Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a 2024-released FPS that stresses the GPU far more than the CPU, and the pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D with the Intel Arc B370 produces a combination that is severely bottlenecked by the graphics component. The measured frame rates show a system where the processor has ample headroom, but the integrated-class GPU holds performance back to levels that are only suitable for low-resolution, low-detail play. The data indicates that this combo ranks 2611th out of 2828 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested pairings. This is a configuration where the CPU's capabilities are almost entirely wasted in this title, as the Arc B370's performance ceiling is reached well before the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's processing power becomes a limiting factor.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the GPU as the primary constraint. At 1080p High settings, the combo averages 49 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 36 FPS, a 26.5% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 23 FPS, which is a 53.1% reduction from the 1080p result. This steep decline across resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario, where the rendering workload increases with pixel count and the graphics processor cannot keep pace. The CPU, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is not the limiting factor here; if it were, the frame rates would stay relatively flat across resolutions because the CPU workload per frame does not scale with resolution the way GPU rendering does.

The scaling pattern holds across all settings. At Low settings, 1080p delivers 80 FPS, 1440p delivers 58 FPS (a 27.5% drop), and 4K delivers 38 FPS (a 52.5% drop from 1080p). Medium settings show 57 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are the most punishing: 37 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. In every case, the relative drop from 1080p to 4K is around 50%, which is consistent with a GPU that is being overwhelmed by the pixel throughput. The consistency of this scaling across all four settings levels reinforces that the bottleneck is purely on the graphics side. A CPU-limited system would show a much smaller performance gap between 1080p and 4K, because the CPU would be maxed out at all resolutions. The data shows the opposite, with the GPU workload dominating the performance profile.

The fact that the Arc B370 has a system-shared memory configuration, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," further explains why higher resolutions hurt so much. As resolution increases, the GPU needs to access more texture data and frame buffer memory, and with shared system memory, that access becomes a bottleneck. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places this GPU in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, confirming its low-end positioning. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are modest figures that cannot sustain high frame rates at high resolutions. The resolution scaling data makes it clear: this combo is only viable for 1080p gameplay, and even then, only at lower settings if a smooth experience is desired.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a high-end desktop processor that is completely underutilized in this pairing. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. Its cache configuration includes an 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and a substantial 96 MB shared L3 cache. This is the kind of CPU that excels in gaming workloads, as evidenced by its benchmark scores. The Cinebench R23 multicore score is 23230, and the single-core score is 2080. The Geekbench multicore score is 18696, and the single-core score is 2964. The 3DMark 16-thread score is 10081, while the 2-thread score is 2394 and the single-thread score is 1212.

These scores place the CPU in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. However, in Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is minimal because the GPU cannot deliver enough frames to stress the processor. The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS with a delta of 0.4%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 with a delta of -0.7%, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 with a delta of 0.7%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 with a delta of -0.8%. These are all relatively close in average score, but none of that matters for this game because the GPU is the wall.

The PassMark multithread score of 40009 and the PassMark single-thread score of 4430 further demonstrate the CPU's capability. The data compression score of 468017 and the floating-point math score of 79456 show it can handle heavy compute tasks. But in Lockdown Protocol, the frame rates are dictated by the GPU. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would typically need to work hardest to feed the GPU, the combo only manages 80 FPS. That 80 FPS is not a CPU limitation; it is the Arc B370's maximum output at those settings. The CPU is likely sitting at a fraction of its utilization, waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame. The 4 nm process node and Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) make this a modern, efficient chip, but efficiency does not translate into higher frame rates when the graphics processor is this weak.

The CPU's memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. This is ample bandwidth for gaming, but the GPU's system-shared memory means it competes with the CPU for that same bandwidth. This shared memory arrangement can cause contention, but in this case, the GPU's raw compute limits are the primary bottleneck. The CPU's PCIe Gen 5 support with 24 lanes is also irrelevant here because the Arc B370 is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) that uses the system memory directly, not a discrete card on a PCIe slot. The CPU's 120 W TDP and unlocked multiplier are features for enthusiasts, but they do not help overcome the GPU deficit in this game.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the clear limiting factor in this configuration. It is an integrated graphics solution based on the Panther Lake chip and Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node at Intel. It has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. The boost clock is 2400 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, and FP16 is 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1). It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The memory is system-shared, which means it relies on the CPU's DDR5 memory, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent."

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, based on that score, are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a delta of -0.2%, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with a delta of -0.5%, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M with a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD FirePro M2000 with a delta of 1.4%. These are all older, low-end GPUs, which underscores just how weak the Arc B370 is for gaming. The TDP is only 25 W, which is typical for an integrated solution, but it means the GPU has very little power headroom to sustain high clocks under load.

In Lockdown Protocol, the GPU's limitations are exposed at every resolution and setting. At 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 37 FPS, which is barely playable. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 27 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 18 FPS. These numbers show that the GPU cannot handle the game's demands at high detail levels. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are simply too low for modern FPS titles. The 20 ROPs are particularly limiting for fill-rate-heavy scenes, which explains why higher resolutions cause such steep frame rate drops. The RT cores (10 of them) are present, but with this level of raw performance, ray tracing would be impractical in a real-time FPS.

