Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a specific performance profile in Lockdown Protocol. The recorded data shows a system that can handle the game at lower resolutions and settings, but struggles significantly at higher graphical loads. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second, compares the hardware to close alternatives, and provides a clear verdict on what this combination can achieve.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination in Lockdown Protocol reveals a clear pattern: performance scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its most usable results. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 88, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Moving to Medium settings at this resolution, the average FPS drops to 63, with a recorded minimum of 53 and a maximum of 72. This indicates that the Medium preset is playable on average, though the minimum FPS can dip below the 60 FPS line during demanding scenes. High settings at 1920x1080 produce an average of 55 FPS, which falls just short of the playable threshold. Ultra settings at the same resolution yield an average of 41 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, the performance picture changes. Low settings produce an average of 65 FPS, which clears the playable threshold. This is the only setting at this resolution that achieves an average above 60 FPS. Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver an average of 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 53. High settings drop further to 40 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce 30 FPS average. The step from Low to Medium at this resolution represents a 19 FPS drop in average performance, which is a substantial reduction for a single preset level.

The 3840x2160 resolution shows the most demanding scenario. Low settings produce an average of 42 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Medium settings at this resolution deliver 30 FPS average, with a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 34. High settings drop to 26 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 19 FPS average. None of the settings at 3840x2160 achieve an average of 60 FPS, making this resolution unsuitable for smooth gameplay with this hardware combination.

Looking at the overall trend, the data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 47 FPS. At 2560x1440, this difference shrinks to 35 FPS. At 3840x2160, the difference is 23 FPS. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is more consistently the limiting factor, reducing the relative impact of settings changes.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database provides nearest rival comparisons for both the CPU and GPU in this combination. For the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, the closest alternatives based on average benchmark scores are all within a narrow performance band. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F has an average score of 36945, which is a 0% delta compared to the Core Ultra 5 225. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018, representing a -0.2% delta, meaning it is marginally slower. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093, a -0.4% delta. The Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112, a -0.5% delta. These four alternatives are effectively equivalent in CPU performance, with less than 1% separating the fastest from the slowest. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol when paired with the same GPU.

For the Intel Arc B390 GPU, the nearest rivals are significantly lower in performance. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX has an average score of 1463, which is 1.3% higher than the Arc B390's score of 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, a 1.5% higher delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, a 2.5% higher delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, a 2.7% higher delta. These deltas are small, but the direction is important: the Arc B390 actually scores slightly higher than all four of its nearest GPU rivals. However, the percentile ranking of 9 for the GPU indicates that it sits in the lower portion of all tested GPUs, meaning most other graphics solutions would outperform it.

The combination of a mid-range CPU with a low-tier GPU creates a situation where the GPU is the clear performance bottleneck. The CPU's nearest rivals span a range of desktop and mobile parts, but all would behave similarly in this game. The GPU's nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts, which reinforces the assessment that the Arc B390 is not a high-performance graphics solution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data allows for an analysis of which component matters more for Lockdown Protocol at each resolution. The key observation is that GPU load increases with resolution, while CPU load remains relatively constant. At 1920x1080, the GPU has less work to do, which allows higher frame rates. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 47 FPS, indicating that settings have a strong impact on GPU workload. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at this resolution, as evidenced by the 88 FPS average at Low settings.

At 2560x1440, the GPU workload increases by approximately 78% compared to 1920x1080, based on the pixel count difference. The average FPS at Low settings drops from 88 to 65, a 26% reduction. This suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor. The CPU still appears capable of keeping up, as the frame rate drop is proportional to the increased GPU demand. At Medium settings, the drop from 63 FPS at 1080p to 46 FPS at 1440p is a 27% reduction, again indicating GPU-bound behavior.

At 3840x2160, the GPU workload increases by 4 times compared to 1920x1080. The average FPS at Low settings falls to 42, which is a 52% reduction from the 88 FPS at 1080p. This is a larger drop than the pixel count would suggest, indicating that the GPU is severely strained at this resolution. The CPU role diminishes further, as the frame rates are low enough that the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck in any scenario.

