Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers a solid 1080p experience in Lockdown Protocol, with the data showing that the most demanding preset at that resolution, Ultra, still averages 63 FPS. Moving to 1440p requires a step down in visual fidelity to maintain smooth gameplay, while 4K is only viable at the lowest settings. This pairing is clearly capable, but the measured FPS numbers show that its limits are reached quickly as resolution increases.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which yields an average of 64 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is steep, with the average falling to 46 FPS, so there is no headroom for higher quality settings at this resolution. High settings produce 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to 30 FPS, both firmly below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the best preset that maintains 60 FPS or higher is High, averaging 62 FPS. This is a tight margin, as Medium runs at 71 FPS and Low at 100 FPS, but Ultra falls to 46 FPS. For a smoother experience, Medium at 71 FPS provides a more comfortable buffer above the threshold, but High is technically playable.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 63 FPS. This is the only resolution where the full visual quality is accessible. High runs at 84 FPS, Medium at 96 FPS, and Low at 136 FPS, giving plenty of options for higher refresh rates if desired.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data indicates that this game scales heavily with resolution, and the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU has room to push high frame rates, with Low hitting 136 FPS and Ultra still managing 63 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a drop of 73 FPS, which is significant but shows the CPU can feed the GPU well at lower resolutions.

At 1440p, the GPU load increases, and the frame rate drops accordingly. Low runs at 100 FPS, Medium at 71 FPS, and High at 62 FPS, with Ultra at 46 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 54 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU is starting to limit performance more. The Ryzen 7 7700, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, has enough single-thread performance for this game, but the Arc B570's raw throughput becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint. The spread from Low (64 FPS) to Ultra (30 FPS) is only 34 FPS, and even Medium drops to 46 FPS. The CPU's role diminishes almost entirely here; the data shows that the Arc B570 simply cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K beyond Low settings, regardless of the CPU's capabilities. The Ryzen 7 7700's 3DMark single-thread score of 1049 and PassMark single-thread score of 4063 indicate strong per-core performance, but this does not translate into higher FPS at 4K because the GPU is saturated.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing ranks 2987 out of 3714 combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which aligns with the measured FPS data. The GPU, Intel Arc B570, sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20534, a delta of 0.1%, meaning the Arc B570 is essentially on par with that mobile part. The CPU, AMD Ryzen 7 7700, is much stronger, ranking in the 87th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 40081.

The combination of a high-performing CPU and a mid-range GPU creates an imbalance. The Ryzen 7 7700 has enough headroom to drive higher frame rates, but the Arc B570 holds the system back, particularly at higher resolutions. The overall rank of 2987 reflects this bottleneck; the CPU is not the limiting factor, but the GPU's performance ceiling prevents the combo from climbing higher in the rankings.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which average 64 FPS. Medium drops to 46 FPS, High to 40 FPS, and Ultra to 30 FPS, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p if I want a smooth experience?

A: High settings average 62 FPS, which is just above the playable threshold. For a more comfortable margin, Medium runs at 71 FPS and Low at 100 FPS, but Ultra is not playable at 46 FPS.

Q: Does Ultra settings work at 1080p?

A: Yes, Ultra averages 63 FPS at 1920x1080, making it the only resolution where the highest preset is playable. High runs at 84 FPS, Medium at 96 FPS, and Low at 136 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its nearest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20534, which is a 0.1% difference. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, a -0.1% delta.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 4K?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck at 4K. The frame rate drops sharply from Low (64 FPS) to Medium (46 FPS), showing that the Arc B570 cannot handle increased visual load, while the CPU's performance has minimal impact at this resolution.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: Low averages 136 FPS, while Ultra averages 63 FPS, a difference of 73 FPS. This indicates the GPU is still heavily taxed at 1080p, but the CPU is capable enough to produce high frame rates on lower presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the data shows a clear hierarchy. Low settings average 64 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. Medium averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High averages 40 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS, both without min or max data. The step from Low to Medium is a 18 FPS drop, indicating a significant performance penalty for modest visual improvements.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 100 FPS, Medium averages 71 FPS with a min of 60 FPS and max of 81 FPS, High averages 62 FPS, and Ultra averages 46 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 60 FPS is exactly at the playable threshold, which is worth noting for those who care about frame pacing. The gap between Medium and High is 9 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 16 FPS, showing diminishing returns as settings increase.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 136 FPS, Medium averages 96 FPS with a min of 82 FPS and max of 111 FPS, High averages 84 FPS, and Ultra averages 63 FPS. The Medium preset offers the best balance of smoothness and quality, with a minimum well above the threshold. The drop from Low to Medium is 40 FPS, which is substantial, while the drop from High to Ultra is 21 FPS.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at playable frame rates, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets from Low to Ultra clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 63 FPS. This is the ideal resolution for this combo, as it allows the full visual quality without compromising performance.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable on Low, Medium, and High settings, with High averaging 62 FPS. Ultra is not viable at 46 FPS. The verdict for 1440p is that High settings are the maximum you can use, and even then, the margin is slim.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, averaging 64 FPS. Any other preset drops below the 60 FPS threshold, making 4K gaming impractical beyond the lowest quality settings. Overall, this system is a strong 1080p performer, a decent 1440p option with reduced settings, and a marginal 4K machine limited to Low presets. The CPU is more than capable, but the Arc B570's performance ceiling defines the system's limits.