Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a consistently playable experience in Lockdown Protocol, but the headroom available to you depends heavily on the resolution you choose. At 1920x1080, this combination clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset, while 2560x1440 drops Ultra below that line. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset remains viable. The data shows a clear scaling pattern: this PC is a strong 1080p performer, a solid 1440p machine for High or Medium settings, and a 4K option only when visual demands are minimized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol covers three resolutions and four settings tiers, with average, minimum, and maximum frame rates recorded for Medium presets at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 154 FPS, the highest figure in the entire dataset. Medium averages 109 FPS, with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 126 FPS. High averages 95 FPS, and Ultra averages 72 FPS. Every 1080p preset stays well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the lowest average (Ultra at 72 FPS) still providing a 12 FPS cushion.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages step down noticeably. Low averages 113 FPS, which remains a very high frame rate for a 1440p panel. Medium averages 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. High averages 70 FPS. Ultra, however, drops to an average of 52 FPS, falling 8 FPS short of the 60 FPS threshold. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 61 FPS, indicating that preset selection has a major impact on performance at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes further. Low averages 73 FPS, the only 4K preset to clear 60 FPS. Medium averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS—the maximum value still sits below the playable threshold. High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 4K is 39 FPS, with Ultra delivering less than half the frame rate of Low. For the Medium preset, the minimum of 44 FPS and maximum of 59 FPS show that even the best-case scenario fails to reach 60 FPS, making that preset unsuitable for smooth gameplay at 4K.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset is the only one where minimum and maximum values are provided. At 1080p, the 93 FPS minimum and 126 FPS maximum bracket the 109 FPS average tightly, suggesting consistent frame delivery. At 1440p, the 68 FPS minimum and 92 FPS maximum show more variance, but the minimum still clears the 60 FPS threshold by 8 FPS. At 4K, the 44 FPS minimum and 59 FPS maximum reveal significant drops below the average of 52 FPS, confirming that Medium at 4K is not a playable option.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B580 is the primary performance driver in Lockdown Protocol, with the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X providing sufficient compute headroom across all tested configurations. The scaling between resolutions supports this interpretation. At 1920x1080, the GPU has less rendering work per frame, which allows the CPU to feed frames more easily, resulting in the highest average FPS figures. As resolution increases to 2560x1440 and then 3840x2160, the GPU becomes increasingly saturated, and average FPS drops accordingly. This pattern is consistent across every preset tier.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent when comparing Low presets across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average is 154 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that suggests the CPU can handle the game’s simulation and draw-call overhead without bottlenecking the GPU. At 1440p Low, the average drops to 113 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 73 FPS. The 81 FPS difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is almost entirely attributable to GPU workload, since the CPU workload per frame does not change with resolution. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 9600X is not a limiting factor even at the highest frame rates measured.

Preset scaling further clarifies the GPU’s dominance. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces the average from 154 FPS to 72 FPS, a 53% decrease. At 1440p, the same preset change reduces the average from 113 FPS to 52 FPS, a 54% decrease. At 4K, Low to Ultra goes from 73 FPS to 34 FPS, a 53% decrease. The consistency of this percentage drop across resolutions suggests that the GPU’s rendering capabilities scale predictably with preset complexity, and the CPU does not introduce a variable bottleneck that would alter this relationship.