The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the combo only reaches 80 FPS. While that is a playable frame rate, it is not a high refresh rate experience, and it is the absolute ceiling for this GPU. The fact that the Arc B370 has a boost clock of 2400 MHz but a base clock of only 300 MHz suggests it will spend most of its time at lower clocks under sustained load, especially given its 25 W TDP. The system-shared memory is another problem; unlike a discrete GPU with dedicated GDDR6 or GDDR6X, this IGP must share bandwidth with the CPU, which adds latency and reduces effective memory throughput. The 3DMark score of 1184 is a clear indicator that this GPU is not designed for demanding gaming, and Lockdown Protocol's results confirm that assessment.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo produces its best results. Low settings yield an average of 80 FPS. Medium settings drop to 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS. Ultra settings average 37 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo can deliver playable frame rates. The gap between Low and Ultra is 43 FPS, showing that settings have a significant impact, but even the lowest settings do not push the frame rate high enough for competitive play on a high-refresh monitor.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance degrades notably. Low settings average 58 FPS, which is still playable but a 27.5% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 36 FPS. Ultra settings average 27 FPS. At 1440p, the combo struggles to maintain 60 FPS even at Low settings, and at High or Ultra, it falls below 40 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. The minimum FPS figures for Medium settings (35 FPS at 1440p, 48 FPS at 1080p) suggest there are noticeable frame hitches, which can be disruptive in a multiplayer shooter.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the performance is largely unplayable. Low settings average 38 FPS. Medium settings average 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS. High settings average 23 FPS. Ultra settings average 18 FPS. None of these are acceptable for a competitive FPS. The 4K results confirm that this combo is not meant for high-resolution gaming. The Arc B370 simply does not have the rendering power to handle 4K, and the system-shared memory further exacerbates the issue. The minimum FPS of 23 FPS at 4K Medium indicates severe frame pacing issues, which would make the game feel stuttery and unresponsive.

The data shows a clear pattern: the combo is usable at 1080p with Low to Medium settings, borderline at 1080p High, and inadequate at all 1440p and 4K settings. For a game like Lockdown Protocol, which is an FPS, the goal is to maintain a high and consistent frame rate. This combo cannot achieve that at any resolution above 1080p, and even at 1080p, the frame rates are not high enough for 144Hz or 240Hz displays. The measured FPS values are all the data available, and they paint a consistent picture of a GPU-bound system with severe performance limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank in Lockdown Protocol is 2611 out of 2828 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 7.7% of all combos, which is a poor result. The rank reflects the overall performance of the CPU and GPU pairing in this specific game, and it is heavily weighted by the GPU's weakness. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a top-tier gaming CPU, but the Arc B370's 5th percentile GPU ranking drags the entire combo down. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, this combo is near the bottom of the barrel, outperforming only 217 other combinations out of 2828.

This low rank is not surprising given the measured FPS data. The combo's best case scenario is 80 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a modest result. Most modern gaming combos would easily exceed 100 FPS at 1080p High or Ultra, and many would handle 1440p or 4K with playable frame rates. The Arc B370's integrated nature and shared memory architecture are fundamental limitations that cannot be overcome by the CPU. The rank of 2611 indicates that this pairing is not suitable for Lockdown Protocol if the user expects a smooth, high-quality experience. It is a configuration that would only be acceptable for very low-end gaming or non-gaming use cases.

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU individually further highlight the mismatch. The CPU's rivals are all mid-range to high-end processors with similar average scores, but the GPU's rivals are ancient, low-end cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M. This juxtaposition shows that the CPU is a high performer, while the GPU is a legacy-tier component. In a game like Lockdown Protocol, the GPU is the deciding factor, and its poor ranking drags the combo down. The data indicates that any discrete GPU, even a modern entry-level one, would likely produce better results than this integrated solution.

FAQ

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

A: The only resolution that provides consistently playable frame rates is 1920x1080. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 80, and at Medium it is 57. At 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, with 4K High averaging only 23 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle Lockdown Protocol at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 37. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 27, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 18. These are not ideal for an FPS, and the higher resolutions are largely unplayable at Ultra settings.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. Its closest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186 (delta -0.2%), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1190 (delta -0.5%), the AMD Radeon HD 7650M with 1192 (delta -0.7%), and the AMD FirePro M2000 with 1168 (delta 1.4%). This indicates the GPU is at a performance level similar to those older cards.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The resolution scaling shows a steep FPS drop from 1080p to 4K, which is characteristic of GPU limitation. The CPU's benchmark scores are high (e.g., Cinebench R23 multicore 23230), but the GPU's 3DMark score of 1184 and 5th percentile ranking limit overall performance.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values at 1080p and 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 48, with an average of 57 and a maximum of 65. At 1440p Medium, the minimum FPS is 35, with an average of 42 and a maximum of 48. These minimums indicate occasional frame drops.

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

A: This combo ranks 2611 out of 2828 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 7.7% of all pairings, reflecting the GPU's weak performance in this FPS title.