Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with performance scaling predictably as resolution increases. The data indicates that this pairing is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions, while 4K Ultra settings demand compromises. This analysis breaks down the measured results to clarify the role each component plays in the final frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The average frame rate is 180 FPS at 1080p with High settings, indicating a strong performance level for fast-paced FPS gameplay.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 1080p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Low is 290, while at 1080p Ultra it drops to 135. This shows that Ultra settings are more than twice as demanding as Low settings at this resolution.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60+ FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the average FPS is 85 on High, 97 on Medium, and 137 on Low. However, at Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 64, which is still above 60 but close to the threshold.

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

A: The lowest average FPS is 64, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration tested where the average FPS dips near the 60 FPS mark.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor. The data shows the CPU has a high multi-core score of 44,253 in Cinebench R23 and a 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs, which helps sustain high frame rates, but the GPU's workload is lower at this resolution.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 407th out of 2,828 tested combinations, placing it in the top 14.4% of all configurations for Lockdown Protocol.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of visual fidelity in Lockdown Protocol. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's textures and assets at the tested resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and its 7,168 shading units are key factors in processing the game's rendering workload. With 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores, the card is equipped to handle both ray-traced effects and DLSS features, although the measured data does not specify whether these were enabled.

The GPU's influence on frame rates becomes more apparent as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU has less work per frame, allowing the CPU to feed it enough data to achieve high frame rates. However, at 4K, the rendering load on the GPU increases significantly. The data shows a clear drop in average FPS at 3840x2160 across all settings compared to 2560x1440. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 132 at 1440p to 85 at 4K, a reduction of 47 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as its processing power limits the output regardless of the CPU's capability.

The GPU's raw compute performance is reflected in its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4,627 and Passmark G3D score of 29,995. These benchmarks position the GPU in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, which is only 1% faster, and the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, which is 0.1% slower. This suggests the desktop RTX 4070 SUPER provides performance comparable to top-tier mobile parts, but it is not a flagship desktop GPU. The performance at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS is 64, highlights its limits at the highest fidelity settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus provides the processing foundation for the game's simulation and logic. With 24 cores and 24 threads, it offers substantial multi-threading capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44,253. Its boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,439. The CPU's 36 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency for frequently accessed game data.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most critical at lower resolutions where the GPU is not saturated. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 290, while at 1440p Low it is 212. This 78 FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, but the 1080p result itself is very high. It suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of pushing frame rates well beyond 200 FPS, but the GPU is still able to keep up. The bottleneck at 1080p is not as clear-cut as at 4K, but the CPU's high core count and clock speed are likely the reason the system can achieve such high frame rates at this resolution.

The CPU's benchmark performance places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 93,785. Its nearest rivals are close in performance: the Intel Xeon 6520P matches its score exactly, while the AMD EPYC 4564P is 1.5% faster and the AMD EPYC 9175F is 1.9% faster. These rivals are enterprise-class server processors, which highlights the Ultra 7 270K Plus's strong multi-threaded performance for a desktop part. For Lockdown Protocol, this means the CPU is unlikely to be a limiting factor in most scenarios. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is stressed, the average FPS is 64, a playable level that suggests the CPU is still providing adequate data to the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination is consistent across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 290 on Low to 135 on Ultra. The Medium setting yields an average of 206 FPS, with a minimum of 175 and a maximum of 237. High settings produce an average of 180 FPS. These numbers indicate that the combo can easily drive high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, even at higher presets.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS scales down as expected. Low settings produce 212 FPS, High settings produce 132 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 99 FPS. Medium settings are again the only preset with full min/max data, showing an average of 151 FPS, with a minimum of 128 and a maximum of 173. The 1440p results remain very strong, with all presets staying above 60 FPS, and most staying well above 100 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The average FPS on Low is 137, which is high for 4K. Medium settings yield an average of 97 FPS, with a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 112. High settings drop to an average of 85 FPS. The most demanding configuration, 4K Ultra, produces an average of 64 FPS. This is the only tested setting where the average frame rate approaches the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the RTX 4070 SUPER is nearing its limit for this game at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the balance between the CPU and GPU. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 290 at 1080p to 212 at 1440p and then to 137 at 4K. This represents a 27% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 35% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is still capable of driving high frame rates at 1440p, but the GPU's workload is increasing significantly.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more severe. The average FPS drops from 135 at 1080p to 99 at 1440p, a 27% reduction, and then to 64 at 4K, a further 35% reduction. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is 53%, which is higher than the 47% drop at Low settings. This indicates that as settings increase, the GPU becomes a more dominant bottleneck, as the additional visual effects and detail levels place a heavier load on the RTX 4070 SUPER.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. The smallest performance gap between 1440p and 4K is at Low settings, where the drop is 35%. This suggests that the GPU is handling the higher resolution workload, but the CPU is still able to feed it efficiently. The fact that 4K Low produces 137 FPS demonstrates that the CPU can sustain high frame rates even when the GPU is processing a 4K frame. The primary takeaway is that the limiting component shifts from the CPU at 1080p to the GPU at 4K, but the CPU remains capable enough to avoid being a significant bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the Medium preset appears to offer the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium produces an average of 206 FPS, which is only 29% lower than Low but provides better visual fidelity. The minimum FPS of 175 at this setting ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. At 1440p, Medium yields 151 FPS, which is well above the 144Hz refresh rate common on many monitors. The minimum of 128 FPS still provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the most viable option for high refresh rates. The average of 97 FPS at 4K Medium is significantly higher than the 85 FPS at High, and the minimum of 83 FPS is still very playable. While Ultra settings produce an average of 64 FPS, this is close to the 60 FPS threshold and may result in occasional stutters in intense action sequences. The data suggests that players targeting 4K should use Medium settings to maintain a smooth experience, or consider High if they have a 60Hz display and prefer better visuals.

At 1080p and 1440p, the High preset is also a strong choice for those prioritizing image quality. At 1080p, High produces 180 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. At 1440p, High yields 132 FPS, which is suitable for 120Hz monitors. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and while it produces playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, the performance drop from High is substantial. For the best experience, Medium or High settings are recommended, depending on the user's resolution and refresh rate preferences.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 407th out of 2,828 tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the top 14.4% of all configurations, indicating a strong overall performance level. The rank reflects the balance between the high-tier CPU and the mid-to-high-tier GPU, which together deliver excellent frame rates at mainstream resolutions.

The CPU's performance is a significant contributor to this rank. Its 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its average benchmark score of 93,785, which is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P, show that it is a top-tier processor. This ensures that the system is not held back by processor limitations, even at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest. The GPU, while ranking in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, is still a capable part, and its performance is close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, which is only 1% faster in average benchmark score.

The 407th rank out of 2,828 combos suggests there are many more powerful combinations, likely featuring higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generations. However, the data shows that this specific combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and it can handle 4K at playable frame rates with adjusted settings. The rank confirms the synergy between the powerful CPU and the solid GPU, making it a strong choice for Lockdown Protocol players who prioritize high frame rates.