The Ryzen 5 9600X’s benchmark scores support its adequacy for this game. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17528.5 and single-core score of 2183.5 indicate strong per-thread performance, which is relevant for a fast-paced FPS where frame times matter. The CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1253 and PassMark single-thread score of 4570 further confirm that it can handle the game’s logic without becoming the weakest link. The data shows no scenario where the CPU prevents the GPU from reaching its measured frame rates, so the performance ceiling in this pairing is set by the Arc B580.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 72 FPS. This means you can run the game at maximum visual quality while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. The 72 FPS average at Ultra is 12 FPS higher than the 60 FPS minimum, so even if frame rates dip in intense combat, the headroom should absorb most fluctuations. Lower presets at 1080p—High at 95 FPS, Medium at 109 FPS, and Low at 154 FPS—are also viable, but they trade visual fidelity for higher frame rates that may benefit high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which averages 70 FPS. This preset provides a 10 FPS buffer above the threshold, making it the best balance of visual quality and performance at this resolution. Medium averages 80 FPS and Low averages 113 FPS, both of which also clear 60 FPS, but they come with reduced visual settings. Ultra at 1440p averages 52 FPS, which falls short of the threshold, so it should be avoided if you want consistent smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which averages 73 FPS. This is the sole playable option at 4K for this hardware combination. Medium averages 52 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS, all of which fail to reach the 60 FPS threshold. If you have a 4K display, you must accept Low settings to maintain playable frame rates, or you could consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for access to higher presets.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear: this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS or higher in specific configurations, but not all. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the best setting being Ultra at an average of 72 FPS. This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution for this pairing, offering full visual flexibility without sacrificing playability.

At 2560x1440, three presets clear 60 FPS: Low at 113 FPS, Medium at 80 FPS, and High at 70 FPS. The best setting is High, which averages 70 FPS. Ultra at 52 FPS is not playable, so you must choose between High and Medium if you want to stay above the threshold. The data shows that 1440p is a strong option for this PC, provided you avoid the most demanding preset.

At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, averaging 73 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall short of 60 FPS, with averages of 52, 45, and 34 FPS respectively. The best setting at 4K is Low, which delivers a 13 FPS margin above the threshold. For 4K gaming with this hardware, you are limited to the lowest preset, which may not satisfy players who prioritize visual detail.

Overall, the Ryzen 5 9600X and Arc B580 combination is a capable 1080p and 1440p machine for Lockdown Protocol, but it is not a 4K performer beyond Low settings. The combo ranks 2795 out of 3714 combinations in this game, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the performance distribution, but the measured data shows that playable frame rates are achievable at the resolutions most gamers target.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X provide context for how other CPUs would behave in this pairing. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE has an average benchmark score of 29656, which is 0.2% higher than the 9600X’s average of 29713. This suggests nearly identical CPU performance, so a system with that chip would likely produce very similar FPS numbers in Lockdown Protocol. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868, which is 0.5% lower than the 9600X, indicating a negligible performance deficit. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 29879, 0.6% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS scores 29955, 0.8% lower. All four rivals fall within a 1% band of the 9600X, meaning any of them would deliver effectively the same frame rates in this game when paired with the same GPU.

For the Intel Arc B580, the nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP has an average score of 23061, which is 0.2% higher than the B580’s average of 23021. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, 0.6% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, 0.7% higher, and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, 1% higher. These deltas are all under 1%, so the B580’s performance is closely matched by these GPUs. In practical terms, swapping the B580 for any of these alternatives would produce frame rates within a few FPS of the measured values, assuming the CPU remains the same.

The percentile rankings reinforce this picture. The Ryzen 5 9600X sits at the 81st percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 81% of processors in the database. The Arc B580 sits at the 68th percentile among all GPUs. This pairing combines a top-quintile CPU with a solidly mid-to-upper GPU, which explains why CPU-bound scenarios are rare in the measured data.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 72, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the best setting available at this resolution.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming with this hardware?

A: The best preset at 2560x1440 is High, which averages 70 FPS. Medium at 80 FPS and Low at 113 FPS are also playable, but Ultra at 52 FPS is not.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with the Ryzen 5 9600X and Arc B580?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 73 FPS at 3840x2160. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 52, 45, and 34 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to the RTX 2080 in this game?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 2080’s score of 22895. The performance difference is negligible, so frame rates would be nearly identical.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 9600X bottleneck the Arc B580 in Lockdown Protocol?

A: No. The CPU’s benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17528.5 and single-core score of 2183.5, indicate sufficient performance. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a GPU-bound pattern, with no evidence of CPU limitation.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 80, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. This preset provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.