Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B570 is a highly capable 1080p and 1440p gaming combination for Lockdown Protocol, delivering a smooth 60+ FPS experience at high settings in both resolutions. While the system hits a hard performance ceiling at 4K, restricting playable settings to Low, the data confirms that this combo is purpose-built for high-refresh-rate 1080p and solid 1440p play. The benchmark results indicate a clear 60 FPS threshold is achievable at 1080p Ultra, making this a viable option for gamers seeking maximum visual quality at standard resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B570 combination achieves an average of 63 FPS at 1920x1080 on Ultra settings, clearing the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Is this PC capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 64 FPS. At Medium and High settings, the average FPS drops to 46 and 40 respectively, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings are not playable, averaging only 30 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to the Intel Arc A750 in benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is virtually identical to the Intel Arc A750's score of 20582. The deltaPct between them is -0.1%, meaning the B570 is slightly behind the A750 by a negligible margin.

Q: What is the best playable setting for 1440p resolution?

A: The best playable setting at 2560x1440 is High, which averages 62 FPS. While Low and Medium settings also clear the 60 FPS threshold with averages of 100 and 71 FPS respectively, High offers the best visual quality while still maintaining playability.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i3-12100F?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core i3-12100F is $97.

Q: Does the i3-12100F have a higher multi-threaded score than the Intel Core 5 120UL?

A: No. In Cinebench R23 multi-core testing, the i3-12100F scores 11860, while the nearest rival data shows the Intel Core 5 120UL has a higher average benchmark score of 13594, with a deltaPct of -0.7%, indicating the i3-12100F is slightly behind.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions clearly delineates the roles of the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily GPU-bound, as evidenced by the dramatic FPS increase from 63 at Ultra to 136 at Low settings—a 115% performance uplift. This indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, with the i3-12100F providing sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at lower graphical loads.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU's dominance becomes even more pronounced. The FPS drops from 84 at 1080p High to 62 at 1440p High, a 26% reduction. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p shows a performance range of 100 to 46 FPS, a 54% variance. This pattern suggests that while the GPU is still the limiting factor, the increased pixel count begins to strain the Arc B570's 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component. The Ultra preset yields only 30 FPS, and even High settings manage just 40 FPS. The jump from Low (64 FPS) to Medium (46 FPS) represents a 28% performance loss, highlighting how severely the 4K resolution taxes the GPU's 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The CPU's role diminishes significantly at this resolution, as the frame rate is constrained almost entirely by the Arc B570's rendering capabilities. The data shows that for this game, the GPU is the dominant factor at every resolution, with the CPU becoming less relevant as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B570 ranks at position 2987 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 80th percentile of all tested systems. This ranking is respectable but not exceptional, indicating that while the combo handles the game well, there are a significant number of more powerful configurations that achieve higher frame rates.

The CPU's individual performance is modest, with a percentile rank of 68 against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 13494 places it in the same performance tier as the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492, deltaPct 0%) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, deltaPct 0.3%). The i3-12100F is also just 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351), which is a mobile processor, highlighting the desktop chip's efficiency relative to its power envelope.

For the GPU, the Arc B570's percentile rank of 65 places it slightly below the CPU's standing. Its average benchmark score of 20556 puts it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, deltaPct 0.1%) and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, deltaPct -0.1%). This suggests that in terms of raw compute, the Arc B570 performs nearly identically to a high-end laptop GPU and its desktop predecessor, making it a strong mid-range option.

The combo's overall rank of 2987 out of 3714 suggests that while it is not a top-tier system, it sits comfortably in the upper half of configurations. Given that the game's playability threshold is 60 FPS, the rank reflects the combo's ability to meet this target at most resolutions and presets, as evidenced by the measured FPS data.

The Verdict

This PC can definitively run Lockdown Protocol, with the verdict varying by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 60+ FPS across all four tested presets: Low (136 FPS), Medium (96 FPS), High (84 FPS), and Ultra (63 FPS). This makes it an excellent choice for 1080p gaming, allowing users to enable the highest visual settings while maintaining smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the system remains highly playable, with Low (100 FPS), Medium (71 FPS), and High (62 FPS) all clearing the 60 FPS threshold. However, the Ultra preset falls short at 46 FPS, so users must compromise on visual fidelity to maintain performance. The best playable setting at this resolution is High, which offers a balanced experience.

The 3840x2160 resolution presents a significant challenge. Only the Low preset achieves playable frame rates, averaging 64 FPS. Medium (46 FPS), High (40 FPS), and Ultra (30 FPS) all fail to meet the 60 FPS requirement. Therefore, 4K gaming is only viable with reduced graphical settings.

Overall, the data indicates this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers a solid experience. For 4K, the system is limited to Low settings, making it less ideal for high-resolution enthusiasts.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearestRivals data for both the CPU and GPU, several alternative components would yield similar performance in Lockdown Protocol.

For the CPU, the Intel Core 3 N355 and the Intel Core i5-9500 are the closest matches. The Core 3 N355 has an average benchmark score of 13492, which is virtually identical to the i3-12100F's 13494 (deltaPct 0%). Similarly, the Intel Core i5-9500 scores 13452, just 0.3% behind. The Intel Core 5 120UL scores slightly higher at 13594, putting it 0.7% ahead of the i3-12100F. The Intel Core i7-1250U, despite being a mobile chip, scores 13351, which is only 1.1% lower. Any of these processors would provide comparable CPU performance in this game, though the desktop-oriented options (i5-9500, Core 3 N355) are more logical direct replacements.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, deltaPct 0.1%) and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, deltaPct -0.1%) are the closest performance equivalents. The Arc A750 is particularly relevant as it is the direct predecessor in Intel's lineup. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, deltaPct 0.4%) and AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20662, deltaPct -0.5%) also fall within a narrow performance band, though these are older or professional-oriented cards that may lack modern feature support.

In practical terms, swapping the i3-12100F for an i5-9500 or the Arc B570 for an Arc A750 would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The performance deltas are so small (all under 1.1%) that they would be imperceptible in real-world gameplay.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains 60+ FPS is Ultra, which averages 63 FPS. This is the optimal choice for players who prioritize visual quality, as it delivers the full graphical experience while remaining above the playability threshold. For those seeking higher frame rates, dropping to High yields 84 FPS, and Low produces 136 FPS, but Ultra is the best balance of quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, averaging 62 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (71 FPS) and Low (100 FPS) while still meeting the 60 FPS requirement. Although High is the most demanding preset that clears the threshold, the margin above 60 FPS is slim, so users may prefer Medium for a more comfortable performance buffer.

At 3840x2160, the only playable setting is Low, which averages 64 FPS. This is the sole option that achieves the 60 FPS target, and it requires a substantial reduction in graphical fidelity. Medium (46 FPS) and High (40 FPS) are not viable for smooth gameplay, and Ultra (30 FPS) is well below the threshold. For 4K gaming, players must accept Low settings or consider a more powerful GPU.