower absolute values. This suggests the GPU delivers stable performance within each resolution, but the overall capability drops with increased resolution.

The maximum FPS values at Medium settings — 100 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K — show the upper bounds of performance. These peaks indicate that the system can briefly reach higher frame rates, but the averages are more representative of sustained gameplay. For players seeking the smoothest experience, the data supports using Medium at 1080p, where the 74 FPS minimum ensures minimal frame drops.