Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly unusual combination in the database: a modern, high-core-count desktop CPU matched with an integrated-class graphics solution. The benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol reveal a system that is entirely constrained by its graphics component, with the CPU's considerable compute resources left largely untapped. The data shows a clear ceiling on performance that shifts with resolution and preset, but the overall picture is one of a system built for productivity that struggles to deliver a smooth gaming experience beyond the most forgiving settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Lockdown Protocol provides a complete picture of this combo's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the most common gaming resolution, the system delivers its best results. With the Low preset, the average frame rate is 88 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded for this combination. Moving to the Medium preset drops the average to 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. The High preset averages 55 FPS, while the Ultra preset falls to an average of 41 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is substantial, representing a 47 FPS difference in average performance.

At 2560x1440, the impact of the additional pixels is immediate and severe. The Low preset averages 65 FPS, which is a 23 FPS drop from the same preset at 1080p. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to an average of 30 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows that the Arc B390 loses roughly 26% of its performance at Low settings, but the percentage loss grows as the preset increases, with Medium losing about 27% and High losing about 27% as well.

At 3840x2160, 4K resolution proves to be beyond this hardware's reach for any playable experience. The Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is the only preset that comes close to the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 30 FPS, with a minimum of 25 FPS and a maximum of 34 FPS. High drops to 26 FPS, and Ultra falls to just 19 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows another significant performance hit, with Low losing 23 FPS and Medium losing 16 FPS. The minimum frame rates recorded only for Medium at each resolution suggest that frame pacing becomes more erratic as resolution increases, with the 4K Medium minimum of 25 FPS representing a particularly unstable experience.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor in this system is starkly one-sided. The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores are robust, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055. The CPU sits in the 83rd percentile among all tested processors, indicating strong headroom for gaming workloads. In contrast, the Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor with 1536 shading units and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a massive gap from the CPU's standing.

The frame rate scaling between resolutions confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor. When moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 88 to 65, a reduction of 23 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings drops the average further to 42 FPS. This consistent degradation with resolution increase is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the processor's workload does not scale with pixel count. The data shows no such flatness, meaning the Arc B390 is saturated at every resolution tested.

The preset scaling reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 47 FPS, with the GPU struggling to keep up with the increased shading and texture work. At 1440p, that same preset gap narrows to 35 FPS, and at 4K it narrows further to 23 FPS. This narrowing gap at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is already so overloaded by pixel throughput that the additional cost of higher presets has diminishing relative impact. The CPU's role is reduced to feeding frames to a GPU that cannot process them fast enough, meaning the i5-14400F's capabilities are largely wasted in this pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

The verdict by resolution data provides clear guidance on the highest playable settings, defined as those maintaining an average of at least 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the system can handle the Medium preset, which delivers an average of 63 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 55 FPS and Ultra at 41 FPS both fall short. The Medium preset also shows a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS, indicating that while the average is playable, there are dips below the threshold during demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the options narrow significantly. The only playable setting is Low, which averages 65 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, which is well below the threshold. The Low preset at 1440p is the best choice for this resolution, but it comes with the visual compromises inherent to low-quality textures and effects. The 65 FPS average provides some headroom above the 60 FPS line, but the margin is thinner than at 1080p Medium.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best average FPS recorded is 42 at Low settings, which falls short of the 60 FPS requirement. The verdict data explicitly lists no playable settings for 4K, meaning this resolution is not viable for Lockdown Protocol with this hardware. The system simply lacks the graphics throughput to drive 4K at a playable frame rate, regardless of how much the visual quality is reduced.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals in the database for the Intel Core i5-14400F provide context for its computational standing. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores an average of 32233, which is 0.1% lower than the i5-14400F's average benchmark score of 32279. The Intel Core i9-11900 is 0.2% ahead with a score of 32226, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is 0.2% behind. The Intel Core i7-12800H completes the group with a score of 32121, placing it 0.5% behind. These processors all perform within a narrow band of each other, meaning any of them paired with the Arc B390 would likely yield nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, as the GPU would remain the bottleneck.

For the Intel Arc B390, the nearest rivals are all NVIDIA integrated or entry-level discrete parts from a much older generation. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower than the Arc B390's 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M is 1.5% behind at 1460, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM is 2.5% behind at 1446. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% behind at 1443. These deltas are small, suggesting that swapping the Arc B390 for any of these GPUs would produce very similar performance in Lockdown Protocol. The comparison highlights that the Arc B390 sits at the very bottom of the GPU performance hierarchy, alongside parts that are over a decade old.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined ranking for this CPU and GPU pairing in Lockdown Protocol is 3302 out of 3714 tested combinations. This places the system in the bottom 11% of all tested combos, a reflection of the GPU's severe limitations. The CPU's strong percentile standing does little to lift the overall ranking, as the game's frame rate is dictated almost entirely by the graphics solution. The rank suggests that this combination performs worse than the vast majority of systems in the database, including many with far older CPUs but more capable discrete GPUs.

The ranking also implies that the i5-14400F is heavily underutilized in this configuration. A processor in the 83rd percentile paired with a GPU in the 9th percentile creates a massive imbalance. The data indicates that the combo rank is dragged down by the GPU component, and that any upgrade to a more capable graphics card would dramatically improve the system's standing in the database. The current rank of 3302 is a direct consequence of the Arc B390's 1482 benchmark score, which is the lowest among its nearest rivals.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol? The answer depends entirely on the resolution and settings chosen. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at both Low and Medium presets, with the Medium preset delivering 63 FPS average. This is the recommended configuration for a playable experience, as it balances visual quality with frame rate. At 2560x1440, the only playable option is Low, which averages 65 FPS. This is technically playable, but the visual quality is significantly reduced compared to 1080p Medium.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot achieve playable frame rates at any preset. The highest average is 42 FPS at Low settings, which falls well short of the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict data confirms that 4K is not viable for this hardware. For users who insist on 4K, the only recourse is to lower the resolution scaling or accept a sub-60 FPS experience, but the recorded data shows no preset that meets the playable threshold. The system is best suited for 1080p gaming with moderate settings, where it can provide a stable experience without exceeding the Arc B390's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 88 FPS at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 2560x1440?

A: Yes, but only with the Low preset, which averages 65 FPS. All other presets at this resolution fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14400F compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i9-11900.

Q: What is the 4K performance like for this system?

A: At 3840x2160, no preset achieves playable frame rates. The best average is 42 FPS at Low settings, with Ultra dropping to just 19 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 rank among all tested GPUs?

A: The Arc B390 is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1.3% lower.

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

A: The GPU is the clear limiting factor. Frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases, indicating the Arc B390 is saturated, while the i5-14400F's strong benchmark scores remain underutilized.