Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the AMD Radeon 890M delivers a highly variable experience in Lockdown Protocol, with playable performance confined to the lowest settings at 1080p. Measured data shows the combo ranks 3495th out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower percentile of systems. The CPU sits at the 84th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 45th percentile, indicating a significant imbalance where the integrated graphics strongly limit overall frame output.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, which scores 33989 against the 165H’s 34083 average, a negligible 0.3% difference. The AMD EPYC 4244P, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, and AMD Ryzen 7 3700X all sit within 0.5% of the 165H’s average score, with the EPYC at 34220 (-0.4%), the Ryzen AI 7 at 34222 (-0.4%), and the Ryzen 7 3700X at 34260 (-0.5%). In practical terms, any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Lockdown Protocol, meaning the game’s frame rates would be unchanged if one were swapped for another.

For the GPU side, the AMD Radeon 890M’s average benchmark score of 9210 places it directly alongside the AMD Radeon Vega 8, which scores 9221, a 0.1% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 scores 9273, putting it 0.7% ahead, while the GeForce GTX 465 scores 9294 (0.9% ahead) and the GeForce GTX 850M scores 9302 (1% ahead). These deltas are small enough that all four alternatives would produce essentially identical frame rates in this game. The 890M’s integrated nature means it shares system memory with the CPU, and the benchmark data confirms it behaves like a discrete GPU from the GTX 900 series era rather than a modern high-end part.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the dominant constraint in Lockdown Protocol across all resolutions. The CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 25933 and single-thread score of 3509 place it well above the threshold needed for this FPS title, while the GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 8076 and DirectX 12 score of 37 indicate modest graphics throughput. The scaling between resolutions confirms this: at 1080p Low, the system reaches 78 FPS average, but dropping to 1440p Low reduces that to 58 FPS, a 25.6% decrease. Moving from 1440p Low to 4K Low further drops performance to 37 FPS, another 36.2% reduction. These steep declines with resolution scaling are characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios, where pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the 78 FPS average suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately, but the gap between 1080p Low (78 FPS) and 1080p High (49 FPS) shows how quickly the GPU becomes overwhelmed as settings increase. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 1759 indicates the CPU has sufficient single-thread performance for game logic, but the integrated GPU simply cannot keep pace with higher graphical demands. The fact that the GPU’s boost clock reaches 2900 MHz and the CPU boosts to 5.00 GHz does not compensate for the fundamental throughput limits of the 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the system struggles across all settings. Ultra settings produce an average of 17 FPS, with no min or max data recorded. High settings improve this to 23 FPS, while Medium yields 26 FPS with a minimum of 22 and maximum of 30. Low settings at 4K deliver 37 FPS average, the best result at this resolution but still far below playable thresholds. The spread from 17 to 37 FPS across settings represents a 117.6% improvement from Ultra to Low, yet even the best case remains under 40 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern repeats with slightly better numbers. Ultra averages 27 FPS, High reaches 36 FPS, and Medium delivers 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47. Low settings at 1440p achieve 58 FPS, coming close to the 60 FPS threshold but not clearing it. The jump from Medium to Low at this resolution is 17 FPS, a 41.5% improvement, showing how much headroom remains in the settings ladder but also how the GPU’s limits cap out near 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the only playable results emerge. Low settings deliver 78 FPS average, the sole configuration that exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings produce 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64, meaning the average falls below playable but some individual frames exceed 60. High settings yield 49 FPS, while Ultra drops to 36 FPS. The delta between Low and Medium is 22 FPS, representing a 28.2% penalty for moving up one settings tier. From Low to Ultra, the system loses 42 FPS, a 53.8% reduction in average frame rate.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows this PC can run Lockdown Protocol only at 1080p with Low settings, where it achieves a 78 FPS average and clears the 60 FPS threshold. At every other resolution and settings combination, the system falls short. For 3840x2160, no settings configuration reaches playable frame rates, with the best case being Low at 37 FPS. Similarly, 2560x1440 offers no playable options, as even Low settings cap out at 58 FPS, just below the 60 FPS requirement.

The verdictByResolution field confirms this assessment: 1080p lists Low as the only playable setting with a best average of 78 FPS, while both 1440p and 4K return no playable settings and no best settings configuration. Users seeking smooth gameplay must accept 1080p Low as the ceiling. The Medium preset at 1080p, with its 56 FPS average, will produce visible stuttering despite occasional frames reaching 64 FPS. For anyone wanting higher visual fidelity, this hardware combination cannot deliver consistent 60 FPS performance in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and AMD Radeon 890M combination ranks 3495th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 5.9% of systems. This low ranking reflects the GPU’s limitations more than the CPU’s capabilities. The processor’s 84th percentile standing among all CPUs shows it is not the bottleneck, while the GPU’s 45th percentile ranking among all GPUs highlights the graphics weakness. The delta between these percentiles explains why the combo performs like a mid-range system from several generations ago despite having a current-generation CPU.

Compared to the nearest rival GPU, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, the 890M is effectively tied in performance, and the same applies to the GTX 960 and GTX 465. This means the combo’s ranking would not meaningfully change if the GPU were swapped for any of these alternatives. The rank of 3495 places this system in the company of older or lower-tier hardware, reinforcing that Lockdown Protocol’s demands exceed what this integrated graphics solution can provide except at the lowest settings and resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest playable settings combination for this PC?

A: The only playable configuration is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves a 78 FPS average. Medium settings at 1080p produce 56 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does this system perform better at 1440p than at 4K?

A: Yes, at 1440p Low the system reaches 58 FPS, while at 4K Low it manages 37 FPS. However, neither resolution offers playable frame rates, as both fall below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H scores 34083 on average, essentially tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (33989, 0.3% difference), AMD EPYC 4244P (34220, -0.4%), AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (34222, -0.4%), and AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (34260, -0.5%).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: Low settings deliver 78 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 36 FPS, a 42 FPS difference representing a 53.8% reduction in performance.

Q: Is the GPU comparable to any discrete graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon 890M scores 9210 on average, within 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273, 0.7% ahead), GeForce GTX 465 (9294, 0.9% ahead), and GeForce GTX 850M (9302, 1% ahead).

Q: At 1440p Medium settings, what are the expected frame rates?

A: The system averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47. This is below the 60 FPS playable threshold and represents a 29.3% drop from Low settings at the same resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which delivers a 78 FPS average. The Medium preset at this resolution produces 56 FPS, falling short of the threshold, so Low is the only viable option. For 2560x1440, no preset reaches 60 FPS, with Low coming closest at 58 FPS, just below the playable mark. At 3840x2160, the best result is Low at 37 FPS, which is far from playable. The data shows that this system’s performance ceiling in Lockdown Protocol is fixed at 1080p Low, and any attempt to increase resolution or settings will result in frame rates below the 60 FPS target.