Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

The pairing of Intel's 20-core Core Ultra 7 265K with NVIDIA's older GeForce GTX 1660 Ti creates a substantial imbalance in Lockdown Protocol, a game that scales heavily with both CPU and GPU resources depending on resolution and settings. The CPU is a top-tier performer—ranking in the 94th percentile against all processors—while the GPU sits in just the 41st percentile, making the graphics card the overwhelming bottleneck in most scenarios. Benchmark results show this combo achieving 122 FPS at 1080p Low but dropping to 27 FPS at 4K Ultra, a range that reveals the GPU's limits while the CPU waits idle.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, drawing up to 125 W TDP. The CPU has a 30 MB shared L3 cache, 3 MB per core L2, and 192 KB per core L1. Memory support is DDR5 via dual-channel, offering 102.4 GB/s bandwidth, and it includes integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The processor supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes and ECC memory.

In terms of raw compute, this CPU delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,850 and a single-core score of 2,020. Geekbench results show 23,085 multi-core and 2,713 single-core. PassMark multi-thread score is 58,594, with single-thread at 4,928. The average benchmark score across all tests is 70,879, placing it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6511P (avg 71,051, -0.2% delta), Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 (avg 71,370, -0.7%), Intel Core i7-14700KF (avg 70,163, +1%), and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (avg 69,996, +1.3%).

For Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is primarily feeding frames to the GPU. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 122 FPS, indicating the CPU can push well beyond what the GTX 1660 Ti can render. The processor's 20 threads and high boost clock are more than sufficient for this FPS title, which typically uses fewer threads for game logic and physics. The gap between the CPU's 94th percentile standing and the GPU's 41st percentile means the CPU is never the limiting factor in any measured configuration. Even at 4K Ultra where average FPS falls to 27, the bottleneck is entirely the GPU's rendering capability, not the CPU's ability to issue draw calls or process game state.

The data shows that single-thread performance is particularly strong—Cinebench R15 single-core at 708 and Cinebench R20 single-core at 2,953—which matters for frame pacing in fast-paced shooters. However, because the GTX 1660 Ti caps output at 122 FPS even in the lightest settings, the CPU's additional headroom remains unused. This is a classic case where a high-end processor is paired with a mid-range GPU from a previous generation, and the measured FPS reflects the GPU's ceiling rather than the CPU's capability.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 3,199 out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. That places it in the bottom 14% of all system configurations tested, which is notable given the CPU's strong performance. The ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU, as the GTX 1660 Ti's average benchmark score of 7,723 puts it at the 41st percentile among all GPUs, with nearest rivals being the AMD Radeon 540 (avg 7,673, +0.7%), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (avg 7,580, +1.9%), AMD Radeon R7 250 (avg 7,557, +2.2%), and Intel Arc A310 (avg 7,550, +2.3%).

The low combo rank reflects how this pairing underperforms relative to what the CPU could deliver with a more capable graphics card. In the context of the 3,714 tested combos, the GTX 1660 Ti's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus (288.0 GB/s bandwidth) place it in the lower half of GPU performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,061 and PassMark G3D score of 12,871 are modest figures that align with a 41st percentile ranking.

What this means for Lockdown Protocol specifically is that the combo is competitive only at lower resolutions and settings. The rank of 3,199 out of 3,714 suggests that most other combinations—even those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs—outperform this pairing in this game. The data indicates that the game is GPU-bound in nearly all scenarios, so investing in a stronger CPU without upgrading the GPU does not move the needle meaningfully for this title. The combo's rank is a direct consequence of GPU limitations, not a reflection of the CPU's gaming potential.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 122 FPS, which drops to 90 FPS at 1440p Low (a 26% reduction) and further to 58 FPS at 4K Low (a 36% reduction from 1440p). This scaling is characteristic of a GPU that is saturated by pixel count and fill rate demands.

For Medium settings, the progression is 87 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. High settings show 76 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K. The consistent drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings—roughly a 50-55% reduction in FPS—indicates the GPU's rendering pipeline is the limiting factor.

This resolution scaling behavior tells a clear story: the GTX 1660 Ti's 6 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates as pixel count increases. The GPU's pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s and texture rate of 169.9 GTexel/s become bottlenecks at 4K, particularly with higher settings that increase texture and shading complexity. The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal—if the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions since the CPU work per frame is similar regardless of resolution.

The fact that FPS drops consistently and significantly from 1080p to 4K confirms that the GTX 1660 Ti is the limiting component. The CPU's 20 cores and 5.50 GHz boost clock have ample headroom even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU can only manage 27 FPS. This suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield near-linear FPS improvements across all resolutions, while the CPU would remain a non-factor.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 122 FPS, which is the highest measured across all configurations. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100 FPS. High settings average 76 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 57 FPS. The spread from 122 to 57 FPS across settings at 1080p shows the GPU's sensitivity to graphical fidelity, with a 53% reduction from Low to Ultra.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably. Low settings average 90 FPS, Medium settings average 64 FPS (min 54, max 73), High settings average 56 FPS, and Ultra settings average 42 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 48 FPS, a 53% reduction that mirrors the 1080p pattern. The Medium settings show a tighter min-max range of 19 FPS, indicating relatively stable frame delivery at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings average 58 FPS, Medium settings average 41 FPS (min 35, max 47), High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS. The 4K Medium result provides the only min/max data at this resolution, showing a 12 FPS spread between 35 and 47 FPS, which suggests some frame time inconsistency under load. The drop from 1080p Low (122 FPS) to 4K Low (58 FPS) represents a 52% reduction, while the drop from 1080p Ultra (57 FPS) to 4K Ultra (27 FPS) is a 53% reduction—consistent scaling regardless of settings level.

