Lockdown Protocol

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol shows a stark and consistent pattern: this combination of AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B390 is heavily GPU-limited at every resolution and settings preset. The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a component that cannot keep pace with the graphical demands of this FPS title, particularly as resolution increases.

At 1080p Low, the system produces 88 FPS average. Stepping up to 1440p Low drops that to 65 FPS, a 26% reduction. Moving to 4K Low yields 42 FPS, which is 52% below the 1080p result. This steep decline as pixel count rises is the signature of a GPU bottleneck — the Arc B390's rendering throughput, not the CPU's processing power, is the limiting factor. The Ryzen 7 3700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, has ample headroom at these settings, but the GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 24 ROPs simply cannot sustain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. At High settings, the system averages 55 FPS at 1080p, 40 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. That is a 53% total drop from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the numbers are 41 FPS, 30 FPS, and 19 FPS respectively — a 54% decline. The consistency of this ~50% reduction from 1080p to 4K across all presets strongly indicates that resolution scaling is governed entirely by the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity, not by any CPU-side constraint.

Medium settings data includes min and max FPS readings, which add another layer of insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 63 FPS with a range of 53 to 72 FPS — a 19 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 46 FPS with a range of 39 to 53 FPS, a 14 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the average is 30 FPS with a range of 25 to 34 FPS, a 9 FPS spread. The narrowing FPS range as resolution increases is typical of a GPU that is becoming fully saturated; at 1080p there is more variance because frame delivery is less uniform, while at 4K the GPU is consistently pegged near its maximum capability, producing tighter, lower frame times.

The data suggests that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo approaches playable performance, and even then only at Low or Medium settings. The 4K results, ranging from 19 to 42 FPS depending on settings, are uniformly below the threshold for a smooth competitive FPS experience. Benchmark results indicate that users targeting 4K on this hardware would need to accept significant visual compromises, and even then, the 42 FPS at Low settings is marginal for fast-paced gameplay.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its role in Lockdown Protocol is defined by its modest specifications: 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 raster output units, and 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts to 2500 MHz, producing a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s.

The most notable aspect of this GPU's memory configuration is that it uses System Shared memory. There is no dedicated VRAM, no dedicated memory bus, and no dedicated bandwidth figure — the memory type, size, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical factor in Lockdown Protocol's performance. The game's frame rate at 4K High (26 FPS) versus 4K Low (42 FPS) shows a 62% improvement from lowering settings, which likely reflects reduced memory bandwidth pressure as texture quality and detail levels drop.

The GPU's benchmark standing is telling. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% slower), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% slower), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). These are all legacy or entry-level discrete GPUs from years past, which contextualizes the Arc B390's performance class. It is not competing with modern gaming GPUs; it is competing with the lowest tier of historical NVIDIA offerings.

The FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS and FP16 performance of 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1) are the raw compute figures, but the measured FPS data shows how these translate to real-world gaming. At 1080p Ultra, the combo manages 41 FPS — barely playable. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 19 FPS, which is effectively a slideshow. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so it is feature-complete for modern APIs, but the raw throughput is insufficient for demanding titles at high resolutions.

The GPU's 80 W TDP is remarkably low for a component that is integrated (slot width is listed as "IGP" with no power connectors and no suggested PSU). This power efficiency is a positive attribute, but it does not compensate for the performance ceiling. The 9th percentile ranking, combined with the measured FPS data, leads to a clear verdict: the Arc B390 is the dominant bottleneck in this configuration for Lockdown Protocol.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Lockdown Protocol with this hardware?

A: The measured data shows 1080p is the only resolution that consistently delivers playable frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average is 88 FPS; at 1080p Medium, it is 63 FPS; at 1080p High, it is 55 FPS; and at 1080p Ultra, it is 41 FPS. All 1440p and 4K results are lower, with 1440p ranging from 30 to 65 FPS and 4K ranging from 19 to 42 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% lower). The Arc B390 is marginally faster than all of these.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X holding back performance in this game?

A: The FPS scaling pattern suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 3700X has 8 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and its PassMark multithread score is 22458 with a single-thread score of 2656. The consistent ~50% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings is characteristic of GPU limitation, not CPU limitation.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 88 FPS while the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This is a 47 FPS difference, meaning Ultra settings deliver 53% lower performance than Low settings. The Medium preset sits between at 63 FPS, and High is at 55 FPS.

Q: Does the Arc B390 have dedicated VRAM for gaming?

