Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents a demanding scenario for hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X paired with the Intel Arc B390, a combination that yields specific and sometimes challenging results. The data reveals a system where the graphics solution, an integrated component, becomes the primary constraint across most settings and resolutions. The measured frames per second (FPS) indicate that achieving a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience in this game is largely out of reach, with the system instead targeting playability at lower graphical presets and resolutions. The following breakdown will explore the optimal settings, the combo's overall ranking, the specific roles of the CPU and GPU, and the implications of the performance data for users of this hardware pairing.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol with this CPU-GPU combo clearly indicates that graphical settings must be managed carefully to achieve a playable frame rate. The most consistent results, in terms of crossing the 60 FPS threshold, are found at the Low preset. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 88 FPS, which is a substantial lead over the next best option. The Medium preset at the same resolution yields 63 FPS on average, which is also technically playable but with less headroom. The data shows that as settings increase, average FPS drops considerably. At 1080p, High settings average 55 FPS, and Ultra drops to 41 FPS. This pattern is consistent across all resolutions, indicating that the graphical preset has a dominant impact on performance.

Given these results, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved with the Low preset at 1920x1080. This is the only setting and resolution combination where the average FPS exceeds 88, providing a smoother experience than the Medium preset's 63 FPS average. While the Medium preset at 1080p does offer an average above 60 FPS, the Low preset offers significantly more headroom, which is critical for a fast-paced FPS game where frame time consistency can be as important as the average. The measured minimum FPS data, only available for the Medium preset, shows a value of 53 FPS at 1080p, suggesting that even this setting can experience dips below the 60 FPS mark. Therefore, for users prioritizing a stable and responsive experience, the Low preset at 1080p is the recommended choice.

For users with displays limited to 2560x1440, the Low preset is also the only viable option, with an average of 65 FPS. This is the only 1440p setting that maintains an average above 60. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 46 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the data shows a significant drop. At 3840x2160, all settings yield average FPS below 43, with Low at 42 FPS, Medium at 30 FPS, High at 26 FPS, and Ultra at 19 FPS. None of these 4K results are ideal for a competitive FPS. The data implies that to play at higher resolutions, users must accept lower visual quality, and even then, the experience may not be smooth. The recommendation is clear: prioritize the Low preset at 1080p or 1440p for the best balance of visual clarity and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B390 combination in Lockdown Protocol is placed at rank 2512 out of 2828 tested combos. This places the system in the bottom 11th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a relatively low-performing setup for this specific game. The comboRankInGame field provides a direct measure of its standing, showing that a significant majority of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B390's performance class, which is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) rather than a dedicated solution.

The data shows that this combo is outperformed by over 88% of all other tested combinations. This is a crucial context for interpreting the FPS numbers. While the CPU, the Ryzen 5 7600X, is a capable processor, its potential is heavily bottlenecked by the GPU. The ranking suggests that users with this specific pairing will have a fundamentally different experience compared to those with even mid-range dedicated graphics cards. The FPS averages, while low, are consistent with a system where the IGP is the limiting factor. The combo's rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, but rather proof of the performance ceiling imposed by the integrated Arc B390. Any analysis of this pairing must recognize that its performance is defined by the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's strengths.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the defining component in this system's performance, and its specifications explain the measured results. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and is part of the Arc Graphics-M generation for Panther Lake. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than having its own dedicated VRAM. Consequently, its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent." This is a critical factor for a game like Lockdown Protocol, as the GPU and CPU must share the same memory bus, potentially creating contention and limiting performance. The GPU's base clock is 300 MHz, and its boost clock is 2500 MHz. This dynamic range allows for power saving when idle but can reach higher speeds under load.

