Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Arc B370

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a combination that ranks 2611th out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems measured. This is a pairing where the integrated graphics solution, despite its modern architecture, struggles to deliver playable frame rates at most settings, while the CPU demonstrates ample headroom that remains largely untapped. The data reveals a system constrained almost entirely by its graphics component, with the CPU's strong multi-threaded and single-threaded performance having minimal influence on the final frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor features an 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1 MB L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache, totaling 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and includes ECC memory support. The CPU has 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes and integrates Radeon Graphics as its iGPU, with a launch MSRP of $279.

Benchmark data positions this CPU in the 81st percentile among all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,713. In single-threaded workloads, the processor scores 1,253 in 3DMark single-thread, 342 in Cinebench R15 single-core, 2,183.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core, and 2,923 in Geekbench single-core. Multi-threaded results are equally strong: 2,691 in Cinebench R15 multicore, 17,528.5 in Cinebench R23 multicore, 14,438 in Geekbench multicore, and 7,585 in 3DMark 16-thread. The PassMark suite shows 4,570 for single-thread performance and 30,027 for multithreaded performance, with specialized workloads like data encryption scoring 16,638 and floating-point math scoring 60,081.

Comparing nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 9600X sits within a narrow band. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE averages 29,656, just 0.2% behind the 9600X. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H averages 29,868, which is 0.5% ahead, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT at 29,879 is 0.6% ahead, and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS at 29,955 leads by 0.8%. These deltas are marginal, indicating the 9600X performs essentially at parity with these competing parts despite having fewer cores than some.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role appears secondary. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the processor can handle modern game logic, physics, and AI workloads without becoming a bottleneck. The high single-thread score of 4,570 in PassMark suggests strong per-core performance, which is often critical for FPS games. However, the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings are consistently low, indicating the CPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 80 FPS, which is the highest measured value, but even this moderate result likely reflects the GPU's ceiling rather than the CPU's capability. The gap between CPU potential and actual game performance is substantial, suggesting that Lockdown Protocol is heavily GPU-bound with this configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Arc Graphics-M generation built on Panther Lake. It is manufactured on a 3 nm process at Intel with 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines. The GPU includes 10 ray tracing cores and operates at a base clock of 300 MHz with a boost clock of 2400 MHz. Its memory is system shared, with the bus width and bandwidth dependent on the host system's DDR5 configuration. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and has a TDP of 25 W. It delivers a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS.

The Arc B370's benchmark presence is minimal, with only one recorded result: a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,184. This places the GPU in the 5th percentile among all tested GPUs, meaning 95% of graphics processors outperform it. Its nearest rivals are all older discrete cards: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1,186 (0.2% ahead), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190 (0.5% ahead), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192 (0.7% ahead). The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168, which is 1.4% behind. These comparisons underscore that the Arc B370, despite being a recent release, performs at the level of legacy integrated and entry-level discrete graphics from over a decade ago.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the GPU is the dominant constraint. The system-shared memory architecture means the GPU relies on the CPU's DDR5 memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, which is system dependent and cannot match dedicated VRAM performance. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is respectable for an iGPU, but the low shading unit count and minimal ROPs limit fill rate and pixel throughput. The measured frame rates reflect this: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 80 FPS, but this drops dramatically as resolution and settings increase. The GPU's percentile ranking of 5 suggests that users should expect sub-30 FPS at higher resolutions, which the data confirms. The Arc B370 is simply not designed for demanding FPS titles, and the benchmark results bear this out.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this system. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 80. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 58 FPS, a 27.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 38 FPS, which is 52.5% below the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-limited scenario, where increasing pixel count directly impacts fill rate and memory bandwidth demands.

For High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values. At 1080p High, the average is 49 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 36 FPS (26.5% reduction); and at 4K High, it reaches 23 FPS (53.1% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that resolution scaling is uniform, with no sudden cliffs that would indicate a CPU bottleneck appearing at lower resolutions. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect smaller FPS differences between resolutions, as the GPU would have headroom at lower pixel counts.

Medium settings show the same trend: 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p (26.3% lower), and 27 FPS at 4K (52.6% lower). Ultra settings follow with 37 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p (27.0% lower), and 18 FPS at 4K (51.4% lower). The near-identical percentage drops across all four settings strongly indicate that the GPU is the sole bottleneck. The CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration and high single-thread scores would be more than capable of maintaining higher frame rates if the GPU could render them, but the Arc B370's limited pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s cap performance well below what the CPU can feed.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 4K Ultra, the system averages 18 FPS, which is barely interactive. Even at 4K Low, the 38 FPS average is below the 40 FPS threshold generally considered the minimum for smooth gameplay in an FPS. This resolution scaling analysis confirms that Lockdown Protocol with this hardware is fundamentally GPU-limited, and users seeking higher frame rates must reduce resolution or settings to compensate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 80 FPS, which is the only configuration exceeding 60 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 37 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 43 FPS, indicating that settings have a substantial impact on performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings average 58 FPS, which remains playable but with less headroom. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 27 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread is 31 FPS, narrower than at 1080p, suggesting diminishing returns as resolution increases and the GPU becomes more saturated.

