Lockdown Protocol

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Lockdown Protocol with the Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B370 shows a clear performance ceiling across all tested resolutions. At 3840x2160, the combination struggles to maintain playable frame rates. High settings produce an average of 23 FPS, while Medium settings yield 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS. Low settings improve the average to 38 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 18 FPS. None of these figures approach the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results improve but remain below the 60 FPS target. High settings deliver 36 FPS on average, Medium settings reach 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, and Low settings hit 58 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 27 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 31 FPS, indicating that graphical preset selection heavily influences performance.

At 1920x1080, the combination finally reaches playable territory. Low settings produce an average of 80 FPS, which comfortably clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 57 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS, just below the playable mark. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 37 FPS. The scaling from 3840x2160 to 1920x1080 is substantial: Low settings improve from 38 FPS to 80 FPS, a 42 FPS gain, while High settings improve from 23 FPS to 49 FPS, a 26 FPS gain.

The data shows that the Arc B370, despite its modest specifications, handles lower resolutions with more consistency. However, the lack of min and max values for several settings limits the depth of analysis for those configurations. The recorded Medium settings at each resolution include full min and max data, providing the most complete picture: at 3840x2160, the range spans 23 to 31 FPS; at 2560x1440, it spans 35 to 48 FPS; and at 1920x1080, it spans 48 to 65 FPS. This consistency suggests that frame pacing remains stable even when average rates are low.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: No. The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 57, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The minimum recorded is 48 FPS and the maximum is 65 FPS, so some scenes may exceed 60 FPS, but the average does not.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 3840x2160?

A: There is no playable setting at 3840x2160. The highest average FPS recorded at this resolution is 38 FPS with Low settings, while Ultra settings only reach 18 FPS. All configurations at this resolution fall well short of the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186, which is 0.2% higher. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190 (0.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192 (0.7% higher). The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, which is 1.4% lower.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 58 FPS while Ultra settings average 27 FPS. This represents a 31 FPS difference, meaning Low settings deliver more than double the frame rate of Ultra settings at this resolution.

Q: Which resolution offers the highest average FPS for this combination?

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

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-12700K rank highly among all CPUs?

A: The i7-12700K sits in the 84th percentile compared to all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 35287, placing it close to rivals like the Intel Core i5-13600T, which scores 35305 (0.1% higher).

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 3427 out of 3714 tested combinations in the database for Lockdown Protocol. This places the combo in the bottom 8% of all configurations tested for this game. The low ranking is primarily driven by the GPU, which sits in the 5th percentile among all GPUs, whereas the CPU ranks in the 84th percentile among all CPUs.

The disparity between CPU and GPU performance is stark. The i7-12700K's average benchmark score of 35287 demonstrates strong processing capability, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19784 and a Geekbench multicore score of 15790. The Arc B370, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 1184 across all recorded tests, with its only benchmark entry being a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. This GPU performance level aligns with much older hardware, as indicated by its nearest rivals all being ATI or AMD models from earlier generations.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol specifically, the combo's rank of 3427 out of 3714 means that 287 tested combinations performed worse. While this is not the worst result in the database, it indicates that the majority of tested hardware configurations deliver better frame rates in this FPS title. The CPU's high percentile does not translate into playable performance at higher resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where it achieves an average of 80 FPS. This is the only configuration that clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average drops to 57 FPS, which is below the threshold but within a close margin. High and Ultra settings at this resolution average 49 FPS and 37 FPS respectively, neither of which meets the playable standard.

At 2560x1440, no settings achieve 60 FPS. Low settings come closest with 58 FPS, but this falls short. Medium settings average 42 FPS, High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS. At 3840x2160, all settings are far from playable, with Low settings producing the best result at 38 FPS and Ultra producing the worst at 18 FPS.

The verdict is clear: this combination is only suitable for 1080p gaming at the lowest preset. Players seeking higher resolutions or more demanding presets will need to accept frame rates well below the 60 FPS target. The data indicates that the system is not equipped to handle Lockdown Protocol at 1440p or 4K with any degree of smoothness.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i7-12700K's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i5-13600T, which has an average score of 35305 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-12700KF with a score of 35365 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i7-13700T with a score of 35403 (0.3% lower), and the Intel Core 5 213PE with a score of 35428 (0.4% lower). These CPUs would behave nearly identically to the i7-12700K in Lockdown Protocol, as their benchmark scores differ by less than half a percent.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B370's nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, 0.2% higher), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, 0.5% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, 0.7% higher), and the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, 1.4% lower). These GPUs would produce frame rates within a narrow margin of the Arc B370 in this game. The close benchmark scores suggest that swapping to any of these alternatives would not meaningfully change the playability outcomes at any resolution.

The combination of a top-quartile CPU with a bottom-quartile GPU creates a system where the GPU bottleneck is severe. Users considering alternatives should focus on upgrading the graphics component rather than the processor, as the i7-12700K already provides ample processing headroom for this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS. The best average FPS at this resolution comes from Low settings at 38 FPS, but this is still 22 FPS below the playable threshold. Medium settings deliver 27 FPS, High settings deliver 23 FPS, and Ultra settings deliver 18 FPS. None of these configurations are recommended for playable performance.

At 2560x1440, the best average FPS is 58 FPS with Low settings, which is 2 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 42 FPS, High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS. While Low settings come close to playable, the average still falls short.

At 1920x1080, Low settings achieve 80 FPS on average, making this the only playable configuration in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 57 FPS, which is just below the threshold. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings average 37 FPS. For players who prioritize frame rate, Low settings at 1080p is the definitive choice. For those willing to accept slightly lower performance, Medium settings at 1080p may be tolerable, but the average does not meet the playable standard.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol. The Intel Core i7-12700K, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, provides substantial processing power that is not the limiting factor in this game. Its benchmark scores, including a PassMark multithread score of 34404 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19784, place it far above the GPU in relative capability. The Arc B370, with a 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is the primary constraint on performance.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this analysis. From 3840x2160 to 2560x1440, Low settings improve from 38 FPS to 58 FPS, a 52.6% increase. From 2560x1440 to 1920x1080, Low settings improve from 58 FPS to 80 FPS, a 37.9% increase. This consistent improvement as resolution decreases indicates that the GPU, not the CPU, is handling the rendering load. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain relatively flat across resolutions.

Settings scaling further reinforces the GPU's dominant role. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 43 FPS (80 vs 37). At 2560x1440, the difference is 31 FPS (58 vs 27). At 3840x2160, the difference is 20 FPS (38 vs 18). As resolution increases, the absolute difference between settings shrinks, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios where higher resolutions consume all available graphics resources.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080 Low, the system achieves 80 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed frames quickly enough to support this rate. The i7-12700K's single-thread performance, with a PassMark single-thread score of 4013 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2308, supports this capability. However, even at this favorable configuration, the GPU's limitations prevent higher averages from being reached.

In summary, the GPU is the dominant factor in determining Lockdown Protocol's performance across all tested resolutions and presets. The CPU provides more than enough headroom, and any performance improvements would require a more capable graphics solution.