Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS that places a heavy burden on the graphics subsystem. The recorded data for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B390 shows a configuration that is severely limited by its integrated graphics solution. The central processor is a top-tier part, but the frame rates observed in this game are dictated almost entirely by the GPU. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance across three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a clear picture of what this combination can and cannot do.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination reveals a consistent pattern: the higher the resolution and the more demanding the preset, the lower the average frame rate. At 3840x2160 (4K), the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates under any setting. With the High preset, the average FPS is 26. Dropping to Medium yields an average of 30 FPS, with minimum and maximum readings of 25 and 34 FPS respectively. The Low preset improves the average to 42 FPS, but this is still well below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of only 19 FPS. None of these 4K settings approach a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the situation improves but remains challenging. The High preset delivers an average of 40 FPS. The Medium preset shows an average of 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 53 FPS. The Ultra preset drops the average to 30 FPS. Only the Low preset at this resolution manages to cross the 60 FPS line, achieving an average of 65 FPS. This makes 1440p Low the only playable option at this resolution according to the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system shows more promise. The High preset averages 55 FPS, which is close to but still under the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. The Medium preset, however, achieves an average of 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 72 FPS. The Low preset is the fastest, delivering an average of 88 FPS. This data indicates that 1080p is the only resolution where this combination can provide a consistently smooth experience, and only on the Low and Medium presets.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the recorded average FPS, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at each resolution is as follows. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves an average of 60 FPS or higher. The best average recorded is 42 FPS on Low, which is insufficient for the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, the only preset that clears the 60 FPS mark is Low, with an average of 65 FPS. This is the best setting for this resolution. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset achieves an average of 63 FPS, making it the most demanding playable option. The Low preset is also playable and faster, with an average of 88 FPS, but Medium offers a better visual quality while still meeting the performance target.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database’s nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for this combo’s performance. For the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, the closest comparable processors in terms of average benchmark score are the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD EPYC 4584PX, which is 1.1% slower. The AMD EPYC 9135 is 1.2% slower, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 is 1.3% faster. These differences are minimal, indicating that the CPU’s processing power is essentially at the top of the scale and is not a limiting factor in this game.

The GPU, the Intel Arc B390, is in a different position entirely. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1.3% higher, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1.5% higher, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 2.5% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 2.7% higher. This places the Arc B390 in a performance class that is fundamentally unsuited for modern gaming at high settings. The data shows that this iGPU performs at a level comparable to decade-old discrete graphics cards, which explains the low frame rates observed in Lockdown Protocol.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Lockdown Protocol depends entirely on the target resolution and quality settings. According to the verdictByResolution data, the system cannot achieve a playable 60 FPS at 3840x2160 under any preset. The best result is 42 FPS on Low, which is well below the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the system is playable only on the Low preset, with an average of 65 FPS. This is the only setting at this resolution that clears the 60 FPS bar. At 1920x1080, the system is playable on both Low and Medium presets. The Medium preset averages 63 FPS, while Low averages 88 FPS. The Ultra and High presets at 1080p are not playable, with averages of 41 and 55 FPS respectively.

In summary, this combination is only capable of running the game smoothly at 1080p with Medium or Low settings, or at 1440p with Low settings. For players who insist on 4K or high preset quality, this PC will not deliver a satisfactory experience. The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck, preventing the powerful CPU from translating its compute capabilities into high frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the CPU and GPU in this game is stark. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz and a 96th percentile ranking against all CPUs. Its benchmark scores, such as 51,731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7,303 in single-core, place it far above what any modern game would require. The CPU is not the constraint.

The GPU, on the other hand, is the limiting factor at every resolution. This is evident from the FPS scaling. At 1080p Low, the average is 88 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 1440p Low, the average drops to 65 FPS, a decrease of about 26%. When going from 1440p Low to 4K Low, the average falls to 42 FPS, another significant drop. This pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior: as the pixel count increases, the GPU’s workload grows, and the frame rate falls proportionally. The CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with data, and at these frame rates, the CPU is never waiting. The performance is dictated by the GPU’s fill rate and shader throughput.

The settings scaling further confirms this. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium drops the average from 88 to 63 FPS. Moving to High drops it further to 55 FPS. Each increase in graphical fidelity adds more work for the GPU, with the CPU having plenty of headroom. The Arc B390’s 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply too low to handle the demands of Lockdown Protocol at higher settings. The data shows that the GPU is responsible for the observed performance ceiling, and the CPU’s role is negligible in this specific matchup.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3302 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems. This low ranking is unsurprising given the GPU’s performance class. The CPU’s high benchmark scores do not compensate for the GPU’s weakness in this game. The rank reflects the overall gaming experience, which is poor at higher resolutions and presets. The combination is only viable for low-detail, low-resolution play. The ranking indicates that most other hardware combinations, even those with much weaker CPUs, will outperform this setup in Lockdown Protocol due to having a more capable graphics solution.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K resolution?

A: No. The measured data shows that no preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 60 FPS. The best average is 42 FPS on the Low preset, which falls below the playable threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: The only playable setting at 1440p is the Low preset, which achieves an average of 65 FPS. All other presets (Medium, High, Ultra) produce average frame rates below 60 FPS.

Q: What settings should be used for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 63 FPS. The Low preset is also playable and provides a higher average of 88 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 is closely matched with older entry-level discrete GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX is 1.3% faster, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M is 1.5% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM is 2.5% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% faster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this game?

A: The GPU is the clear limiting factor. The frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a characteristic of GPU-bound performance. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has ample processing power, as indicated by its high benchmark scores and 96th percentile ranking.

Q: What is the overall ranking of this hardware combo for Lockdown Protocol?

A: This combination ranks 3302 out of 3714 tested combos in the database. This places it in the lower percentile of systems, indicating that most other configurations will provide better performance in this game.