A: No. The GPU uses System Shared memory for its memory size, type, and bus width. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it relies on the system's DDR4 memory rather than dedicated graphics memory. This is a significant factor in the low FPS at high resolutions and settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2512 out of 2828 possible combos in this game. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested configurations, confirming that it is a low-performing setup for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B390 spans three resolutions and four settings presets, producing twelve distinct data points. The following breakdown presents each measured result.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS of 88. The Medium preset averages 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. The High preset averages 55 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This resolution shows the widest spread between presets, with a 47 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 65 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. The High preset averages 40 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 30 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 35 FPS, which is narrower than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 42 FPS. The Medium preset averages 30 FPS, with a minimum of 25 FPS and a maximum of 34 FPS. The High preset averages 26 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 19 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 23 FPS, the narrowest of the three resolutions.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 53 to 72 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 39 to 53 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 25 to 34 FPS. The maximum FPS at 4K Medium (34) is lower than the minimum FPS at 1080p Medium (53), illustrating the severe impact of resolution scaling.

The data reveals that the Low preset at 1080p is the only configuration that exceeds 80 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p breaks 60 FPS. Every other configuration falls below 65 FPS, and all 4K configurations fall below 43 FPS. The Ultra preset never exceeds 41 FPS at any resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset for Lockdown Protocol with this hardware depends entirely on the target resolution and the user's tolerance for frame rate fluctuation.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 88 FPS average, which is the only measured configuration that clears the 80 FPS threshold. This is the recommended setting for competitive play or any scenario where high frame rates are prioritized. The Medium preset at 63 FPS is a viable alternative for users who want improved visual fidelity while still maintaining a playable frame rate. The High preset at 55 FPS and Ultra preset at 41 FPS are progressively less attractive, with Ultra dipping below the 45 FPS threshold that many FPS players consider the minimum for enjoyable gameplay.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 65 FPS, which is the only 1440p configuration that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is playable but noticeably less smooth. The High preset at 40 FPS and Ultra preset at 30 FPS fall below acceptable thresholds for a fast-paced FPS. For 1440p users, Low is the clear recommendation; any higher preset sacrifices too much frame rate.

At 4K, no preset delivers a comfortable experience. The Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is marginal. The Medium preset at 30 FPS, High at 26 FPS, and Ultra at 19 FPS are all below playable thresholds for an FPS title. Users targeting 4K on this hardware should either accept the Low preset's 42 FPS or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p or 1080p for better performance.

The data suggests a general rule: the Low preset provides the best balance of playability and visual quality at any resolution. The performance gap between Low and Medium is significant — 25 FPS at 1080p, 19 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K — while the visual uplift from Low to Medium is typically modest in FPS titles. Users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate may prefer Medium at 1080p, where 63 FPS is still smooth, but the Low preset is the safest recommendation across all resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a Zen 2 architecture processor based on the Matisse codename, manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process node. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In the context of Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU, but its specifications provide context for why it is not the limiting factor. The PassMark multithread score is 22458, and the single-thread score is 2656. The Geekbench scores are 8899 for multicore and 1593 for singlecore. Cinebench R15 scores are 2092 for multicore and 204 for singlecore. These numbers indicate a capable mid-range desktop processor from 2019, but they are not the differentiator in this game's performance.

The CPU's percentile ranking among all CPUs is 84, meaning it outperforms 84% of all tested processors. Its average benchmark score is 34260. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 with an average score of 34222 (0.1% lower), the AMD EPYC 4244P with 34220 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i5-13450HX with 34333 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with 34083 (0.5% lower). This places the Ryzen 7 3700X in a competitive position among modern processors, despite its 2019 release date.

The CPU's 65 W TDP and unlocked multiplier make it an efficient and flexible processor, but these attributes do not influence Lockdown Protocol performance directly. The game's FPS scaling pattern — a consistent ~50% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings — is the key evidence that the CPU is not the bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU workload per frame is largely resolution-independent.

The Ryzen 7 3700X's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient for Lockdown Protocol's workload. The game is an FPS title that primarily relies on single-thread performance for game logic and physics, but the 4.40 GHz boost clock and 2656 PassMark single-thread score are adequate. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to show a bottleneck, the system achieves 88 FPS — a result that is limited by the GPU's capability, not the CPU's processing power. The CPU's role in this configuration is to feed the GPU with data, and it does so without becoming the performance ceiling.