Lockdown Protocol

The data indicates that the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 is a capable combination for Lockdown Protocol, with playable performance available at all tested resolutions. The system is most comfortable at 1920x1080, where it can run the Ultra preset above 60 FPS, while 2560x1440 requires High settings to clear the threshold. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset maintains a playable frame rate, showing a clear scaling pattern tied to resolution and graphical load.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra. The recorded average frame rate at this setting is 71.8 FPS, which provides a comfortable margin above the playable threshold while delivering the highest visual quality the game offers. Lower presets yield higher frame rates, but Ultra is the optimal choice for this resolution because it maximizes fidelity without dropping below 60 FPS.

Moving up to 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High. The measured average is 69.4 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold with a modest cushion. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 50.4 FPS, which fails to stay at or above 60 FPS, making High the appropriate ceiling for smooth gameplay. Medium and Low also remain playable, but High offers the best balance of visual quality and performance at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 74.1 FPS. Medium drops to 52.7 FPS, High falls to 42.8 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 32.7 FPS. This makes Low the sole viable option for 4K gameplay, and it still provides a solid frame rate well above the playable threshold. Users prioritizing higher visual settings at 4K would need to accept a sub-60 FPS experience, as none of the other presets achieve the required frame rate.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in this configuration for Lockdown Protocol. As resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160, the average frame rates at each preset drop consistently, which is the expected pattern when pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor. For example, at High settings, the system delivers 92.7 FPS at 1080p, 69.4 FPS at 1440p, and 42.8 FPS at 4K. This steep decline indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is handling the bulk of the workload, with the CPU providing sufficient support at lower resolutions but no longer being the primary constraint.

The CPU, an Intel Core i5-9400 with 6 cores and 6 threads, sits at the 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 with a score of 2259 and a delta of -0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-10710U with a score of 2248 and a delta of 0.3%. This places the processor in a mid-range position, but the benchmark results indicate that it does not bottleneck the GPU at playable settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 151.3 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would expose CPU limitations if they existed. The fact that the frame rate continues to scale upward as settings are lowered suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at this resolution.

At higher resolutions, the GPU role becomes more pronounced. The delta between presets at each resolution shows that the Arc B580 is the variable that matters most. At 1440p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 61.6 FPS, from 112 to 50.4 FPS. At 4K, the same preset range spans from 74.1 FPS down to 32.7 FPS, a gap of 41.4 FPS. These large swings are characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where rendering complexity and resolution are the governing factors. The CPU remains relatively constant in its workload, so the frame rate changes are driven by the graphics card's ability to process the increasing number of pixels and effects.

The data also shows that the system is not CPU-bound even at the highest frame rates recorded. At 1080p Low, the 151.3 FPS average is well beyond what a mid-range CPU would typically cap in a CPU-limited scenario. This combination of a 47th percentile CPU with a 68th percentile GPU results in a balanced pairing for this title, with the GPU taking on more responsibility as resolution climbs. The recorded measurements confirm that Lockdown Protocol scales primarily with GPU load, and the Intel Core i5-9400 provides adequate support across all tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080 on Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The recorded average frame rate at 1080p Ultra is 71.8 FPS, which stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold and is the highest preset available at that resolution.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440 gameplay?

A: High is the best playable preset at 1440p, with an average of 69.4 FPS. Ultra falls below the threshold at 50.4 FPS, so High is the most demanding setting that remains smooth.

Q: Is 4K gameplay possible with this hardware?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The 4K Low preset averages 74.1 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra all fail to reach 60 FPS with averages of 52.7, 42.8, and 32.7 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to nearby GPUs in the database?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021 and sits at the 68th percentile. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP with a score of 23061 and a delta of -0.2%, making them nearly identical in performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 trails slightly with a score of 22895 and a delta of 0.6%.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to other CPUs in its range?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it at the 47th percentile. The closest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 at 2259 (-0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2248 (0.3% delta), indicating very similar overall compute performance.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. Frame rates drop significantly from 1080p to 1440p to 4K, and preset changes cause large swings in performance, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU is sufficient to support high frame rates at lower resolutions, as shown by the 151.3 FPS average at 1080p Low.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-9400, several CPUs would behave similarly in Lockdown Protocol. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average benchmark score of 2259, which is only 0.2% lower than the i5-9400's score of 2254. In practical terms, this means virtually identical frame rates in CPU-related scenarios, though this game is largely GPU-bound at the tested settings. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% difference, and would also produce nearly indistinguishable results. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, with a score of 2246 and a delta of 0.4%, rounds out the closest comparisons. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% higher than the i5-9400, making it a slightly faster but still very similar option. In all cases, the differences are within a fraction of a percent, so swapping to any of these CPUs would not meaningfully change the frame rates recorded for this system.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021 and sits at the 68th percentile. The closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP with a score of 23061, a delta of -0.2%, meaning the two cards are essentially equivalent in overall benchmark performance. Users with this AMD card would see nearly the same frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower than the Arc B580, again a negligible difference in real-world gameplay. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, a 0.7% advantage over the Arc B580, which would translate to a very slight edge in demanding scenes. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, a 1% lead, the largest delta among the listed rivals but still within a small margin. For this game, any of these GPUs would deliver comparable performance to the Arc B580, with the RTX 3080 and P106-100 offering a marginal improvement at the top end.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full set of recorded measurements for the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 combination in Lockdown Protocol is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 151.3 FPS, Medium averages 111.3 FPS, High averages 92.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 71.8 FPS. All four presets at this resolution clear the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Low providing more than double the frame rate of Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 112 FPS, Medium averages 81.8 FPS, High averages 69.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 50.4 FPS. The first three presets remain playable, while Ultra falls below the threshold. The drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 61.6 FPS, showing the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 74.1 FPS, Medium averages 52.7 FPS, High averages 42.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 32.7 FPS. Only Low maintains a playable frame rate at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same preset is steep, with High dropping from 92.7 FPS to 42.8 FPS, a reduction of more than half. The data shows a consistent pattern where both resolution and preset level directly influence the average frame rate, with the GPU bearing the brunt of the load at higher settings.

The Verdict

This system can run Lockdown Protocol at all three tested resolutions, but the playable settings vary significantly. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, including Ultra at 71.8 FPS, which is the recommended configuration for a full visual experience. At 2560x1440, High is the best playable preset with 69.4 FPS, while Ultra fails to stay above the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, only Low achieves a playable frame rate, averaging 74.1 FPS, and users must accept reduced visual fidelity to maintain smooth gameplay.

The verdict by resolution confirms that the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The 1080p Ultra setting provides a high-quality experience with a comfortable frame rate, and 1440p High is a strong alternative for users with higher-resolution monitors. At 4K, the system is playable only on Low settings, making it a less ideal choice for users who prioritize visual quality at that resolution. Overall, the data indicates that this CPU and GPU combination delivers solid performance for Lockdown Protocol, with the best balance of quality and speed found at 1080p Ultra.