Lockdown Protocol

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 sits at rank 2,342 out of 2,828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the combination in the lower 17% of all tested systems, indicating that while the CPU is exceptionally strong, the GPU holds the overall experience back significantly. The combo rank reflects the measured performance across all resolutions and settings, and the data shows a system that can handle the game's CPU demands with ease but struggles to push high frame rates due to the graphics card's age and positioning.

To put this in perspective, the CPU alone ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83,807 (a 0.2% delta), and the AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83,090 (1.1% slower). The GPU, however, sits in only the 47th percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 9,780. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 at 9,803 (0.2% faster) and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M at 9,832 (0.5% faster). This stark contrast between a top-tier CPU and a mid-pack GPU explains the low overall combo ranking.

The measured FPS data confirms this bottleneck dynamic. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 131 FPS on average, which is respectable, but as resolution and settings increase, the frame rate drops sharply. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 29 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for a fast-paced FPS title. The combination's ranking of 2342 out of 2828 suggests that many other systems with more balanced component pairings outperform it, even if their CPUs are far weaker.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 131 FPS, which is the highest recorded value across all tested configurations.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's score of 83,807 and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX's 83,090.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded?

A: The lowest average FPS is 29, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in only the 47th percentile. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks in the 47th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9,780.

Q: How many cores and threads does the CPU have?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS drops from 81 to 59, a reduction of 22 FPS or approximately 27%. Continuing from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS falls from 59 to 38, another 21 FPS drop or roughly 36%. This scaling is consistent with a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU has ample headroom to handle the game's logic and physics at all resolutions.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 131, which drops to 96 at 1440p Low (a 35 FPS decrease) and then to 62 at 4K Low (a 34 FPS decrease). The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 27%, and from 1440p to 4K it is about 35%. This indicates that even at the lowest graphical settings, the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions, reinforcing the conclusion that the GTX 1070 is the limiting component.

The data also shows diminishing returns as settings increase. At 4K, the difference between Low and Medium is 18 FPS (62 to 44), between Medium and High is 6 FPS (44 to 38), and between High and Ultra is 9 FPS (38 to 29). This suggests that the GPU's rendering capabilities are being exhausted at 4K, and each additional setting tier has a smaller impact on performance. The CPU's strong single-threaded and multi-threaded scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 and a single-core score of 7,303, indicate that it is not the source of these frame rate drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 131. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 107. High settings yield an average of 81 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 61 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 70 FPS, which is the largest range across all resolutions, indicating that the GPU has more headroom at this resolution to respond to settings changes.

At 2560x1440, the averages are lower across the board. Low settings produce 96 FPS on average, Medium drops to 68 FPS (with min/max of 58/78), High yields 59 FPS, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. The range from Low to Ultra is 51 FPS, which is narrower than at 1080p, suggesting that the GPU is starting to become more constrained. The minimum FPS of 58 at Medium settings indicates that even mid-range settings can experience dips that might be noticeable in fast-paced gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance is significantly reduced. Low settings average 62 FPS, Medium drops to 44 FPS (with min/max of 37/50), High averages 38 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. The range from Low to Ultra is 33 FPS, the smallest of any resolution, which indicates that the GPU is saturated and settings changes have less impact. The minimum FPS of 37 at Medium settings shows that even at this setting, the system can dip below 40 FPS, which is not ideal for an FPS game. The overall trend is clear: the GTX 1070 can provide playable frame rates at 1080p, but 4K gaming is only feasible at Low settings, and even then, the average of 62 FPS is borderline.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. Its cache configuration includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and includes integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU excels. It scores 51,731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7,303 in single-core, along with 21,727 in Cinebench R20 multi-core and 3,067 in single-core. PassMark results show a multi-thread score of 60,860 and a single-thread score of 4,823. These numbers place the CPU in the 96th percentile among all processors, and its average benchmark score of 84,003 is only 0.2% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.

For Lockdown Protocol, a game that is unlikely to stress the CPU given its FPS genre and the relatively modest graphical demands, this processor provides massive headroom. The game's performance is clearly not CPU-bound, as evidenced by the FPS drops at higher resolutions and settings, which are characteristic of GPU limitations. The CPU's high clock speeds and core count ensure that even in scenarios with many on-screen entities or complex physics calculations, the processor is unlikely to be the bottleneck. The data suggests that the CPU is overkill for this pairing, and the GTX 1070 is the component that determines the overall experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers a strong balance, with an average of 93 FPS and a minimum of 79 FPS. This provides a smooth, responsive experience for an FPS game without the excessive performance cost of Ultra settings, which drop the average to 61 FPS. For those seeking maximum visual fidelity, High settings at 81 FPS average are also viable, but the 12 FPS difference between High and Medium may not be worth the visual gains.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS. This keeps the frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold for most of the time, though dips below 60 are possible. High settings at 59 FPS average are borderline, and Ultra at 45 FPS is not recommended for competitive play. At 4K, the options are limited. Low settings provide an average of 62 FPS, which is the only playable option, while Medium drops to 44 FPS and Ultra to 29 FPS. For 4K gaming, Low settings are the only viable choice, and even then, the experience may not be consistent.

The data shows that the GTX 1070's 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the card's compute capabilities, including 1,920 shading units and 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, are stretched at higher resolutions. The recommendation is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, especially at 1440p and above, to maintain a playable experience in this fast-paced FPS title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is based on the Pascal architecture, manufactured on a 16 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 1,506 MHz and a boost clock of 1,683 MHz, with 1,920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The card features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its pixel rate is 107.7 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 202.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GTX 1070 scores 13,498 in PassMark G3D and 10,082 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its Geekbench scores include 18,801 in Metal, 44,700 in OpenCL, and 22,121 in Vulkan. Despite these numbers, the card ranks in only the 47th percentile among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 9,780 is nearly identical to the AMD FirePro W5000 (9,803) and NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (9,832).

The GPU's role in Lockdown Protocol is the defining factor of this combo's performance. The measured FPS data shows that the card can handle 1080p gaming with ease, delivering 131 FPS at Low settings, but it struggles at higher resolutions. The significant FPS drops from 1080p to 1440p and 4K indicate that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute power are insufficient for the increased pixel count. The 8 GB of VRAM is adequate for the game's likely texture requirements, but the card's overall performance is not competitive with modern GPUs, as reflected in its 47th percentile ranking. The GTX 1070's 150 W TDP and dual-slot design are modest by today's standards, but the performance data shows that it is the primary bottleneck in this combination, limiting the otherwise powerful CPU's ability to deliver high frame rates.