Lockdown Protocol

Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B580: Lockdown Protocol Performance Analysis

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title released in March 2024. The recorded benchmark data shows that this combination handles the game's demands well at lower resolutions, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and settings increase. At 4K, the combo begins to struggle with higher presets, though it remains playable at Low settings. The Arc B580, with its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and Xe2-HPG architecture, provides ample headroom for this title, while the six-core Comet Lake CPU keeps frame pacing consistent in most scenarios. The database shows this pairing ranks in the 75th percentile of all tested combinations for this game, indicating a competent mid-range setup.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the resolution most users will target, the combo delivers strong performance across all four presets. On Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 151.8 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth for a fast-paced FPS. Medium settings still produce a very playable 110.4 FPS average, while High settings yield 94.1 FPS. Even at Ultra, the most demanding preset, the system maintains a 73.7 FPS average, comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a performance drop of approximately 51%, which is a reasonable cost for the visual fidelity gains.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but the gap between presets widens. Low settings deliver 111.3 FPS, still excellent for competitive play. Medium settings produce 82.6 FPS, and High settings hit 71.9 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 55 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is the first preset at this resolution that cannot maintain smooth gameplay. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 27% of the frame rate on Low settings, a typical penalty for the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, 4K resolution puts significant strain on the Arc B580. Low settings manage a 71.9 FPS average, which is technically playable. Medium settings fall to 49.9 FPS, High to 46.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 34.1 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming with this combo is only viable at the lowest preset, and even then, the margin above the 60 FPS threshold is slim. The performance cliff between Low and Medium at 4K is steep, a 30% reduction, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and shading resources are maxed out.

The benchmark data does not include separate minimum or maximum frame rate values, so only average FPS figures are available for analysis. The recorded averages suggest consistent performance, as the gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution follows a predictable pattern.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core i5-10400F plays a supporting role in Lockdown Protocol, while the Intel Arc B580 carries the primary rendering load. This becomes evident when examining the scaling between resolutions and presets. At 1080p Low, the system produces 151.8 FPS, which is high enough that CPU limitations could theoretically come into play. However, the CPU's six cores and twelve threads, backed by a 4.30 GHz boost clock, appear sufficient to feed the GPU at this level.

The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce this assessment. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 points and single-core score of 1451 points indicate a processor that can handle modern game workloads without bottlenecking a mid-range GPU. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 and max-thread score of 4735 show consistent scaling across thread counts, suggesting the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing.

As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The frame rate drops between 1080p and 1440p, and again between 1440p and 4K, align with the GPU's rendering capabilities rather than CPU limitations. The Arc B580's 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 456.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are the constraining resources at higher resolutions. The GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, compared to the CPU's identical 68th percentile, shows a balanced pairing where neither component dramatically outclasses the other.

At 4K Ultra, the 34.1 FPS result points squarely at the GPU as the bottleneck. The CPU is capable of higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot process the increased pixel count and visual effects fast enough. The data shows that for this game, the Arc B580 is the limiting factor at 4K and the i5-10400F is sufficient at all tested resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, which achieves a 73.7 FPS average. This is the only resolution where the highest preset remains above the 60 FPS threshold. The 73.7 FPS figure provides a comfortable cushion above the playability cutoff, ensuring smooth gameplay even during intense firefights. All four presets are playable at 1080p, with Low, Medium, and High all exceeding 90 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, delivering a 71.9 FPS average. This falls just below the 1080p Ultra result, showing that the GPU can handle the higher resolution but requires a one-step reduction in visual quality to maintain performance. Medium settings at 82.6 FPS and Low at 111.3 FPS are also viable, but High offers the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate. Ultra at 55 FPS is not recommended, as it misses the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Low, with a 71.9 FPS average. This is the only preset that stays above the playability threshold at 4K. Medium at 49.9 FPS, High at 46.8 FPS, and Ultra at 34.1 FPS all fall short of the 60 FPS mark. The 4K experience is limited to reduced visual quality, but the 71.9 FPS result still provides a smooth gameplay experience for those who prioritize resolution over detail.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-10400F sits in a tight performance cluster according to the database's average benchmark scores. The Intel Xeon 6756E is nearly identical with a score of 14163, just 0.2% behind the i5-10400F's 14185 average. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, a 0.3% margin ahead. The AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115, 0.5% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, 0.6% ahead. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580's average benchmark score of 23021 places it alongside several familiar competitors. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, just 0.2% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, 0.6% behind, while the RTX 3080 scores 23172, 0.7% ahead. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, a 1% margin. These GPUs would deliver similar performance in Lockdown Protocol, with frame rate differences of only a few FPS in most scenarios.

For users considering alternative hardware, the RTX 3080 would provide a slight edge in the most demanding 4K situations, potentially pushing Medium settings closer to the 60 FPS threshold. The RX 580 2048SP would perform almost identically to the Arc B580, making it a viable alternative if driver preferences or availability factors come into play.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2788 out of 3714 tested combos in the database for Lockdown Protocol. This places the pairing in the 75th percentile, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all tested configurations. This is a respectable position for a mid-range setup, though it indicates that a substantial number of combinations deliver higher frame rates.

The ranking reflects the balanced nature of this pairing. The CPU and GPU both sit at the 68th percentile among their respective component categories, and their combined performance lands in the upper quartile for this game. The rank suggests that users seeking higher performance would need to upgrade both components, as improving only one would likely create a bottleneck.

The 75th percentile ranking also indicates that this combo handles Lockdown Protocol better than many older or lower-tier configurations. The game's 2024 release date means it benefits from modern hardware features, and the Arc B580's DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility align well with the game's requirements.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves a 73.7 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. All four presets at 1080p are playable, with Low hitting 151.8 FPS and Medium reaching 110.4 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B580?

A: At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, with a 71.9 FPS average. Medium drops to 49.9 FPS, High to 46.8 FPS, and Ultra to 34.1 FPS, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 deliver a 71.9 FPS average, which is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium hits 82.6 FPS and Low reaches 111.3 FPS, while Ultra falls short at 55 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to the RTX 2080 in terms of overall benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, while the RTX 2080 scores 22895, a 0.6% difference. This indicates nearly identical performance levels between the two GPUs.

Q: Does the i5-10400F bottleneck the Arc B580 in this game?

A: The data shows the CPU is sufficient at all tested resolutions. The frame rate scaling between 1080p, 1440p, and 4K follows GPU-driven patterns, and the CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 68th percentile, matching the GPU's percentile ranking.

Q: What percentage of tested combos does this setup outperform in Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combo ranks 2788 out of 3714 total combinations, placing it in the 75th percentile. It outperforms roughly three-quarters of all tested configurations for this game.