Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a demanding FPS, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF with the Intel Arc B390 produces results that are strictly entry-level. The data indicates a system that is fundamentally constrained by its graphics solution, where playable frame rates are only achievable at the lowest settings and resolutions. The benchmark results are clear: this is not a configuration for high-refresh-rate or high-fidelity gaming, but it can serve as a baseline for understanding how resolution and settings impact performance on a very limited GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, underscoring the GPU as the primary bottleneck in this pairing. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 55 FPS at 1920x1080 to 40 FPS at 2560x1440, a 27% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160 at the same High preset sees the average plummet to 26 FPS, which is a 53% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel-processing throughput, not a CPU limitation, as the i5-12600KF has ample headroom in its single-threaded scores (1016 in 3dmark_single_thread) to handle the game's logic at these resolutions.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p (88 FPS) to 1440p (65 FPS) represents a 26% drop, and then to 4K (42 FPS) another 35% drop. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic collapse, starting at 41 FPS at 1080p, falling to 30 FPS at 1440p, and bottoming out at 19 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that the Arc B390's limited fillrate and memory bandwidth (marked as "System Dependent") are saturated quickly as pixel count increases, making 4K gaming impractical except at the bare minimum settings, and even then, the 42 FPS average is far from smooth.

The frame time consistency also degrades with resolution. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges from 53 to 72 FPS, but at 4K Medium, the variance tightens to 25-34 FPS. This indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that it cannot even buffer frames effectively, leading to a less stable experience. The 1440p results sit in a middle ground, offering a playable 65 FPS at Low but dropping to a stutter-prone 30 FPS at Ultra. The conclusion is that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU's performance metrics (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391) are far beyond what this game requires at these low frame rates.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this system's gaming capabilities. Its benchmark profile is exceptionally weak, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of just 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This score is nearly identical to legacy mobile parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3) and the GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5). This places the B390 in a performance tier that is over a decade old, which directly explains the sub-60 FPS averages seen in most Lockdown Protocol tests.

The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG, built on a 3 nm process, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. These specifications, while modern, are configured for low power (80 W TDP) and likely an integrated form factor ("IGP" slot width). The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a critical limitation; the "System Dependent" bandwidth is insufficient for a game like Lockdown Protocol at high resolutions, causing the massive frame rate drops observed.

The data shows that the GPU's role is to be the absolute bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 88 FPS, but this is the peak performance. Any increase in graphical fidelity or resolution immediately taxes the B390's limited resources. The 12 RT cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are irrelevant in this context because the raw shader and fillrate performance is too low to leverage those features. The verdict is that the Arc B390 is a display adapter rather than a gaming GPU in this title; its performance is the sole reason for the low scores, and the i5-12600KF is effectively idle, waiting for the GPU to catch up.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo. At 4K High, the average frame rate is 26 FPS, and even at 4K Low, it only reaches 42 FPS. The 4K Ultra preset drops to 19 FPS, indicating the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: The measured results indicate that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where acceptable performance is possible. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 88, and at 1080p Medium, it is 63 FPS. Higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K result in average frame rates below 65 FPS, which is generally considered suboptimal for a fast-paced FPS.

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

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710. This places it in a performance class with very old, entry-level GPUs, confirming its status as a severe bottleneck.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU causing the low frame rates?

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Core i5-12600KF has a high average benchmark score of 27799 (79th percentile), while the Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile. The CPU is vastly more powerful than the GPU, so the frame rates are entirely dependent on the graphics card's capabilities.

Q: Is it better to play on Low or Medium settings?

A: The data shows that the jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 25 FPS (from 88 to 63 FPS). If a higher frame rate is the priority for competitive play, Low is the better choice. If visual fidelity is more important and a 63 FPS average is acceptable, Medium is viable. Ultra settings should be avoided, as they drop the average to 41 FPS.

Q: What kind of frame rate consistency can be expected?

A: The only settings with measured frame time data are Medium presets. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges between 53 and 72 FPS. At 1440p Medium, this range falls to 39-53 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it drops to 25-34 FPS. The consistency degrades significantly as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall standing of this configuration is very poor. The combo rank for Lockdown Protocol is 2512 out of 2828 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11% of all systems. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance, which drags down the otherwise capable CPU.

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a strong processor, with an average benchmark score of 27799, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (avgScore 27896, deltaPct -0.3) and the Intel Core i9-10900K (avgScore 27872, deltaPct -0.3), indicating the CPU is competitive with high-end processors from previous generations. However, this computational strength is wasted when paired with a GPU that scores in the 9th percentile. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (deltaPct 1.3) and GeForce GT 625 OEM (deltaPct 2.5), which are ancient parts by comparison.

The disparity between the two components is the defining characteristic of this combo. The data shows a system where the CPU is capable of far more, but the GPU is the hard ceiling. This ranking suggests that for Lockdown Protocol, the experience will be dominated by the graphics card's limitations. Users would see a massive improvement in this game's ranking by simply upgrading the GPU, as the CPU would not need to be changed to support a much faster graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended preset for Lockdown Protocol on this system is Low. This is the only settings level that provides a consistently playable experience across all resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 88 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset to break the 60 FPS threshold comfortably. The Medium preset at the same resolution averages 63 FPS, which is technically playable but offers less headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset at 1080p drops to 55 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS, both of which are suboptimal for a competitive FPS title.

The recommendation for Low is reinforced by the performance at higher resolutions. At 1440p Low, the system averages 65 FPS, which is still smooth. However, at 4K Low, the average drops to 42 FPS, indicating that even the lowest settings cannot make 4K viable. Therefore, for the best balance of visual clarity and performance, the data supports using 1920x1080 with the Low preset. If a user prefers 1440p, they must also use Low settings to maintain a playable frame rate. The Medium preset is only recommended for 1080p gaming where the user prioritizes visual quality over a higher frame rate buffer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact average frame rates measured for the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B390 combination in Lockdown Protocol.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS 88.
• Medium: Average FPS 63 (min 53, max 72).
• High: Average FPS 55.
• Ultra: Average FPS 41.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS 65.
• Medium: Average FPS 46 (min 39, max 53).
• High: Average FPS 40.
• Ultra: Average FPS 30.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS 42.
• Medium: Average FPS 30 (min 25, max 34).
• High: Average FPS 26.
• Ultra: Average FPS 19.

The data shows a clear and consistent degradation of performance as resolution and settings increase. The peak performance is at 1080p Low with 88 FPS, while the lowest performance is at 4K Ultra with 19 FPS. The frame time data, where available, shows that the 1080p Medium preset provides the most stable experience among the higher quality options, but the 1080p Low preset offers the highest absolute performance.