Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling mid-range analysis case for Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS. The data indicates a system capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, solid performance at 1440p, and playable conditions at 4K only when settings are reduced. The benchmark results reveal a clear scaling pattern where resolution and graphical presets dramatically shift the performance profile, making this combo a versatile but settings-dependent option.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS or more at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 72 FPS at Ultra settings, which is the most demanding preset tested. This clears the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating the combo can run the game at maximum settings at this resolution.

Q: How does the combo perform at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: The data shows an average of 70 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, confirming that the system can handle a high visual fidelity experience at this resolution without dropping below playable averages.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this CPU and GPU combination?

A: At 3840x2160, the system only achieves a playable average FPS (above 60) with Low settings, hitting 73 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52 FPS, and High and Ultra are below playable thresholds at 45 FPS and 34 FPS respectively, so 4K requires significant graphical compromises.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 154 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 72 FPS. This represents a drop of 82 FPS when moving from the least to most demanding preset.

Q: Does the system show a larger performance gap between Low and Medium, or Medium and High?

A: The largest gap is between Medium and High. At 2560x1440, for instance, the Medium preset averages 80 FPS, while High drops to 70 FPS. The gap from Low to Medium is also large, going from 113 FPS to 80 FPS, making the scaling non-linear across presets.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combo ranks 2795 out of 3714 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, indicating that while capable, there are many other hardware pairings that achieve higher performance in this specific game.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a classic resolution-dependent shift in workload between the Intel Core i7-13700K and the Intel Arc B580. At 1920x1080, the system’s performance is likely more dependent on the CPU’s ability to feed frames quickly. The significant jump from 109 FPS at Medium to 154 FPS at Low suggests that reducing the GPU workload allows the CPU to push frames much faster, indicating that at lower resolutions, the CPU is a more active partner in achieving high frame rates. The i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, appears well-suited for this task.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The average FPS at High settings drops to 70, and at Medium to 80. This is a smaller absolute drop compared to the 1080p results, but the trend is clear: the GPU is becoming the limiting factor. The Arc B580’s 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are being utilized more heavily, and the frame rate becomes less about CPU headroom and more about the GPU’s rendering capabilities. The difference between Low (113 FPS) and Medium (80 FPS) is still pronounced, but the ceiling is lower.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s role becomes dominant. The system struggles to maintain 60 FPS even at Medium settings, achieving only 52 FPS. The massive drop from 73 FPS at Low to 45 FPS at High shows how quickly the Arc B580 is overwhelmed. The CPU’s role diminishes as the GPU becomes the bottleneck, unable to process the pixel count demanded by 4K. The data shows that the i7-13700K has ample compute headroom, but the Arc B580’s performance ceiling is reached much earlier at this resolution. The scaling from 1080p to 4K illustrates a transition from a balanced system to a GPU-limited one, with the CPU’s impact on average FPS decreasing as resolution climbs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system’s performance across all tested settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system excels. The Low preset yields an average of 154 FPS, while Medium achieves 109 FPS with minimums of 93 FPS and maximums of 126 FPS. High settings produce 95 FPS, and even Ultra maintains a solid 72 FPS average. This demonstrates that the combo is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, with all presets clearing the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but requires more settings management. The Low preset delivers 113 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Medium settings drop to 80 FPS, with a measured range of 68 to 92 FPS, showing some frame time variance. High settings average 70 FPS, which is still playable but closer to the threshold. Ultra settings, however, fall below the playable line at 52 FPS, indicating that the most demanding settings are not viable at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limitations are clear. Low settings are the only playable option, averaging 73 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52 FPS, with minimums of 44 FPS and maximums of 59 FPS, which would result in noticeable stuttering during intense gameplay. High settings average 45 FPS, and Ultra dips to 34 FPS, both of which are not suitable for a smooth experience. The data shows a steep performance cliff between Low and Medium at 4K, underscoring the GPU’s struggle with the higher pixel count.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2795 out of 3714 tested configurations places this pairing in the 25th percentile of all systems tested for Lockdown Protocol. This is a modest ranking, suggesting that while the system is competent, it is outperformed by a significant majority of other hardware combinations in the database. The CPU itself is ranked in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. The GPU, however, is ranked in the 68th percentile, which is lower and likely drags down the overall combo performance.

The gap between the CPU and GPU percentiles highlights an imbalance. The i7-13700K is a top-tier processor, but the Arc B580 is a more mid-range graphics card. In a game like Lockdown Protocol, which appears to be sensitive to GPU load at higher resolutions, this imbalance becomes the limiting factor. The combo’s rank suggests that users with a less powerful CPU but a more powerful GPU might achieve better results in this specific title, as the game’s performance scaling is heavily tied to the graphics card. The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios, except possibly at very low settings and 1080p.

The Verdict

The data clearly supports that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies significantly by resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—averaging above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset’s 72 FPS average confirms that maximum visual quality is achievable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable but requires a settings choice. High settings average 70 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold, and Medium and Low also perform well. Ultra settings, however, fall short at 52 FPS, making them unplayable by the defined standard. The verdict for 1440p is that the system can run the game well, but users should stick to High settings or lower for a consistent experience.

At 3840x2160, the system is only playable with Low settings, which average 73 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fail to reach 60 FPS, with averages of 52, 45, and 34 FPS respectively. This means that while 4K is technically possible, it requires a significant sacrifice in visual fidelity to maintain playable frame rates. The verdict is that 4K gaming is only viable with the Low preset, making this combo more suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users aiming for the highest visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS average, the data suggests the following optimal settings. At 1920x1080, the best setting is Ultra, which achieves an average of 72 FPS. This provides the most demanding visual experience while still clearing the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is High, delivering an average of 70 FPS. This is a significant step up from Medium (80 FPS) in visual quality, but still maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target. Choosing High at 1440p offers a good balance of fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the best setting is Low, which achieves an average of 73 FPS. This is the only preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold at 4K. While the visual quality is reduced, it is the only way to achieve a playable frame rate at this resolution. Users prioritizing 4K resolution over visual detail can use this preset, but they should be aware that Medium settings will result in an average of 52 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i7-13700K provide context for its performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has an average score that is 0.2% lower, making it essentially a performance equivalent. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 is 0.3% slower, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 are each 0.5% faster. For a user considering this system, swapping the i7-13700K for any of these CPUs would result in a negligible change in overall performance, as all are within a 0.5% delta.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580’s nearest rivals show interesting comparisons. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP has an average score that is 0.2% lower, indicating near-identical performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is 0.6% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is 0.7% slower, which is a surprising result given the generational difference. The NVIDIA P106-100 is 1% slower. These rivals suggest that the Arc B580 performs in a similar tier to the RTX 2080 and RTX 3080 in this specific benchmark context, meaning a user could expect similar frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when swapping between these cards, assuming no other system changes.