Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a 2024-released FPS that stresses both the CPU and GPU depending on the chosen settings and resolution. The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 produces a wide range of frame rates, from highly playable at 4K to extremely high refresh rates at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data, examining the role of each component, the impact of settings, and how this pairing ranks among all tested combinations.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a 65W TDP. The processor features 24 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory, providing a solid foundation for gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested.

The data indicates that this processor is well-suited for high-frame-rate gaming, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU is more likely to be a limiting factor. At 1080p, the measured frame rates reach up to 249 FPS on Low settings, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even at very high output levels. The processor's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 468, is crucial for maintaining high average FPS in an FPS title like Lockdown Protocol, where game logic and physics calculations often rely on a few fast cores.

When comparing the Core Ultra 5 245 to its nearest rivals, its average benchmark score of 48995 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, which scores 49196, a delta of -0.4%. It also sits close to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which averages 49228, a -0.5% difference. The Intel processor is slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and the Intel Core i5-14600K, with deltas of 0.6% and 0.8% respectively. This shows that while the Core Ultra 5 245 is not a performance outlier, its processing power is substantial and consistent with other high-end desktop CPUs, ensuring that it will not bottleneck the RTX 3080 in most gaming scenarios.

The relationship between the CPU and the game's results is most apparent in the scaling from 1080p to 1440p. At 1080p High settings, the average FPS is 155. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 113 FPS, a decrease of 42 FPS. At 4K High, the average falls further to 73 FPS. This pattern shows that as resolution increases, the load shifts from the CPU to the GPU, and the frame rate drop is more attributable to the graphics card's rendering capabilities. The CPU's role is to maintain a high ceiling for FPS, which it does effectively, as seen in the 1080p Low result of 249 FPS.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is an Ampere-architecture GPU with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. It has a base clock of 1440 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz, with a 320W TDP. The GPU includes 8704 shading units and 68 RT cores, making it a capable performer for modern titles. Its Passmark G3D score of 25086 places it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-to-high-range performer.

The GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions. At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 55 on Ultra settings to 118 on Low settings. This wide variation demonstrates that the RTX 3080's raw rendering power is the deciding factor at 3840x2160. The 10 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game's demands, as no memory-related issues are indicated in the measured data, allowing for smooth performance across all settings presets at every resolution tested.

In comparison to its nearest rivals, the RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172 is just slightly below that of the NVIDIA P106-100, which scores 23249, a delta of -0.3%. It is similarly matched with the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 and the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, with deltas of -0.3% and -0.4% respectively. This suggests that while the RTX 3080 is not a top-tier card by modern standards, it remains competitive with other GPUs in its class, and its performance in Lockdown Protocol is strong enough to provide a good experience at all tested resolutions.

The GPU's performance scaling shows a clear pattern. At 1080p, the average FPS is consistently high, from 116 on Ultra to 249 on Low. At 1440p, the numbers are still excellent, with a high of 183 FPS on Low and a low of 85 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the card begins to show its limits, with the Ultra preset dropping to an average of 55 FPS. This data indicates that the RTX 3080 is capable of handling the game at high settings and high resolutions, but for the smoothest 4K experience, users may need to adjust settings away from the maximum preset.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this hardware combination. The Medium preset appears to be the optimal choice across all resolutions, offering a significant performance boost over High and Ultra while maintaining a reasonable level of visual fidelity. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers an average of 177 FPS, which is 22 FPS higher than High and 61 FPS higher than Ultra. This makes it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset achieves an average of 130 FPS, which is more than adequate for a smooth gaming experience, and it is 17 FPS higher than the High preset's 113 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 85 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. For users with 1440p displays, Medium provides a strong balance, offering high frame rates without sacrificing too much in terms of graphical detail.

