Lockdown Protocol

Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly unbalanced combination for Lockdown Protocol, where the GPU acts as the dominant constraint across all tested resolutions. The processor, which ranks in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, has ample headroom, while the graphics solution sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, creating a scenario where frame rates are dictated almost entirely by the integrated graphics engine.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset configuration manages to reach the 60 FPS playable threshold. The most demanding setting that comes closest is Low, which produces an average of 42 FPS, but this still falls well short of playable performance. High settings drop to 26 FPS, Medium sits at 30 FPS, and Ultra is the weakest at 19 FPS. None of these are viable for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves slightly. The Low preset is the only configuration that clears the 60 FPS bar, achieving an average of 65 FPS. Medium falls to 46 FPS, High drops to 40 FPS, and Ultra manages only 30 FPS. The best settings for this resolution are therefore Low, with the recorded average of 65 FPS.

At 1920x1080, two presets manage to stay at or above 60 FPS. Low delivers 88 FPS average, and Medium achieves 63 FPS. The most demanding preset that remains playable is Medium, with a recorded average of 63 FPS. High falls short at 55 FPS, while Ultra drops to 41 FPS. For the best visual quality while maintaining playability, Medium is the choice at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear pattern where the GPU is the limiting factor at every resolution. The Intel Core i7-12700KF carries a 3dmark max threads score of 9983 and a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 28838, indicating substantial processing power. Meanwhile, the Arc B390 posts a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of just 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This massive disparity means the processor is never the bottleneck.

Resolution scaling confirms the GPU constraint. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at Medium settings drops the average from 63 FPS to 46 FPS, a reduction of 17 FPS. Going from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 at Medium drops from 46 FPS to 30 FPS, another 16 FPS loss. The consistent hit with each resolution increase points directly at the graphics hardware being overwhelmed by pixel throughput.

Preset scaling reinforces this interpretation. At 1920x1080, moving from Low to Ultra reduces the average from 88 FPS to 41 FPS, a 47 FPS swing driven entirely by graphics workload. The GPU's relatively low FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS and its 80 W TDP for an integrated part explain why the frame rate degrades so quickly as shading and memory demands rise.

The CPU's role remains largely passive in these measurements. With a single-thread score of 3984 in PassMark and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, the i7-12700KF has far more capability than the Arc B390 can feed. Benchmarks indicate the processor would not struggle even at the lowest frame rates recorded, as the GPU is unable to present enough work to saturate the CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads.

Similar Performance Alternatives

On the CPU side, the i7-12700KF sits very close to several other processors in aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Core i7-13700T averages 35403, which is 0.1% lower than this chip's average of 35365. The Intel Core i5-13600T averages 35305, a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core 5 213PE averages 35428, also 0.2% away. The Intel Core i7-12700K averages 35287, another 0.2% delta. Any of these would behave essentially identically in this pairing, since the GPU is the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals in the database are all drastically weaker parts. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% below the Arc B390's 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% lower. These comparisons show that the Arc B390 is grouped with entry-level discrete graphics from over a decade ago, reinforcing that the GPU is the primary constraint in every resolution tested.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Lockdown Protocol depends on the resolution and settings chosen. At 1920x1080, the answer is yes, but only with settings set to Low or Medium. The recorded data shows Medium averaging 63 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold, and Low averaging 88 FPS. High and Ultra are not playable at this resolution, with averages of 55 FPS and 41 FPS respectively.

At 2560x1440, the system can run the game only on Low settings, which averages 65 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold at 46, 40, and 30 FPS. At 3840x2160, there is no playable configuration. The best result at 4K is Low at 42 FPS, which remains below the 60 FPS threshold.

The verdict is conditional: the PC handles 1080p medium and 1440p low, but fails at 4K entirely. The playable settings at each resolution are exactly those listed in the verdict data, with no higher preset clearing the bar.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measurements are as follows. High averages 26 FPS. Low averages 42 FPS. Medium averages 30 FPS, with a minimum of 25 FPS and a maximum of 34 FPS. Ultra averages 19 FPS. No minimum or maximum values were recorded for High, Low, or Ultra.

At 2560x1440, High averages 40 FPS. Low averages 65 FPS. Medium averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. Ultra averages 30 FPS. Minimum and maximum data are absent for the other three presets.

At 1920x1080, High averages 55 FPS. Low averages 88 FPS. Medium averages 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. Ultra averages 41 FPS. Only Medium has recorded min and max values.

The pattern across all resolutions shows the same relative ordering, with Low fastest, then Medium, then High, then Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra grows from 47 FPS at 1080p to 23 FPS at 4K, reflecting the GPU hitting its absolute limits at high pixel counts.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on 1080p?

A: Yes, but only on Low and Medium settings. Low averages 88 FPS and Medium averages 63 FPS. High averages 55 FPS and Ultra averages 41 FPS, both below the threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1440p?

A: Low is the only setting that stays at or above 60 FPS at 2560x1440, with an average of 65 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall short.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: No. The highest average at 3840x2160 is 42 FPS on Low settings, and every other preset averages below 30 FPS. No configuration reaches the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Which component limits performance in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU sits in the 85th percentile. The frame rates drop consistently with resolution and preset changes, which points squarely at the graphics hardware.

Q: How does the CPU compare to nearby alternatives?

A: The i7-12700KF averages 35365 across benchmark tests. The i7-13700T is 0.1% lower, the i5-13600T is 0.2% higher, the Core 5 213PE is 0.2% lower, and the i7-12700K is 0.2% higher. These differences are negligible for gaming performance.

Q: What GPU does the Arc B390 perform similarly to?

A: The closest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1.3% lower score, the GeForce 800M at 1.5% lower, the GeForce GT 625 OEM at 2.5% lower, and the GeForce GT 710 at 2.7% lower. All are far below what modern games require.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this pairing ranks 3302 out of 3714 total combinations. That places it in the bottom portion of all tested systems, at roughly the 11th percentile of combos. The rank reflects the severe GPU bottleneck described throughout this analysis.

The high-performing CPU contributes little to the final ranking because the GPU cannot translate processor capability into frame rate. The Arc B390's 9th percentile standing among all GPUs drags the entire combination down, despite the i7-12700KF's 85th percentile CPU position. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, which relies heavily on graphics throughput at every preset level, the GPU's weakness dominates the outcome.

The ranking makes sense given the measured data. With no playable settings at 4K, only one playable preset at 1440p, and two playable presets at 1080p, this system sits well below the median experience. Users seeking smoother performance would need a substantially stronger graphics solution, as the processor has demonstrated it is not the constraint in any scenario.