Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and Intel Arc B390 pairing represents a stark imbalance in Lockdown Protocol. The CPU is a high-end desktop part, while the GPU is an integrated graphics solution (IGP) based on Intel's Panther Lake architecture. Benchmark data confirms this is a GPU-bound scenario, where the Arc B390's performance ceiling dictates the experience. This analysis breaks down the measured results, focusing on how this specific combination performs across resolutions and settings, and what it means for a practical gaming setup.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combo in Lockdown Protocol?*

A: The combo ranks 2512 out of 2828 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 11% of all system pairings, indicating a below-average gaming performance level for this specific title.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, making the Arc B390 1.3% faster. It is also 1.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M and 2.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7700 considered a high-performing CPU in general?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 7 7700 has a percentile rank of 87 among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 87% of them. Its average benchmark score is 40081, which is roughly 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core 5 221E.

*Q: What is the best playable resolution for this combo in Lockdown Protocol?*

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves a comfortable frame rate. At Low settings, it averages 88 FPS, and at High settings, it averages 55 FPS, making 1080p the most viable option.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low setting compared to 4K Low?

A: The 1080p Low setting averages 88 FPS, which is more than double the 42 FPS average at 4K Low. This represents a 109.5% performance increase when lowering the resolution from 3840x2160 to 1920x1080.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7700 a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B390?

A: No. The data indicates the opposite. The GPU is the limiting factor. For example, at 1080p, dropping from High to Low settings increases the average FPS from 55 to 88, which shows the game is limited by the GPU's rendering capabilities, not the CPU's processing power.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), not a discrete card. Its performance profile is the single most important factor in this combo's Lockdown Protocol results. The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. It also includes 12 ray tracing cores, though their impact in this title is likely minimal given the overall performance level.

The Arc B390's clock speeds are listed as a 300 MHz base and a 2500 MHz boost. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's DDR5 RAM. Consequently, the bandwidth is "System Dependent," which means its memory performance is tied to the host CPU's memory configuration—in this case, the Ryzen 7 7700's dual-channel DDR5 setup with a theoretical bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. This shared memory architecture is a significant factor in the GPU's low benchmark scores. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12) score is a modest 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low score, just 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

In Lockdown Protocol, this translates to a GPU that is heavily stressed even at lower settings. The data shows that frame rates are directly tied to the GPU's workload. The integrated nature of the GPU means it has no dedicated VRAM; it relies on the system's shared memory, which can introduce latency and bandwidth constraints. For this game, the Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 7700, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is more than capable of feeding the GPU data; it is the GPU's rendering throughput that limits the frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the Intel Arc B390 finds itself at rank 2512 out of 2828 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This is a low ranking, placing the system in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This position is almost entirely a consequence of the GPU's performance. The Ryzen 7 7700 is a high-end desktop processor, ranking in the 87th percentile for CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 40081 is nearly tied with its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048), Intel Core 5 221E (40144), and AMD Ryzen 9 270 (40246), with deltas of only 0.1%, -0.2%, and -0.4% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is performing as expected for its class.

However, the GPU drags the entire combo down. The Arc B390's 3DMark score of 1482 is in the 9th percentile for all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts (GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, GeForce GT 710), which shows the performance tier this IGP is in. The disparity between the CPU's high standing and the GPU's low standing creates the low combo rank. In Lockdown Protocol, the game's frame rate is not influenced by the CPU's multi-threaded power (Cinebench R23 multicore score of 18760) or its single-thread strength (Geekbench single-core score of 2525). Instead, the results are determined by the Arc B390's ability to process graphics. The rank of 2512 is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Lockdown Protocol reveals a clear and consistent pattern. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo shows its best performance. The Low preset yields an average of 88 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. The High preset averages 55 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 41 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance takes a significant hit. The Low preset averages 65 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS (min 39, max 53). The High preset averages 40 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 30 FPS. This resolution is more demanding, and the GPU's limitations become more apparent.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset is the only one that approaches a reasonable level, averaging 42 FPS. The Medium preset averages 30 FPS (min 25, max 34). The High preset averages 26 FPS, and the Ultra preset is practically unplayable, averaging just 19 FPS.

The data shows that the Intel Arc B390 is only capable of delivering a consistently smooth 60+ FPS experience at 1080p with the Low settings. For a target of 60 FPS, the 1080p Medium preset is not quite sufficient, with an average of 63 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that averages above 60 FPS. The 4K resolution is not a viable option for this hardware, as all settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. When moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 88 to 65, a decrease of 26.1%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, the FPS drops from 65 to 42, a further decrease of 35.4%. The overall drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is from 88 FPS to 42 FPS, a reduction of 52.3%.

This behavior is typical of a GPU-bound system. The resolution increase directly adds to the GPU's pixel workload, causing a near-linear scaling of rendering time. The Ryzen 7 7700 is unlikely to be the cause of this scaling, as its processing power is more than sufficient for this game. The fact that the frame rate halves when the pixel count quadruples (1080p to 4K) suggests the GPU is saturated at these higher resolutions.

The data indicates that the Arc B390's rendering capabilities, along with its "System Shared" memory, are the primary constraints. The system's DDR5 memory bandwidth might be a secondary factor, but the primary bottleneck is the GPU's compute units. The performance degradation is steep, showing that this IGP is not designed for high-resolution gaming. For a smoother experience, users must stick to the lower end of the resolution spectrum, where the GPU's workload is manageable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's target frame rate and resolution. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the most viable recommendation. It produces an average of 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS of 53 is also acceptable. This provides a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset while still maintaining a playable frame rate.

If a higher, more stable frame rate is desired for competitive play, the 1920x1080 Low preset is the best choice. It averages 88 FPS, giving a large headroom above 60 FPS. This ensures minimal frame drops and the smoothest possible experience. The High preset at 1080p is also playable, averaging 55 FPS, but it sacrifices the responsiveness of the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, only the Low preset is recommended, with an average of 65 FPS. This is a playable experience, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. The Medium preset at 1440p, with an average of 46 FPS, is borderline and may feel stuttery in intense scenes. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even the Low preset averages only 42 FPS, which will not provide a satisfactory experience for an FPS title.

In summary, the data suggests that the Intel Arc B390 is best utilized at 1080p. For a "quality" experience, use Medium settings. For a "performance" experience, use Low settings. The jump to higher resolutions is not supported by the hardware's capability, and users should prioritize resolution over quality to achieve playable frame rates. The Ultra preset is only for testing, as it can't maintain a playable frame rate at any resolution.