At 4K, the Medium preset is the most viable option for a consistently smooth experience. It produces an average of 84 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS, indicating that frame times are relatively stable. The High preset at 4K averages 73 FPS, which is lower but still playable. The Ultra preset at 4K averages only 55 FPS, which may feel less fluid. The Low preset at 4K offers the highest frame rate at 118 FPS, but the visual quality reduction is significant. Therefore, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point for this combo, as it provides the best experience per the measured rows, especially when considering the need for high and consistent frame rates in an FPS game.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 249 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Yes, the data shows it can run at 4K. The average FPS ranges from 55 on Ultra settings to 118 on Low settings, with the Medium preset providing an average of 84 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900's score of 49228.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium settings preset?

A: The minimum FPS for the Medium preset varies by resolution. At 1920x1080 it is 151 FPS, at 2560x1440 it is 110 FPS, and at 3840x2160 it is 71 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is in the 68th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals the shifting bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS on High settings drops from 155 to 113, a 27% decrease. This significant drop indicates that the GPU is becoming a larger factor, as the increased pixel count demands more rendering power. The CPU, with its high single-threaded performance, is less stressed at 1440p. The trend continues at 4K, where the High preset averages 73 FPS, a 35% drop from 1440p. This further confirms that the RTX 3080 is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. For the Low preset, the average FPS goes from 249 at 1080p to 183 at 1440p, a 27% reduction, and then to 118 at 4K, a 36% reduction from 1440p. For the Ultra preset, the numbers are 116 at 1080p, 85 at 1440p, and 55 at 4K. The consistent percentage drops across presets suggest that the performance scaling is primarily resolution-driven, which is a hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to push higher frame rates, but the GPU's capabilities start to cap the performance as the resolution increases.

The data from the Medium preset, which has recorded min and max FPS values, provides additional insight. At 1080p, the average is 177 FPS with a min of 151 and a max of 204. At 1440p, the average is 130 FPS with a min of 110 and a max of 149. At 4K, the average is 84 FPS with a min of 71 and a max of 96. The relative stability of the frame times, as indicated by the min and max values, suggests that neither component is causing severe stuttering. This resolution scaling analysis shows that for this combo, the RTX 3080 is the primary factor determining performance at 1440p and 4K, while the Core Ultra 5 245 provides ample processing power to avoid being a bottleneck at any resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 249 FPS. The Medium preset averages 177 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 204 FPS. The High preset averages 155 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 116 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the combo is capable of delivering very high frame rates suitable for competitive gaming, with even the Ultra preset exceeding 100 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 183 FPS. The Medium preset averages 130 FPS, with a minimum of 110 FPS and a maximum of 149 FPS. The High preset averages 113 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 85 FPS. This resolution is a sweet spot for the hardware, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p while still maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS on all presets. The data indicates that users can comfortably choose the High or Ultra preset for a more immersive experience at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution to exceed 100 FPS. The Medium preset averages 84 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. The High preset averages 73 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 55 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming is possible with this combo, but it requires a trade-off in settings to achieve optimal smoothness. The Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot at 4K, providing a good balance between visual quality and frame rate, while the Ultra preset is best reserved for less demanding scenes or for players who prioritize graphics over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination ranks 741st out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the pairing in the top 26% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a strong performer for this game. The rank of 741 confirms the balance between the CPU and GPU, as neither component is weak enough to significantly drag down the overall performance in this particular title.

This ranking suggests that the combo outperforms the majority of other systems that have been tested. The high rank is likely due to the combination of the Core Ultra 5 245's strong single-threaded performance, which is beneficial for FPS games, and the RTX 3080's substantial rasterization power. While the RTX 3080 is not the most recent GPU, its performance is still competitive, and when paired with a modern, capable CPU like the Core Ultra 5 245, it delivers a very good gaming experience.

The data indicates that this is a well-matched pairing. The CPU is not holding back the GPU at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. Conversely, the GPU is not so weak that it makes the CPU irrelevant at higher resolutions. The result is a system that performs admirably across the board, from 1080p to 4K. The rank of 741 out of 2828 combos places it in the top quartile, confirming that users with this hardware configuration can expect a high level of performance in Lockdown Protocol, with the ability to adjust settings to achieve their desired balance of visual fidelity and frame rate.