Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol — Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB

This pairing combines a 24-core, 24-thread Intel Arrow Lake Refresh flagship with NVIDIA’s entry-level Ampere GPU featuring 4 GB of GDDR6 memory. The benchmark data shows a system that is decisively CPU-dominant in Lockdown Protocol, with the processor’s high single-thread and multi-thread throughput far exceeding what the graphics card can utilize at most settings and resolutions. The measured results indicate a GPU-limited experience across nearly every configuration tested, with the RTX 3050 4 GB acting as the primary constraint on frame rates.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. It features 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, and the chip connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. The processor carries a launch MSRP of $299.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44,253 and a single-core score of 2,439. The PassMark multi-thread score reaches 68,574, while single-thread performance sits at 5,068. These figures place the CPU in the 96th percentile of all processors tested, with an average benchmark score of 93,785. Its nearest rivals in aggregate performance are the Intel Xeon 6520P at 93,786 (0% delta), the AMD EPYC 4564P at 95,183 (-1.5%), the AMD EPYC 9175F at 95,615 (-1.9%), and the AMD EPYC 4565P at 95,764 (-2.1%).

For Lockdown Protocol, the CPU’s role is largely secondary given the measured frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 112 FPS average, which is the highest result recorded in any configuration. Even at this setting, the frame rate is not pushing against CPU limits — the processor’s 5.50 GHz boost clock and robust single-thread score of 2,439 in Cinebench R23 suggest it could drive substantially higher frame rates if the GPU allowed. The 24-core configuration provides ample headroom for background tasks and game logic, but the data indicates the game is not exploiting the multi-threaded capacity; the delta between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution is consistently large, pointing to graphics load rather than CPU throughput as the bottleneck.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is an Ampere-architecture part built on Samsung’s 8 nm process, with 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die. It operates with a base clock of 1545 MHz and a boost clock of 1740 MHz. The memory subsystem consists of 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 2,048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, along with 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 55.68 GPixel/s, texture rate is 111.4 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput is 7.127 TFLOPS. The card carries a 90 W TDP and is rated in the 50th percentile of all GPUs tested.

The 4 GB VRAM capacity is the defining constraint in Lockdown Protocol. Across all tested resolutions, the GPU consistently delivers lower frame rates as settings increase, but the pattern is not purely linear — the gap between Low and Medium is larger than between Medium and High at every resolution, suggesting that memory pressure begins to manifest even at Medium settings. At 1080p, Low produces 112 FPS, Medium drops to 80 FPS, High falls to 70 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 52 FPS. The 192.0 GB/s bandwidth and 128-bit bus are modest by modern standards, and the 7.127 TFLOPS FP32 throughput limits raw shading capability.

The GPU’s boost clock of 1740 MHz is relatively modest, and the 8 nm process node means power efficiency is not a strength. The card’s 50th percentile standing among all GPUs confirms its mid-pack positioning. In this game, the RTX 3050 4 GB is the limiting component in every measured scenario — frame rates scale almost entirely with resolution and settings changes, while the CPU’s performance headroom remains untapped.

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

The measured data provides clear guidance on preset selection, though the optimal choice depends on the target resolution and whether the user prioritizes frame rate or visual fidelity. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 112 FPS average, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset to exceed 100 FPS. Medium produces 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS, while High yields 70 FPS. Ultra drops to 52 FPS. For competitive play at 1080p, Low is the only fully fluid option, and even Medium’s 80 FPS is acceptable for most players.

At 1440p, Low produces 82 FPS, Medium 59 FPS (minimum 50, maximum 67), High 51 FPS, and Ultra 38 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 23 FPS, which is a substantial loss for a single preset step. At 4K, Low yields 53 FPS, Medium 38 FPS (minimum 32, maximum 43), High 33 FPS, and Ultra 25 FPS. The 4K Low result is borderline playable, but anything above Low at this resolution falls below 40 FPS.

