Lockdown Protocol

FAQ

Q: Can AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + Intel Arc B370 run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, at 1080p with Low settings. The recorded average FPS is 80, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings fall just short at 57 FPS average, so Low is the only playable preset at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The only resolution with a playable setting is 1920x1080. At 2560x1440, even Low settings only reach 58 FPS average, just below the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the best result is 38 FPS on Low, which is far from playable.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals in raw performance?

A: The Arc B370 sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 0.2% higher on average. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 is 0.5% ahead, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7% ahead, and the AMD FirePro M2000 trails by 1.4%.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X a strong CPU for gaming workloads?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 9 9900X ranks in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 57498 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 9015 (0.1% lower) and AMD EPYC 7313 (0.2% higher), while the Intel Core i9-14900 is 1.1% ahead and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M is 1.4% ahead.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 2560x1440 with this setup?

A: None of the presets reach 60 FPS at 1440p. Low settings average 58 FPS, Medium averages 42 FPS, High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The minimum recorded at Medium is 35 FPS with a maximum of 48 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU bottleneck limit performance in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. The Arc B370 ranks at the 5th percentile among GPUs, while the Ryzen 9 9900X ranks at the 92nd percentile among CPUs. The CPU's multi-threaded capability (32172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) far exceeds what this game's frame rates would require, so the GPU's low performance ceiling dictates the results.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data for Lockdown Protocol reveals a system heavily constrained by the graphics side. The CPU, an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X with 12 cores and 24 threads, ranks in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs with a strong average benchmark score of 57498. It delivers 32172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2253 in single-core, which places it among capable desktop processors. The GPU, an Intel Arc B370, sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of only 1184. This massive gap in relative standing makes the division of labor clear.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is unquestionably the dominant factor. Frame rates scale from 18 FPS at Ultra to 38 FPS at Low, a spread of 20 FPS across the four presets. The jump from Medium (27 FPS) to Low (38 FPS) shows a 41% improvement, but even the lowest preset remains far below the 60 FPS threshold. Resolution scaling is steep: at 1080p Low, the system reaches 80 FPS, but at 1440p Low it drops to 58 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls to 38 FPS. These drops are far larger than what a strong CPU would cause, indicating the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities are exhausted quickly as pixel count rises.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes slightly more visible. The difference between Low (80 FPS) and Medium (57 FPS) is 23 FPS, and between Medium and High (49 FPS) is another 8 FPS. Ultra drops to 37 FPS. The scaling pattern shows that even at 1080p, the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS beyond Low settings. The CPU, with its 92nd percentile standing, is never the bottleneck here. Its single-thread performance (3010 in Geekbench single-core, 2253 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and multi-thread capabilities are more than sufficient for the frame rates observed.

The measured FPS data confirms that the Arc B370 is the limiting component across all resolutions. The system's inability to exceed 80 FPS at any setting, even at 1080p Low, points to a GPU that simply lacks the raw throughput for higher presets. Users upgrading only the CPU would see no improvement in this game; the GPU's 5th percentile ranking means any modern mid-range or higher graphics card would change the picture entirely.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has nearest rivals that behave nearly identically in benchmark terms. The AMD EPYC 9015 scores 57555, which is 0.1% higher than the 9900X's 57498. The AMD EPYC 7313 scores 57399, 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i9-14900 sits 1.1% ahead with a score of 58115, and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M is 1.4% ahead at 58323. In practical terms, these four alternatives would deliver almost indistinguishable CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol. The 9900X's 12-core, 24-thread configuration with a 5.60 GHz boost clock provides ample headroom, and the rivals in this range do not meaningfully change the gaming outcome.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B370's nearest rivals are all older or lower-end parts. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186, just 0.2% above the Arc B370's 1184. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, 0.7% higher. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, 1.4% lower. These deltas are all within a couple of points, meaning a system with any of these GPUs would produce nearly the same frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The Arc B370's 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs place it in a performance class that predates modern gaming expectations. Users considering a GPU swap should look far beyond these nearest rivals to find meaningful improvement.

The Verdict

This combination can run Lockdown Protocol, but only at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The verdict data shows a single playable configuration: 1080p Low with an average FPS of 80. That clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable 20 FPS margin. At 2560x1440, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest is Low at 58 FPS, which misses the threshold by just 2 FPS. Medium at 1440p averages 42 FPS, High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. At 3840x2160, the situation is worse. Low averages 38 FPS, Medium averages 27 FPS, High averages 23 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. None of these are playable by the 60 FPS standard.

The practical verdict is that this PC is a 1080p Low machine for Lockdown Protocol. The Ryzen 9 9900X provides excellent CPU headroom, but the Intel Arc B370 holds the system back. If the resolution is dropped to 1080p and settings are kept at Low, the experience is smooth. Any attempt to raise quality or resolution will push frame rates below the playable threshold. Users with 1440p or 4K monitors should not expect a satisfactory experience without a GPU upgrade.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations in the database, this pairing ranks 3427 out of 3714. That places it in the bottom 8% of all tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. The ranking reflects the GPU's severe limitation. The CPU is among the top 8% of all processors, but the GPU is among the bottom 5%, and the game's frame rates follow the GPU's lead. The combo rank of 3427 out of 3714 means there are only 287 tested combinations that perform worse. Almost every other pairing delivers higher frame rates in this game, which makes sense given that the Arc B370's average benchmark score of 1184 is comparable to integrated graphics from over a decade ago.

This ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability. The Ryzen 9 9900X's 92nd percentile standing means it is not the cause of the low rank. The bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side. Users who pair this CPU with a more capable GPU would see the combo rank improve substantially. As configured, however, the system sits near the bottom of the database for Lockdown Protocol performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, there is no playable preset. The highest average FPS is 38 at Low settings, which is 22 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 27 FPS, High averages 23 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. The best setting for image quality at 4K would be Low, as it offers the highest frame rate, but it still falls short of playable.

At 2560x1440, there is also no playable preset. Low settings average 58 FPS, which misses the 60 FPS threshold by a narrow 2 FPS margin. Medium averages 42 FPS, High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. Users at 1440p should use Low for the best frame rate, understanding that it is just below playable.

At 1920x1080, Low settings are the only playable option. The average FPS is 80, which is 20 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 57 FPS, just 3 FPS below playable, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High averages 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. The best settings for a 1080p display are Low, delivering the only configuration that clears 60 FPS. Users who want a bit more visual fidelity can try Medium, but they will experience average frame rates below the playable threshold and occasional dips into the 40s.