Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the Intel Arc B370 is a heavily CPU-favored combination, and the benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol reflect a system that is almost entirely constrained by its integrated graphics solution. The Arc B370, operating as an IGP with system-shared memory, produces frame rates that are below the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution except for 1080p on Low settings. This is a configuration where the processor's substantial multi-core and single-core capabilities are effectively left unused, as the graphics pipeline becomes the definitive bottleneck across all tested scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded data shows a narrow band of performance across all four settings presets. High settings produce an average of 23 FPS, Medium settings deliver 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS, Low settings reach an average of 38 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to an average of 18 FPS. None of these averages approach the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the best case at Low settings is 22 FPS short of that mark. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 20 FPS, which indicates that the graphics processor is saturated regardless of the visual load placed upon it.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results improve but remain firmly in unplayable territory. Low settings average 58 FPS, which is the closest this combination gets to the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution, falling just 2 FPS short. High settings average 36 FPS, Medium settings average 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS. The scaling from 4K to 1440p shows a 20 FPS gain on Low settings and a 13 FPS gain on High settings, demonstrating that resolution reduction does provide some headroom, but not enough to cross the playability line.

At 1920x1080, the only playable configuration emerges. Low settings achieve an average of 80 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by 20 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, just 3 FPS below the threshold, with a recorded minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings average 37 FPS. The 1080p Low result stands as the sole playable outcome in the entire dataset, while every other setting at this resolution falls short of the 60 FPS mark.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: No. The recorded data shows no playable settings at 3840x2160. The best result is 38 FPS on Low settings, which is 22 FPS below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Ultra settings drop to 18 FPS.

Q: What is the best performance this combination can achieve?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 80 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the dataset that clears the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How close does 1440p get to playable frame rates?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 58 FPS, which is 2 FPS short of the 60 FPS threshold. All other settings at this resolution, including Medium at 42 FPS, High at 36 FPS, and Ultra at 27 FPS, are significantly below playable levels.

Q: Is the Medium preset viable at any resolution?

A: No. The closest Medium preset result is 57 FPS at 1920x1080, which is 3 FPS below the threshold. At 2560x1440, Medium averages 42 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it averages 27 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to Low across resolutions?

A: The gap between Ultra and Low settings widens with resolution increases are consistent. At 1080p, Ultra averages 37 FPS versus 80 FPS on Low. At 1440p, Ultra averages 27 FPS versus 58 FPS on Low. At 4K, Ultra averages 18 FPS versus 38 FPS on Low.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p Medium?

A: The recorded data shows an average of 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. The average falls just below the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum indicates noticeable dips during demanding scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor in this system is heavily skewed toward the GPU, or more precisely, the integrated graphics of the Intel Arc B370. The Ryzen 7 9700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, records a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20485 and a single-core score of 2211, placing it in the 86th percentile of all tested CPUs. Its PassMark multi-thread score of 37161 and single-thread score of 4654 further confirm that processing power is not the limiting factor. The CPU is capable of feeding far more frames than the GPU can render.

The Arc B370, by contrast, sits in the 5th percentile of all tested GPUs with an average benchmark score of 1184. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is the only graphics benchmark recorded, and it aligns with the low frame rates observed in Lockdown Protocol. The GPU's 25 W TDP and system-shared memory architecture explain why resolution scaling produces such modest gains. At 4K, lowering settings from Ultra to Low yields a 20 FPS improvement (18 to 38 FPS). At 1440p, the same settings change yields a 31 FPS improvement (27 to 58 FPS). At 1080p, it yields a 43 FPS improvement (37 to 80 FPS). This pattern shows that the GPU is overwhelmed at higher resolutions, and even at 1080p, only the lowest settings provide enough relief to reach playable frame rates.

The CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the frame rate consistency. At 1080p Medium, the recorded minimum of 48 FPS and maximum of 65 FPS around a 57 FPS average suggests that the CPU is maintaining a steady feed of frames, but the GPU cannot consistently process them. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 35 to 48 FPS around a 42 FPS average, indicating that the GPU is the primary constraint. The data shows no scenario where the CPU limits performance; every bottleneck traces back to the integrated graphics solution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

On the CPU side, the Ryzen 7 9700X sits in a tight cluster of comparable processors. The Intel Core i9-14901E posts an average benchmark score of 37911, a 0.1% difference from the 9700X's 37943. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scores 37904, also a 0.1% delta. The Intel Core 5 211E scores 37829, a 0.3% delta, and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 scores 37804, a 0.4% delta. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, meaning the choice between them would not change the frame rate outcomes recorded here.

On the GPU side, the Arc B370's nearest rivals are all legacy parts with comparable 3DMark Steel Nomad scores. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186, a 0.2% difference. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, a 0.5% difference. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a 0.7% difference. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a 1.4% difference. These parts would produce similar frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, all falling short of the 60 FPS threshold except at 1080p Low. The delta percentages are small enough that swapping between these GPUs would yield negligible performance changes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 7 9700X and the Arc B370 ranks 3427 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the bottom 8% of all configurations in the database. The ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the low-end integrated GPU. While the processor's percentile rank of 86 indicates strong performance relative to other CPUs, the GPU's percentile rank of 5 drags the overall combination down. The frame rate data confirms this ranking: only one of twelve recorded configurations reaches the playable threshold, and the majority of results fall between 18 and 58 FPS.

The rank also highlights that this is not a case of a mid-range system struggling with a demanding title. Lockdown Protocol, as an FPS, benefits from higher frame rates, and the recorded averages show that the system cannot deliver a smooth experience at any resolution above 1080p. The 3427th position out of 3714 indicates that most other combinations, even those with older CPUs and dedicated GPUs, outperform this setup in actual gameplay.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but only under very specific conditions. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160, no settings preset achieves playable frame rates. At 2560x1440, no settings preset achieves playable frame rates either, with the best case being 58 FPS on Low, just 2 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, only the Low preset is playable, delivering an average of 80 FPS.

For a practical perspective, the system is viable only for 1080p gaming on the lowest settings. The 1080p Medium preset at 57 FPS is tantalizingly close but falls short, and the minimum of 48 FPS would be noticeable during intense firefights. The 1080p High preset at 49 FPS and Ultra at 37 FPS are not recommended for competitive play. At 1440p and 4K, the system should be considered unplayable for Lockdown Protocol, as even the lowest settings fail to reach the 60 FPS target. The data suggests that users with this combination should stick to 1080p Low for a consistent experience above the playable threshold.