The best experience per the measured rows is the 1080p Low preset, which offers 112 FPS average — a 40% improvement over Medium at the same resolution. For users who prefer visual quality over raw speed, 1080p Medium at 80 FPS represents a reasonable compromise, with the 68 FPS minimum staying above typical 60 Hz refresh rates. At 1440p, Low at 82 FPS is the only preset that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. At 4K, no preset achieves 60 FPS; Low at 53 FPS is the least compromised option.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB ranks 2,492 out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. That places it in the bottom 12% of all system configurations measured for this game. The ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the entry-level GPU — the processor’s 96th percentile standing among all CPUs is effectively wasted because the graphics card cannot translate that compute capability into frame rate.

The combo rank of 2,492 out of 2,828 indicates that most other tested pairings, including those with substantially weaker CPUs, outperform this system in Lockdown Protocol because they pair those CPUs with more capable GPUs. The data suggests that the RTX 3050 4 GB is the dominant factor in this ranking, and that the CPU’s contribution to the game’s performance is negligible in comparison. Users seeking better results in this title would need to prioritize GPU upgrades before considering any CPU change.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average is 112 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the only configuration in the dataset exceeding 100 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3050 4 GB perform at 4K in this game?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers 53 FPS average, Medium delivers 38 FPS (minimum 32, maximum 43), High delivers 33 FPS, and Ultra delivers 25 FPS. No 4K preset reaches 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is consistently the limiting component. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 50th percentile. Frame rates scale predictably with graphics settings and resolution, indicating GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 32 FPS, at 3840x2160 with the Medium preset. The highest minimum FPS is 68 FPS, at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-core performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 93,785 is essentially tied with the Intel Xeon 6520P at 93,786 (0% delta). The AMD EPYC 4564P is 1.5% faster, the AMD EPYC 9175F is 1.9% faster, and the AMD EPYC 4565P is 2.1% faster.

Q: What resolution and settings combination offers the best balance of FPS and visual quality?

A: The 1920x1080 Medium preset delivers 80 FPS average with a 68 FPS minimum, which is the highest minimum FPS recorded in the dataset while still offering improved visuals over Low. The 1440p Low preset at 82 FPS is the alternative for higher resolution at similar speed.

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

The full measured dataset for this combo in Lockdown Protocol is as follows. At 1920x1080: Low averages 112 FPS, Medium averages 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 and maximum of 92, High averages 70 FPS, and Ultra averages 52 FPS. At 2560x1440: Low averages 82 FPS, Medium averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 and maximum of 67, High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 38 FPS. At 3840x2160: Low averages 53 FPS, Medium averages 38 FPS with a minimum of 32 and maximum of 43, High averages 33 FPS, and Ultra averages 25 FPS.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: Low is substantially faster than Medium, Medium is moderately faster than High, and High is moderately faster than Ultra. The delta between Low and Medium is the largest step at every resolution — 32 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and 15 FPS at 4K. The delta between High and Ultra is smaller: 18 FPS at 1080p, 13 FPS at 1440p, and 8 FPS at 4K. Only the Medium presets include minimum and maximum FPS measurements, with the 1080p Medium showing a 68–92 range, 1440p Medium showing 50–67, and 4K Medium showing 32–43.

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

The resolution scaling behavior is a strong indicator of GPU-bound performance. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at the Low preset reduces the average FPS from 112 to 82, a drop of 30 FPS or approximately 27%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low reduces it further from 82 to 53, another drop of 29 FPS or approximately 35%. The total drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 59 FPS, meaning 4K delivers only 47% of the 1080p frame rate.

At the Medium preset, the scaling is similar in percentage terms: 1080p Medium runs at 80 FPS, 1440p Medium at 59 FPS (a 26% drop), and 4K Medium at 38 FPS (a 36% drop from 1440p). The High preset shows 70 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p (27% drop), and 33 FPS at 4K (35% drop). The Ultra preset delivers 52 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p (27% drop), and 25 FPS at 4K (34% drop).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all presets — roughly 27% from 1080p to 1440p and roughly 35% from 1440p to 4K regardless of settings — is the signature of a purely GPU-limited system. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to be more stable across resolutions at lower settings, since the CPU workload would remain constant while the GPU load increased. Instead, frame rates fall in near-lockstep with pixel count, confirming that the RTX 3050 4 GB is the sole performance constraint. The CPU’s 96th percentile standing and 5.50 GHz boost clock are effectively irrelevant to this game’s performance, as the GPU cannot feed the display fast enough at any resolution to approach the processor’s limits.