The data shows that playable frame rates above 60 FPS are only achievable at 1080p Low (122 FPS) and 1080p Medium (87 FPS). At 1080p High, the average of 76 FPS is still above 60, but the margin is thinner. At 1440p, only Low settings (90 FPS) exceed 60 FPS. At 4K, no settings level reaches 60 FPS, with Low being the only configuration above 30 FPS at 58 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Is this CPU-GPU combo capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings where it averages 58 FPS. Medium settings drop to 41 FPS, High to 36 FPS, and Ultra to 27 FPS, making 4K playable only at the lowest preset.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: At 1080p, Low (122 FPS), Medium (87 FPS), and High (76 FPS) all exceed 60 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings (90 FPS) achieve 60+ FPS. At 4K, no settings reach 60 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 Ti compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has an average benchmark score of 7,723, slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon 540 (7,673, +0.7%), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (7,580, +1.9%), AMD Radeon R7 250 (7,557, +2.2%), and Intel Arc A310 (7,550, +2.3%).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 41st percentile. FPS drops consistently from 1080p to 4K, indicating the GPU's rendering limits dominate.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems for Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combo ranks 3,199 out of 3,714 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 14% of all configurations for this game.

Q: What settings at 1440p provide the most stable frame delivery?

A: Medium settings at 1440p average 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73, giving a 19 FPS range. This is the only 1440p configuration with min/max data available, showing relatively consistent performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience balances frame rate and visual quality. At 1080p, High settings (76 FPS average) provide the best visual fidelity while maintaining performance above 60 FPS. This is the recommended preset for users with 1080p displays, as it offers a 76 FPS average without the visual compromises of Low settings (122 FPS) or the significant drop to Ultra (57 FPS), which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

For 1440p displays, the data supports using Low settings to achieve 90 FPS average. Medium settings at 64 FPS are playable but with a minimum of 54 FPS, which could cause noticeable dips during intense gameplay. High settings (56 FPS) and Ultra (42 FPS) are below the 60 FPS target and are not recommended for competitive play. The 1440p Low preset offers the best balance, providing smooth performance with a 90 FPS average.

At 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, yielding 58 FPS average. While this is close to 60 FPS, it is slightly below the threshold. Medium settings at 41 FPS and High at 36 FPS are playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. Ultra at 27 FPS is not recommended due to the significant frame rate drop. For 4K users, the Low preset is the only configuration that approaches acceptable frame rates, and even then, the 58 FPS average leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

The Medium settings at 1080p (87 FPS) also warrant consideration for users who want a balance between visual quality and performance, with a minimum of 74 FPS ensuring no drops below the 60 FPS line. However, High settings offer better visuals at 76 FPS average with no min/max data to suggest stability issues. The recommendation is to prioritize High at 1080p, Low at 1440p, and Low at 4K, with Medium as a fallback option at 1080p.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process at TSMC, featuring 6,600 million transistors on a 284 mm² die. It operates with a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory clocked at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. It contains 1,536 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s and texture rate of 169.9 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 5.437 TFLOPS, and FP16 is 10.87 TFLOPS (2:1). The card has a 120 W TDP and requires a 300 W suggested PSU, connected via PCIe 3.0 x16.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's 6 GB VRAM is a critical constraint at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo only manages 27 FPS, which is likely a combination of VRAM capacity limits and raw compute constraints. The 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is insufficient for 4K textures and high-detail rendering, explaining the steep performance drop from 1080p to 4K. The GPU's 41st percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7,723, places it well below the CPU's capability.

The GPU's benchmarks show a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,061, Geekbench OpenCL of 51,029, and Vulkan of 5,827. PassMark scores include G3D at 12,871, GPU Compute at 5,226, DirectX 12 at 51, DirectX 11 at 103, DirectX 10 at 66, and DirectX 9 at 190. These numbers reflect a GPU that is roughly two generations old, and the measured FPS in Lockdown Protocol confirms that it struggles with modern FPS titles at higher settings. The 1080p Low result of 122 FPS shows the GPU can perform well when unburdened, but its limitations become apparent as resolution and settings increase.

The GPU's closest rivals—AMD Radeon 540, Radeon Pro WX 3100, Radeon R7 250, and Intel Arc A310—all have average scores within 2.3% of the GTX 1660 Ti, indicating the GPU sits in a performance tier that is not well-suited for demanding titles like Lockdown Protocol at high resolutions. The data suggests that for this game, the GPU is the limiting factor in all measured scenarios, and its 6 GB VRAM and 1770 MHz boost clock are insufficient to fully utilize the CPU's capabilities.