Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a demanding FPS, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER combo demonstrates a clear shift in bottleneck behavior depending on the resolution and quality settings. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but capable of exposing CPU limitations at 1080p with lower settings, making it a versatile but nuanced pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases, which directly indicates where the system’s limiting component lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 307 FPS, a figure that drops by 27.5% to 222.6 FPS at 1440p, and then by another 34.1% to 146.8 FPS at 4K. This aggressive scaling pattern is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario at these settings, where the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s rendering throughput is the primary constraint.

However, the scaling behavior changes dramatically when moving to higher quality presets. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops from 140.9 FPS at 1080p to 103.9 FPS at 1440p (a 26.3% reduction), but then only falls to 67.2 FPS at 4K (a 35.3% reduction from 1440p). The fact that 4K Ultra performance (67.2 FPS) is less than half of 1080p Ultra performance (140.9 FPS) underscores the massive pixel throughput required at 4K, confirming the GPU as the dominant bottleneck in that configuration.

The most telling insight comes from comparing the scaling between Low and Ultra presets. From 1080p to 4K, the Low preset loses 52.2% of its performance, while the Ultra preset loses 52.3% of its performance. This near-identical relative drop across settings suggests that the resolution scaling is primarily a function of the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth, not the CPU or settings complexity. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s 672.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth and 250.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are the key specifications driving this behavior.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is clearly the star of this show, and its specifications align perfectly with the measured results. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card has ample capacity and bandwidth (672.3 GB/s) to handle Lockdown Protocol’s high-resolution textures without stuttering. The boost clock of 2610 MHz, combined with 8448 shading units, delivers the raw compute power needed to sustain the high frame rates observed.

The GPU’s 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs, based on an average benchmark score of 48704, places it in the upper tier of performance. In this game, the card’s DirectX 12 score of 119 and DirectX 11 score of 278 from Passmark benchmarks are particularly relevant, as Lockdown Protocol is a modern title that likely leverages these APIs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5569 further supports the card’s strong rasterization performance.

The data shows that the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where it delivers 67.2 FPS. This is an important finding, as it suggests the card can handle the game’s memory requirements without resorting to slower system memory. The card’s 285 W TDP and triple-slot design indicate it is a high-power part, but the measured performance justifies this power envelope.

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: Yes, the data shows it can. At 4K with High settings, the combo averages 91.3 FPS, which is playable. Even at 4K Ultra, it maintains 67.2 FPS, though users targeting 60 FPS may want to stick with High settings.

Q: What is the best resolution for competitive play?

A: For high refresh-rate competitive play, 1080p is the clear choice. The data shows 307 FPS at Low settings and 221.8 FPS at Medium settings, both well above 144 Hz. At 1440p Low, the combo still delivers 222.6 FPS, which remains competitive.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at lower resolutions?

A: At 1080p Low, the 307 FPS figure suggests the CPU is beginning to become a factor, though it still delivers excellent results. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K’s 20 cores and 20 threads, with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, are sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck in most scenarios.

Q: What settings should I use for a 1440p 144Hz monitor?

A: The data recommends High settings. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 137.9 FPS, which is close to 144 Hz. Medium settings provide a safer margin at 162.3 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while staying above 120 FPS.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 1080p Ultra, the combo delivers 140.9 FPS, which is excellent. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 103.9 FPS, which is still smooth. At 4K Ultra, the 67.2 FPS result is playable but may not satisfy users with high-refresh-rate 4K displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality settings. At 1080p, the combo delivers its best results: 307 FPS on Low, 221.8 FPS on Medium, 190.1 FPS on High, and 140.9 FPS on Ultra. This range shows that even the most demanding preset at 1080p remains well above the 120 FPS threshold.

Moving to 1440p, the scores scale down proportionally: 222.6 FPS on Low, 162.3 FPS on Medium, 137.9 FPS on High, and 103.9 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p High result is particularly notable, as it represents a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming on QHD displays.

At 4K, the performance drops more dramatically: 146.8 FPS on Low, 106.4 FPS on Medium, 91.3 FPS on High, and 67.2 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Low figure is impressive, showing that the card can still push high frame rates at this resolution when settings are reduced. The 4K Ultra result is the only measurement that falls below 70 FPS, indicating that the game is quite demanding at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations, this combo sits at rank 167 out of 1637 total combinations. This places it in the top 10.2% of all tested systems, which is a strong result given the hardware involved. The ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where neither component is severely mismatched for the other.

The CPU’s performance relative to its rivals provides context for this ranking. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 79102, which is only 0.2% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and the Intel Core i9-14900KF. It is 0.9% behind the Intel Core i9-14900K and 1.2% behind the AMD EPYC 7413. This tight grouping suggests the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class.

The GPU’s rank is more varied. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has an average score of 48704, which is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA CMP 50HX but 1.6% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A2000 and 2.0% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile. The comparison to the Intel Arc A550M shows a 2.1% advantage for the RTX card. These small deltas indicate that the GPU is well-positioned among its peers.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K plays a supporting but crucial role in this system. With 20 cores and 20 threads, it offers substantial parallel processing capability. The base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which is essential for gaming. The CPU’s 97th percentile ranking among all CPUs, based on an average benchmark score of 79102, confirms its high-end status.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows its strengths. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50009 and single-core score of 7060 demonstrate excellent performance. The Passmark multi-thread score of 58838 and single-thread score of 4904 further validate its capabilities. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for gaming workloads.

The CPU’s role in Lockdown Protocol becomes evident when examining the 1080p Low result of 307 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the CPU can feed frames to the GPU quickly enough to avoid major bottlenecks. However, the fact that the 4K Low result (146.8 FPS) is less than half of the 1080p Low result indicates that the GPU is still the primary limiter at higher resolutions. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory ensure it can keep pace with the GPU’s demands.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users with high-refresh-rate monitors (240 Hz or higher), Low settings at 307 FPS provide the maximum competitive advantage. Medium settings at 221.8 FPS offer a better balance of visual quality and performance, still exceeding 144 Hz.

For 1440p displays, High settings at 137.9 FPS are the recommended choice. This provides near-Ultra visual quality while maintaining frame rates above 120 FPS. Users with 144 Hz monitors should consider Medium settings at 162.3 FPS for a more comfortable margin. The Ultra preset at 103.9 FPS is acceptable for 100 Hz displays but may not be ideal for higher refresh rates.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests two viable paths. High settings at 91.3 FPS are the best choice for a smooth experience, as they provide solid visual quality while staying above 90 FPS. Low settings at 146.8 FPS are recommended for users who prioritize frame rate over visuals, such as those with 120 Hz 4K displays. The Medium preset at 106.4 FPS is a middle ground, but the High preset offers better visual fidelity for a modest 14.2% performance penalty. The Ultra preset at 67.2 FPS should be reserved for users who demand maximum visual quality and have adaptive sync displays to smooth out the frame rate.