Lockdown Protocol

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It runs at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU's 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 DDR5 via a dual-channel bus, offering 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported. The chip connects through PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes and includes an integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU unit.

In synthetic compute benchmarks, this processor posts strong multi-threaded scores: a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. It also delivers a Passmark multithread score of 60860 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4823. Those numbers place the CPU in the 96th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 84003. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (which scores 83807), 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090), and 1.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9135 (82980). The only rival that edges it out is the AMD EPYC 7F72, which scores 85072, putting the 290K Plus 1.3% behind.

For a fast-paced FPS like Lockdown Protocol, the single-thread performance is critical because game logic, physics, and frame scheduling often rely on a few heavily loaded threads. The 7303 single-core score in Cinebench R23 indicates that this CPU can handle those workloads without becoming the bottleneck. Meanwhile, the 24 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks, streaming, or recording, though the game itself likely uses a fraction of that parallelism. The high boost clock of 5.80 GHz is the key driver for the strong single-thread results, and the 36 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed game data closer to the cores.

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo with the Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves 280 FPS average. That figure suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU extremely high frame rates, far beyond what most displays refresh at. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU load is heaviest, the CPU still enables 62 FPS average, indicating that it is not a limiting factor even in the most demanding scenario tested. The data supports the interpretation that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is more than sufficient for this game, and the GPU becomes the primary determinant of performance as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its closest rival, the Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Core Ultra 9 285K's 83807. In practical terms, this is a negligible difference, meaning the two CPUs are effectively tied in overall compute performance.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for highest FPS?

A: The fastest measured result is 1080p Low, which delivers 280 FPS average. If you want a better visual quality, Medium at 1080p still hits 199 FPS, and High at 1080p reaches 174 FPS. Going to 4K drops the average to 82 FPS on High and 62 FPS on Ultra.

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

A: The data indicates that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 280 FPS, which is exceptionally high. As resolution increases, FPS drops significantly: 206 FPS at 1440p Low and 133 FPS at 4K Low. This pattern shows the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU has ample headroom to drive very high frame rates at lower resolutions.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 489th out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. That places it in the top 17% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing for a high-end desktop configuration.

Q: What is the single-thread performance of this CPU in Cinebench R23?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus scores 7303 in Cinebench R23 single-core. This is a high score that reflects the 5.80 GHz boost clock and is well suited for FPS games that rely on strong per-core performance.

Q: Does the GPU's benchmark percentile reflect its in-game performance?

A: The Radeon RX 7900 XT sits in the 55th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 13745. However, in Lockdown Protocol, the measured FPS shows it performs strongly, indicating that the game scales well with this GPU architecture. The percentile is based on synthetic tests, not the game-specific results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling for the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Radeon RX 7900 XT combo in Lockdown Protocol. Starting at 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 280 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 206 FPS, a decline of 74 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 133 FPS, another drop of 73 FPS. This consistent reduction of roughly 26% at each resolution step indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter as pixel count increases.

The same trend appears across all settings. At Medium settings, 1080p yields 199 FPS, 1440p yields 146 FPS, and 4K yields 94 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 53 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 52 FPS. At High settings, 1080p produces 174 FPS, 1440p produces 127 FPS, and 4K produces 82 FPS. The gap between resolutions is 47 FPS in each step. At Ultra settings, 1080p hits 130 FPS, 1440p hits 96 FPS, and 4K hits 62 FPS, with a 34 FPS drop per step.

The scaling behavior suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between 1080p and 1440p, because the CPU work per frame remains similar while the GPU load increases. Instead, the FPS declines proportionally with the pixel count, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU is pushed to deliver 280 FPS, the system does not hit a wall, indicating the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has headroom beyond what the GPU can render.

The minimum FPS data available for Medium settings provides additional insight. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 80 FPS, and the maximum is 108 FPS, giving a range of 28 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 124 FPS and the maximum is 168 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 169 FPS and the maximum is 229 FPS. These ranges show that frame time consistency improves as resolution drops, which is expected because the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions to maintain steadier output.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 489th out of 2828 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This puts the system in the top 17.3% of all combos in the database. Given the high-end nature of both components, this ranking reflects that there are many systems with even more powerful GPUs or more optimized pairings that achieve higher frame rates in this game.

