Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a specific performance profile in Lockdown Protocol, a fast-paced FPS. The benchmark data, which is measured rather than estimated, shows a system that can comfortably handle the game at mainstream resolutions but hits a clear performance ceiling at 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, identifies the dominant hardware component, and contextualizes the results against comparable hardware.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS defines the optimal experience for each resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system manages an average of 64 FPS on Low settings. This is the only playable preset at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to an average of 46 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High and Ultra presets are progressively more demanding, with averages of 40 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the headroom increases significantly. The High preset achieves an average of 62 FPS, just clearing the 60 FPS bar. This makes High the most demanding playable setting. The Medium preset offers a more comfortable 71 FPS average, while Low reaches 100 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, cannot maintain playability, averaging only 46 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its full strength. The Ultra preset runs at an average of 63 FPS, clearing the threshold. This is the highest quality setting available and is playable. The High preset achieves 84 FPS, Medium reaches 96 FPS, and Low peaks at 136 FPS, all providing smooth experiences. The data indicates that at 1080p, the GPU has enough resources to enable the maximum visual quality while maintaining playable frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and settings reveals which component limits the system in Lockdown Protocol.

The data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 63 to 46, a reduction of 17 FPS. This significant decline indicates that the rendering load is increasing faster than the GPU can process it, pointing to the Arc B570 as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and lower settings. At 1920x1080 on Low settings, the system achieves 136 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain high performance. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its high single-core benchmark scores (7,303 in Cinebench R23 single-core), is not the limiting factor at 1080p.

The scaling between presets further clarifies the GPU's dominance. At 2560x1440, moving from Low to Medium reduces FPS from 100 to 71, and from Medium to High reduces it from 71 to 62. This consistent drop as settings increase confirms that the GPU's processing power is the deciding factor for visual quality. The CPU's performance remains relatively constant, allowing the GPU to be the variable that dictates frame rates.

At 4K, the GPU constraint is absolute. The difference between Low (64 FPS) and Medium (46 FPS) is 18 FPS, showing how quickly the GPU's limits are reached. The CPU's high multi-threaded performance (51,731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) is irrelevant at this resolution because the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel count.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a precise picture of performance for each resolution and settings combination.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 64 FPS. This is the only playable option at this resolution.
• Medium: Average 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. The minimum frame rate indicates noticeable stutters.
• High: Average 40 FPS. Unplayable for smooth action.
• Ultra: Average 30 FPS. This is the lowest performance level recorded.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 100 FPS. Provides a very smooth experience.
• Medium: Average 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. The minimum exactly meets the playability threshold, indicating occasional dips to the limit.
• High: Average 62 FPS. This is the highest playable setting, but it has no recorded minimum or maximum, suggesting it may be close to the edge of stability.
• Ultra: Average 46 FPS. Falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 136 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo.
• Medium: Average 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS. The minimum stays well above the threshold.
• High: Average 84 FPS. Offers a solid balance of quality and performance.
• Ultra: Average 63 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that remains playable.

The minimum FPS data points, where available, are crucial for understanding consistency. At 1440p Medium, the 60 FPS minimum shows that the system can dip to the exact playability limit. At 1080p Medium, the 82 FPS minimum shows more headroom.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data from the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware might perform similarly.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has a very close rival in the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. The 285K has an average benchmark score of 83,807, which is a 0.2% difference from the 290K Plus's 84,003. This negligible difference means these two CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Lockdown Protocol, making the 285K a direct alternative. Other close rivals include the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090, 1.1% slower) and the AMD EPYC 9135 (82,980, 1.2% slower). These server-class chips are within 1.2% of the 290K Plus's performance, indicating they would not cause a noticeable difference in gaming performance.

The Intel Arc B570 GPU has a similar performance profile to several other cards. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is the closest match, with an average score of 20,534, just 0.1% different from the Arc B570's 20,556. This suggests the RTX 3070 Mobile would offer nearly identical frame rates. The Intel Arc A750 is also very close, with a score of 20,582, a -0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20,662, -0.5% difference) and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20,480, 0.4% difference) are also within half a percent of the Arc B570's performance.

These rival scores indicate that a system with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and an Intel Arc A750 would likely perform within a few frames per second of this tested configuration. The performance deltas are so small that they would be imperceptible in actual gameplay.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 4K with high settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the system averages 40 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Only the Low preset, with an average of 64 FPS, is playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 is the most demanding setting that maintains playability, with an average of 62 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 46 FPS, which is not smooth enough for this FPS game.

Q: How does the system perform at 1080p on Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 on Ultra, the system averages 63 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. This makes Ultra a viable option for players who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rates.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, dropping from 136 FPS at 1080p Low to 30 FPS at 4K Ultra. The CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid being a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the lowest recorded frame rate for this combination?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 30 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 39 FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings.

Q: How does this combo compare to using an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has an average benchmark score that is 0.2% different from the 290K Plus. This indicates that swapping the CPU would result in a negligible performance difference in Lockdown Protocol.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B570 combination is ranked 2,987 out of 3,714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower portion of the database, indicating that while it can run the game, many other hardware combinations deliver higher performance.

This ranking is a direct result of the GPU's limitations. The Arc B570's 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with its 10 GB of memory and 160-bit bus, constrains performance at higher resolutions. The CPU, ranking in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, is not the weak link. The combo's rank reflects the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates at 4K, where it falls below the playability threshold on all but the lowest settings.

The rank of 2,987 suggests that this system is positioned for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it performs adequately, rather than for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming. The data shows a clear performance ceiling that limits its overall standing in the benchmark database.

The Verdict

The data shows that this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but its playability depends entirely on the chosen resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable. All four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 63 FPS, is playable, allowing users to experience the game at its highest visual quality. This is the recommended resolution for this combo.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable but with reduced options. The High preset (62 FPS), Medium (71 FPS), and Low (100 FPS) all clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is not playable, averaging 46 FPS. For the best visual experience at this resolution, High settings are the most demanding option that remains smooth.

At 3840x2160, the system is severely limited. Only the Low preset (64 FPS) is playable. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 46, 40, and 30 FPS respectively. This resolution is only viable for players willing to sacrifice visual quality for playable frame rates.

In summary, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B570 combination is a competent 1080p and 1440p gaming system for Lockdown Protocol. It offers playable frame rates at high settings in 1440p and can handle Ultra settings in 1080p. However, its performance at 4K is insufficient for a smooth experience, making it unsuitable for high-resolution gaming. The system's ranking of 2,987 out of 3,714 reflects this mid-tier performance profile.