At 3840x2160, performance is marginal across all settings. Low settings average 38 FPS, Medium averages 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS, High averages 23 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread is 20 FPS, the smallest of all resolutions, indicating that even the lowest settings cannot overcome the GPU's fundamental limitations at 4K. Notably, the Medium setting at 4K has recorded minimum and maximum values of 23 and 31 FPS, respectively, showing a tight distribution around the 27 FPS average.

The data shows that only one configuration — 1080p Low — achieves an average above 60 FPS. Two configurations — 1080p Medium and 1440p Low — exceed 50 FPS. All other settings and resolutions fall below 50 FPS, with 4K Ultra and 4K High both below 25 FPS. The minimum FPS values, where recorded, suggest that frame pacing is relatively consistent, with the 1080p Medium configuration showing a 17 FPS range and the 1440p Medium showing a 13 FPS range.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p with smooth frame rates?

A: At 1080p Low, the system averages 80 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 57 FPS, which is playable but with occasional dips to 48 FPS. Higher settings at 1080p fall below 50 FPS, so smooth performance is limited to Low or Medium settings.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1,184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1,186, which is 0.2% higher; the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190, 0.5% higher; and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192, 0.7% higher. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168, which is 1.4% lower. All rivals are within 1.4% of the Arc B370's score.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 81st percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 29,713, and its nearest rivals are within 0.8% of its performance. The frame rates in Lockdown Protocol are consistently low across all resolutions, with similar percentage drops from 1080p to 4K, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 80 FPS, but the GPU's 5th percentile ranking caps performance well below the CPU's potential.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system?

A: The 1080p Low configuration provides the highest average FPS at 80, making it the only combo above 60 FPS. If visual quality is preferred, 1080p Medium averages 57 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS, which is still playable. At 1440p, only Low settings exceed 50 FPS with 58 FPS. 4K is not recommended, as even Low settings average only 38 FPS.

Q: How does the system rank among all tested combinations for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combination ranks 2611th out of 2828 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of systems. This low ranking aligns with the GPU's 5th percentile position among all GPUs, confirming that the Arc B370 is the primary factor limiting performance.

Q: Does increasing resolution from 1080p to 4K cause a proportional FPS drop?

A: Yes. For Low settings, FPS drops from 80 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p (27.5% reduction) and 38 at 4K (52.5% reduction). For High settings, the drops are 26.5% and 53.1%, respectively. These consistent reductions across all settings indicate GPU-bound scaling, where pixel count directly impacts performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for this system is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which delivers an average of 80 FPS. This is the only setting and resolution combination that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold, providing the smoothest experience for a fast-paced FPS title like Lockdown Protocol. If visual fidelity is a priority, 1080p Medium averaging 57 FPS is a reasonable compromise, though the minimum FPS of 48 indicates occasional dips that may be noticeable during intense gameplay.

At 1440p, Low settings at 58 FPS are the only viable option for near-smooth performance. The 1440p Medium average of 42 FPS falls below the 60 FPS target and may feel less responsive. Higher settings at 1440p are not recommended, as they drop below 40 FPS. At 4K, no configuration achieves acceptable performance, with the best result being 38 FPS at Low settings, which is below the minimum for competitive FPS play. The 4K Ultra average of 18 FPS is essentially unplayable.

The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings for this system. The 1080p Low configuration provides the best balance of smoothness and playability, while the 1440p Low configuration offers a higher pixel count at the cost of 22 FPS. Given that the GPU's percentile ranking is 5 and its nearest rivals are all over a decade old, expectations should be modest. The medium settings at 1080p, with a 57 FPS average and 48 FPS minimum, represent the highest quality setting that remains playable, but the 80 FPS at Low is the safest choice for consistent performance in an FPS where frame timing matters.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2611th out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 8th percentile of all systems measured. This low ranking is directly attributable to the GPU, which sits in the 5th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 1,184. The CPU, in contrast, ranks in the 81st percentile with an average benchmark score of 29,713, indicating a severe imbalance between the two components.

The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks — the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, AMD Radeon HD 7650M, and AMD FirePro M2000 — are all legacy parts from the early 2010s, with scores within 1.4% of the Arc B370. This places the Arc B370 in a performance tier that is fundamentally incompatible with modern FPS gaming at playable frame rates. The CPU's nearest rivals, meanwhile, are modern processors like the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H and Ryzen 7 8845HS, all within 0.8% of the 9600X's performance, confirming that the CPU is not the weak link.

Compared to other tested combos, this system's 2611th rank out of 2828 means only 217 combinations perform worse. The measured FPS data supports this ranking, as the system fails to reach 60 FPS in all but one configuration and struggles to maintain 30 FPS at 4K. The combination is best suited for 1080p gaming at Low settings, where it achieves 80 FPS, but users seeking higher resolutions or quality settings will find the Arc B370's limitations insurmountable. The data indicates that this pairing, while featuring a capable CPU, is constrained by an integrated GPU that performs at the level of entry-level hardware from a decade ago.