The CPU alone is in the 96th percentile among all processors, which means it outperforms 96% of CPUs tested. The GPU, however, sits in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, which is a more modest position. This discrepancy suggests that while the CPU is near the top of its class, the Radeon RX 7900 XT is a mid-to-high-tier GPU rather than a flagship. The combo ranking of 489th is therefore influenced more by the GPU's position than the CPU's.

The measured FPS results show that the combination is capable of very high frame rates at lower resolutions, with 280 FPS at 1080p Low. However, at 4K Ultra, the system drops to 62 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for a smooth experience. This indicates that the combo is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming at high settings, rather than maxing out 4K.

Comparisons to other combos are limited by the data provided, but the ranking itself is informative. Being in the top 17% of all tested systems means that a majority of configurations in the database perform worse in Lockdown Protocol. The 2828 combos include a wide range of hardware, from budget to enthusiast tiers, and this pairing sits comfortably in the upper echelon.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all settings are playable, with Low hitting 280 FPS, Medium hitting 199 FPS, High hitting 174 FPS, and Ultra hitting 130 FPS. For competitive play where high refresh rates matter, Low or Medium is recommended, as both exceed 144 FPS, which is the threshold for many high-refresh monitors. Medium offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while still delivering 199 FPS, making it the best balance for 1080p.

At 1440p, the choice narrows. Low delivers 206 FPS, Medium delivers 146 FPS, High delivers 127 FPS, and Ultra delivers 96 FPS. Medium is the sweet spot here, providing 146 FPS which is above 144 Hz, while High is also viable at 127 FPS for those who prefer visual fidelity over maximum refresh. Ultra is playable at 96 FPS but may not be ideal for fast-paced FPS action where higher frame rates provide a competitive advantage.

At 4K, the data shows that only Low settings achieve a high frame rate, at 133 FPS. Medium drops to 94 FPS, High to 82 FPS, and Ultra to 62 FPS. For a smooth experience at 4K, Medium is the recommended choice, as 94 FPS is above 60 FPS and provides good visual quality. High is also acceptable at 82 FPS, but Ultra may feel less responsive at 62 FPS, especially in a fast-paced FPS where reaction time matters.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1440p Medium, which delivers 146 FPS average with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 168 FPS. This combination offers a high frame rate that exceeds most monitors' refresh rates, while the Medium preset provides a balanced level of graphical detail without the performance penalty of Ultra. For players with 1080p monitors, 1080p Medium at 199 FPS is similarly excellent and leaves significant headroom for frame rate spikes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the measured average FPS varies from 62 to 133 across settings. Low settings produce 133 FPS average, which is surprisingly high for 4K and indicates the game is well-optimized. Medium settings yield 94 FPS average, with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 108 FPS. High settings drop to 82 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce the lowest result at 62 FPS average. No minimum or maximum values are provided for Low, High, or Ultra at this resolution.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the results are substantially higher. Low settings hit 206 FPS average, Medium settings hit 146 FPS average with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 168 FPS, High settings hit 127 FPS average, and Ultra settings hit 96 FPS average. The jump from 4K to 1440p is significant, with Low settings improving by 73 FPS and Ultra improving by 34 FPS.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system reaches its peak performance. Low settings deliver 280 FPS average, which is the highest measured result. Medium settings produce 199 FPS average, with a minimum of 169 FPS and a maximum of 229 FPS. High settings yield 174 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce 130 FPS average. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p is less dramatic than from 4K to 1440p, with Low improving by 74 FPS and Ultra improving by 34 FPS.

The Medium setting is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions. At 1080p, the minimum is 169 FPS and the maximum is 229 FPS, showing a 60 FPS spread. At 1440p, the minimum is 124 FPS and the maximum is 168 FPS, a 44 FPS spread. At 4K, the minimum is 80 FPS and the maximum is 108 FPS, a 28 FPS spread. This narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that frame times become more consistent when the GPU is more heavily loaded, likely because the CPU has less idle time to cause uneven frame pacing.

The overall pattern across all resolutions and settings is that the combo performs best at lower resolutions and lower graphical presets. The Radeon RX 7900 XT's 20 GB of GDDR6 memory and 800 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for even 4K textures, but the raw compute power of 51.48 TFLOPS FP32 is the limiting factor at high resolutions. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 51731 multi-core and 7303 single-core Cinebench R23 scores, never appears to constrain the system, as evidenced by the consistent FPS scaling with resolution changes.