The benchmark data for the Arc B390 reinforces its entry-level positioning. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end dedicated GPUs, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which it outperforms by 1.3%. This context is vital; the Arc B390 is not competing with modern discrete graphics cards. Its performance is in line with very old, low-tier mobile or OEM parts. In Lockdown Protocol, this translates directly to the low FPS averages observed. With only 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs, the GPU's raw processing power is limited. The measured average FPS of 88 at 1080p Low is likely near the maximum for this IGP, and it struggles to maintain playable rates at higher settings and resolutions. The data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's low benchmark score and its in-game performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combo performs across different settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the most common gaming resolution, the results are as follows: the Low preset averages 88 FPS, the Medium preset averages 63 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS, the High preset averages 55 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This shows a clear and steep performance drop as graphical fidelity increases. The difference between Low and Medium is a 25 FPS drop, while the difference between Medium and High is only 8 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is a 14 FPS drop. This non-linear scaling suggests that certain settings within the presets have a disproportionate impact on performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases further. The Low preset averages 65 FPS, which is a playable rate, but it is 23 FPS lower than the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. The High preset averages 40 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 30 FPS. At this resolution, even the Low preset offers less headroom, and the Medium preset's minimum FPS of 39 can lead to noticeable stuttering in a fast-paced FPS. At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable for a smooth experience. The Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset averages 30 FPS with a minimum of 25 FPS and a maximum of 34 FPS. The High preset averages 26 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 19 FPS. These figures indicate that 4K gaming is not a realistic option for this hardware in Lockdown Protocol.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the Arc B390 is only capable of providing a smooth experience at the Low and, to a lesser extent, Medium presets at 1080p. The performance degradation is severe at higher resolutions. For instance, the 4K Low average of 42 FPS is less than half of the 1080p Low average of 88 FPS. Similarly, the 1440p Ultra average of 30 FPS is 11 FPS lower than the 1080p Ultra average of 41 FPS. These numbers quantify the significant stress that higher pixel counts place on this integrated GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals which component is the primary bottleneck. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 88 at 1920x1080 to 65 at 2560x1440, a decrease of 23 FPS. From 1440p to 4K, the average drops from 65 to 42, a further decrease of 23 FPS. This pattern shows a roughly linear decline in performance with increasing resolution. At the Medium preset, the averages are 63 at 1080p, 46 at 1440p, and 30 at 4K. This is a drop of 17 FPS from 1080p to 1440p, and then a drop of 16 FPS from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is consistent, indicating that the rendering load is scaling as expected with the number of pixels.

This consistent performance drop across all settings strongly suggests that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. A system bottlenecked by the CPU would not show such a dramatic and consistent decrease in FPS as resolution increases, because the CPU workload would remain relatively constant while the GPU workload grows. The fact that the FPS drops so predictably with resolution indicates that the GPU is working at its maximum capacity even at 1080p, and any increase in pixel count directly translates to longer render times and lower FPS. The data implies that the Ryzen 5 7600X has more than enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the GPU cannot keep up with the demands of higher resolutions. The system is firmly GPU-limited in all measured scenarios.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a high-performance desktop processor, and its specifications stand in stark contrast to the GPU's. It is a 6-core, 12-thread CPU based on the Zen 4 architecture and is built on a 5 nm process. Its base clock is 4.70 GHz, and its boost clock is 5.30 GHz. This high clock speed, combined with a 32 MB shared L3 cache, makes it a powerful processor for gaming. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15236 and a single-core score of 1965. Its PassMark multithread score is 28390, and its average benchmark score is 27636. These results place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a well-above-average processor.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with a delta of only 0.2%. This indicates that the 7600X is competitive with these popular mid-range processors. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck. The FPS is consistently low across all settings and resolutions, which would not be the case if the CPU were the limiting factor. A CPU bottleneck typically manifests as poor performance regardless of resolution, with FPS remaining flat as resolution changes. Here, we see a clear FPS drop with increasing resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 7600X has the single-threaded performance and multi-core capability to handle the game's logic and physics, but the integrated Arc B390 cannot render frames fast enough to utilize the CPU's full potential.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo can achieve in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 88, which occurs at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does this CPU and GPU combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2512 out of 2828 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations for Lockdown Protocol.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 a dedicated graphics card?

A: No, it is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a "System Shared" memory configuration, meaning it uses the system's main memory instead of its own dedicated VRAM.

Q: What is the average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 46, with a minimum FPS of 39 and a maximum FPS of 53.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck for this system in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck, as FPS drops consistently and significantly with increasing resolution, which is a characteristic of a GPU-limited system.

Q: What is the average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 19, which is well below playable levels for a smooth experience.