The data shows that at 1920x1080, the CPU and GPU are more balanced, with settings changes having a significant impact on FPS. At 1440p and especially 2160p, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The CPU's performance, measured at 85th percentile among all CPUs, is more than adequate for this game. The GPU, at the 9th percentile, is the limiting component across all resolutions. For players seeking higher frame rates, upgrading the GPU would provide the most benefit, while the CPU has sufficient headroom for this title.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on 1920x1080?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 88 FPS. With Medium settings, the average is 63 FPS, which also clears the 60 FPS threshold. High settings produce 55 FPS average, which is below the playable line.

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

A: The only playable setting at 2560x1440 is Low, which produces an average of 65 FPS. Medium settings drop to 46 FPS average, and High and Ultra produce 40 and 30 FPS respectively. None of these higher presets maintain an average above 60 FPS.

Q: Is 3840x2160 playable with this hardware?

A: No, none of the settings at 3840x2160 achieve an average of 60 FPS. Low settings produce 42 FPS, Medium produces 30 FPS, High produces 26 FPS, and Ultra produces 19 FPS. All are below the playable threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, and GeForce GT 710, score between 1443 and 1463. The Arc B390 is 1.3% to 2.7% higher than these parts.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Medium settings at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 88 FPS average, while Medium settings produce 63 FPS average. This is a 25 FPS reduction, or approximately 28% lower performance when moving from Low to Medium.

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

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 ranks at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Arc B390 ranks at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. The frame rate drops at higher resolutions and settings are consistent with GPU-bound behavior.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium. The recorded average FPS at this setting is 63, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 72. While the minimum dips below 60, the average clears the threshold. High settings at this resolution produce 55 FPS average, which falls short of the playable line.

For 2560x1440, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low. The average FPS at Low is 65, which clears the threshold. Medium settings produce 46 FPS average, which is below the playable line. There is no preset between Low and Medium, so Low is the best playable option.

For 3840x2160, no preset achieves an average of 60 FPS. The highest average is 42 FPS at Low settings. Medium, High, and Ultra produce 30, 26, and 19 FPS averages respectively. None of these settings are playable by the 60 FPS standard.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p Medium is the highest quality playable setting, followed by 1440p Low. At 4K, the system cannot maintain playable frame rates at any quality level.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B390 ranks at position 3302 out of 3714 total combinations. This places it in the lower 11% of all tested systems for this game. The rank reflects the GPU's low percentile standing, as the CPU is relatively strong. The combination of a high-performing CPU with a low-performing GPU results in a system that is heavily GPU-limited, which drags down its overall ranking for gaming performance.

The ranking indicates that the vast majority of other tested combinations achieve higher frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. The 3302 rank means there are 411 combinations that perform worse, but 3302 combinations that perform better. For players considering this hardware, it is important to understand that while the CPU is capable, the GPU severely limits the gaming experience. The rank would improve significantly with a more powerful graphics card, as the CPU has substantial headroom.

The percentile data supports this assessment. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests it is well above average, while the GPU's 9th percentile ranking places it near the bottom of tested GPUs. This imbalance is reflected in the overall combo rank, which is pulled down by the GPU's weak performance.

The Verdict

Based on the measured data, this system can run Lockdown Protocol, but only under specific conditions. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold with both Low and Medium settings. The best playable preset at this resolution is Medium, which delivers an average of 63 FPS. At 2560x1440, the system barely clears the threshold with Low settings, producing an average of 65 FPS. This is the only playable configuration at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot achieve playable frame rates at any setting. The highest average is 42 FPS at Low, which falls well below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1440p has one playable setting (Low), 1080p has two playable settings (Low and Medium), and 4K has none.

For a smooth gaming experience, the recommended configuration is 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This provides a 63 FPS average with acceptable minimums. Players who prioritize higher resolutions will need to accept significant compromises, as 1440p only works at Low settings, and 4K is not viable. The GPU is the clear bottleneck in this system, and any meaningful upgrade in graphics performance would improve the frame rates across all resolutions and settings. The CPU, by contrast, is more than sufficient for this game, as indicated by its high percentile ranking and the fact that frame rates scale primarily with GPU load.