Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a specific performance profile for Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title released on 2024-03-11. Benchmark data shows this combination is fully capable of running the game at 1080p and 1440p with high settings, while 4K requires a drop to Low settings to maintain playable frame rates. The measured frame rates across resolutions and presets provide a clear picture of where this combo excels and where its limits appear, particularly at the demanding 3840x2160 resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this combo each have close rivals based on aggregate benchmark scores. For the Intel Core i7-14700KF, the nearest performance alternative is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, which scores 69996 against the i7-14700KF’s average of 70163, a delta of only 0.2%. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is nearly identical at 69875 with a 0.4% delta, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X trails by 0.9% with a score of 69515. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K actually scores higher at 70879, putting it 1% ahead of the i7-14700KF. These rivals would deliver virtually indistinguishable CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, since the differences are all within a single percentage point.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B570’s average benchmark score of 20556 places it directly alongside several familiar options. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is essentially tied at 20534, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Arc A750 is also within a rounding error at 20582, just 0.1% ahead. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M sits at 20480 with a 0.4% delta, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X completes the group at 20662, 0.5% ahead. For Lockdown Protocol, any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates, meaning users with these alternatives can expect the same playability profile.

The CPU’s percentile ranking at 94% of all CPUs indicates it sits near the top of the performance distribution, while the GPU’s 65th percentile shows it is a mid-range part. This asymmetry means the Arc B570 is the primary limiter in this pairing, and swapping the CPU for any of its nearest rivals would not change gaming performance, but swapping the GPU for a faster model would yield immediate gains.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured frame rates reveal a clear pattern: the GPU dominates performance scaling across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo delivers 136 FPS average. Dropping to 2560x1440 Low still produces 100 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low the average falls to 64 FPS. This scale from 136 to 64 FPS across a fourfold increase in pixel count indicates the GPU is the binding constraint, as a CPU-limited scenario would show much smaller frame rate drops.

Preset scaling reinforces this conclusion. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low (136 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) is a 73 FPS drop, which is far too large for the CPU to be the bottleneck. At 2560x1440, Low produces 100 FPS while Ultra falls to 46 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low yields 64 FPS while Ultra only manages 30 FPS. The consistent pattern of frame rates falling by roughly half when moving from Low to Ultra at every resolution points squarely at GPU throughput as the limiting factor.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings, where the frame rate ceiling is higher. At 1080p Low, the 136 FPS result suggests the i7-14700KF has ample headroom, and even the 63 FPS Ultra result at 1080p does not indicate CPU saturation. The CPU’s strong multi-threaded scores, such as the Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 44167 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 52425, indicate it can feed the GPU effectively in this game. The data shows the CPU matters less across all tested resolutions, with the GPU determining playability at every preset.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 63 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding preset that stays playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The best settings for 2560x1440 is High, which delivers an average of 62 FPS. Low and Medium are also playable, with 100 FPS and 71 FPS respectively, but High offers the highest visual quality while still clearing 60 FPS.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings. The 3840x2160 Low preset achieves 64 FPS average, while Medium drops to 46 FPS and High falls to 40 FPS. Ultra is not playable at 30 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B570’s average benchmark score of 20556 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile at 20534 and the Intel Arc A750 at 20582. All three are within 0.1% of each other, so performance in Lockdown Protocol would be effectively the same.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 2560x1440 Medium is 60 FPS, with an average of 71 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. This means the frame rate never drops below the playable threshold.

Q: Does the CPU limit performance in this game?

A: No. The frame rate scaling between resolutions and presets indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The i7-14700KF’s high benchmark scores, including a 44167 Cinebench R23 multi-core result, provide sufficient headroom for all tested settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700KF + Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2987 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower portion of the overall distribution, which is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The CPU is a high-end part, ranking in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, but the GPU’s 65th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down.

This rank means that among the 3714 combinations tested, roughly 727 combos perform worse, while 2986 perform better. The pairing is sufficient for playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the rank reflects that many other hardware combinations deliver higher frame rates, particularly at 4K where this combo only manages 64 FPS on Low settings. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU, and users seeking higher performance would need to upgrade the graphics card rather than the processor.

The delta between the CPU and GPU performance tiers explains why the combo sits below the midpoint of the ranking. A more balanced pairing, such as the i7-14700KF with a higher-tier GPU, would rank significantly better. For the specific goal of playing Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS, this combo achieves that at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results limit its overall standing.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the playable settings vary sharply by resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold, with average frame rates of 136, 96, 84, and 63 FPS respectively. At 2560x1440, three presets are playable: Low at 100 FPS, Medium at 71 FPS, and High at 62 FPS. Ultra at 1440p falls short at 46 FPS.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, delivering 64 FPS average. Medium drops to 46 FPS, High to 40 FPS, and Ultra to 30 FPS, all below the playable threshold. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1080p has one playable settings option, 1440p has three, and 4K has only one. Users targeting 4K must accept Low settings, while those at lower resolutions have more flexibility.

The data indicates this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming with high-quality visuals. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, and even then the 64 FPS average leaves little margin for demanding scenes. The measured minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is exactly 60 FPS, showing that playability is maintained even during dips.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 63 FPS. This is the highest visual quality available at this resolution. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves 96 FPS, and High delivers 84 FPS, but Ultra provides the best balance of fidelity and performance.

At 2560x1440, the best settings preset is High, averaging 62 FPS. Medium runs at 71 FPS and Low at 100 FPS, but High offers superior visual quality while staying just above the playable threshold. The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is 60 FPS, indicating that High likely has a similar floor.

At 3840x2160, the only playable preset is Low, with an average of 64 FPS. Medium falls to 46 FPS, which is unplayable. Users at 4K must use Low settings to maintain smooth gameplay, and the 64 FPS average provides a small but usable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured frame rates show a steep decline with increasing settings. Low averages 64 FPS. Medium averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High averages 40 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 18 FPS, while the gap from Medium to Ultra is another 16 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the results are more playable. Low averages 100 FPS. Medium averages 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. High averages 62 FPS. Ultra drops to 46 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 54 FPS drop, with the largest single step being the 25 FPS decline from Low to Medium.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are highest. Low averages 136 FPS. Medium averages 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS. High averages 84 FPS. Ultra averages 63 FPS. The 1080p results show the widest range, from 136 FPS at Low to 63 FPS at Ultra, a 73 FPS spread. All presets at this resolution remain above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making 1080p the most flexible resolution for this hardware.