Lockdown Protocol

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B370 delivers a playable experience in Lockdown Protocol only at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where it averages 80 FPS. At higher resolutions or with more demanding presets, the combination falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold, and at 4K it struggles significantly even on Low settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this combination were recorded across three resolutions (3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080) and four settings levels (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra). The data shows a clear pattern: performance degrades predictably as resolution and graphical demands increase.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are consistently below playable levels. On Low settings, the average FPS is 38. Medium settings drop the average to 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31. High settings yield an average of 23 FPS. Ultra is the most demanding, producing an average of only 18 FPS. None of these 4K configurations reach the 60 FPS threshold, and even the best case (Low at 38 FPS) is well below the playability standard.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), performance improves but still falls short of playable thresholds across all settings. Low settings achieve an average of 58 FPS, which is close to but still below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48. High settings produce an average of 36 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 27 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that this combination cannot sustain 60 FPS at this resolution, regardless of preset.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the picture changes. Low settings deliver an average of 80 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the only configuration in the entire dataset that meets the playability standard. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 65, which falls just short of the 60 FPS average. High settings average 49 FPS. Ultra settings average 37 FPS. The data shows that 1080p Low is the sole playable configuration, while 1080p Medium nearly reaches the target but misses it by 3 FPS on average.

The scaling between settings at each resolution is consistent. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium costs 23 FPS (from 80 to 57), from Medium to High costs 8 FPS (from 57 to 49), and from High to Ultra costs 12 FPS (from 49 to 37). At 1440p, the same transitions cost 16, 6, and 9 FPS respectively. At 4K, the transitions cost 11, 4, and 5 FPS. The diminishing returns at higher resolutions suggest that resolution scaling has a larger impact on performance than settings changes alone.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database includes nearest rival comparisons for both the CPU and GPU, based on average benchmark scores. These comparisons help contextualize where this hardware sits relative to other components.

For the Intel Core i3-12100F, the nearest rival is the Intel Core 3 N355, with a benchmark score difference of 0%. This means the two processors perform essentially identically in aggregate benchmarks. The Intel Core i5-9500 is 0.3% ahead, a negligible margin. The Intel Core 5 120UL is 0.7% behind, and the Intel Core i7-1250U is 1.1% ahead. These deltas are all within a few percentage points, indicating that the i3-12100F sits in a tightly clustered performance band. In practical terms, swapping the i3-12100F for any of these rivals would produce nearly indistinguishable frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, since the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck at most settings.

For the Intel Arc B370, the nearest rivals are older AMD and ATI graphics solutions. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 is 0.2% behind the Arc B370, while the ATI Radeon HD 5770 is 0.5% ahead. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7% ahead, and the AMD FirePro M2000 is 1.4% behind. These deltas are also minimal, meaning the Arc B370 performs comparably to these legacy GPUs in the benchmark used. The GPU data suggests that the Arc B370 is a low-end part, as its percentile ranking among all GPUs is 5, meaning it outperforms only 5% of the database's tested graphics cards.

When considering similar performance alternatives for the full combination, the CPU rivals would not change the gaming outcome meaningfully, given their near-identical benchmark scores. For the GPU, the closest alternatives would deliver nearly the same frame rates, so users with any of these rivals would see similar results: playable only at 1080p Low, with 80 FPS being the best achievable average.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data allows for an analysis of which component, the Intel Core i3-12100F or the Intel Arc B370, plays a larger role in determining performance in Lockdown Protocol. The key evidence comes from how frame rates scale across resolutions and settings.

At 1080p Low, the combination achieves 80 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 58 FPS, a 27.5% reduction. At 4K Low, it falls to 38 FPS, another 34.5% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, has a benchmark profile that includes a single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674, which are respectable for a modern entry-level CPU. The GPU, however, has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The GPU's low performance ceiling is the primary constraint.

The settings scaling further supports this conclusion. At 1080p, reducing from Ultra to Low produces a frame rate increase from 37 to 80 FPS, a 116% improvement. At 1440p, the same settings change yields an improvement from 27 to 58 FPS, a 115% gain. At 4K, it goes from 18 to 38 FPS, a 111% gain. The consistency of these percentage improvements across resolutions suggests that settings changes affect the GPU workload uniformly, while the CPU overhead remains relatively constant. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect smaller gains from lowering settings at low resolutions, where the GPU has less work, but the gains remain large even at 1080p.

The verdict data from the database reinforces this interpretation. The combination has no playable settings at 1440p or 4K, but at 1080p it achieves 80 FPS on Low. The fact that the GPU ranks at the 5th percentile among all tested GPUs, while the CPU ranks at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, indicates a significant mismatch. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data, but the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to reach 60 FPS at higher resolutions or settings. In short, the Arc B370 is the limiting component, and upgrading it would provide the largest performance boost in Lockdown Protocol.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings, where the average FPS is 80. All other tested configurations fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 80, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that meets the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: Is 1440p playable with this hardware?

A: No. At 2560x1440, the best average FPS is 58 on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra settings produce 42, 36, and 27 FPS respectively, all below playable levels.

Q: How does the GPU compare to similar hardware?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, placing it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Radeon HD 5770, score within 0.5% of it, indicating the Arc B370 performs at a legacy low-end level.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar hardware?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it at the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, scores 13492, a 0% difference, meaning they perform essentially identically.

Q: What settings should I use at 1080p to stay above 60 FPS?

A: Low settings are the only option that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 80 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, which is below the threshold, despite having a maximum of 65 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database's overall ranking for Lockdown Protocol, this combination of Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B370 ranks 3427 out of 3714 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 7.7% of all configurations tested for this game. The low rank is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows that the combo is only playable at the lowest resolution and settings combination.

The rank reflects the GPU's severe limitation. With a percentile ranking of 5 among all GPUs, the Arc B370 is one of the weakest graphics solutions in the database. The CPU, by contrast, ranks at the 68th percentile, indicating it is a mid-tier processor. The combination of a strong CPU and a very weak GPU results in a system that is heavily GPU-bound in Lockdown Protocol, and the overall rank suffers accordingly.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing is near the bottom. The 287 combos ranked below it likely feature even weaker GPUs or CPUs, while the vast majority of tested combinations outperform it. For context, the nearest CPU rivals (within 1.1% benchmark score) would not change the rank meaningfully, and the nearest GPU rivals (within 1.4%) would also produce similar results. The rank of 3427 is therefore representative of the entire cluster of low-end GPU configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database provides a clear verdict on the best settings for each resolution, based on the requirement that the average FPS stays at or above 60.

At 3840x2160 (4K), no settings level achieves the playable threshold. The best average FPS is 38 on Low settings, which falls 22 FPS short of the target. Medium, High, and Ultra all produce averages below 30 FPS. Therefore, no settings are recommended at this resolution.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the situation is similar. Low settings produce the highest average at 58 FPS, which is 2 FPS below the threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra all average below 45 FPS. No settings level is playable at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), Low settings are the only playable option, with an average of 80 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, since it is the only preset that does so. Medium settings average 57 FPS, which is below the threshold, so Low is the recommended setting. The 80 FPS average provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, with headroom for frame drops. The recorded minimum for 1080p Medium is 48 FPS, and while no minimum is recorded for Low, the average of 80 suggests that the minimum is likely still above 60 in most scenarios.