Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a 2024 FPS that responds strongly to both CPU and GPU headroom, and this pairing of an Intel Core i5-9400 with an Intel Arc B580 produces a playable but tier-limited experience. The benchmark data shows a combo that ranks in the 21st percentile overall, sitting at rank 1296 out of 1637 tested combinations. This indicates that while the system is far from the bottom, it lacks the top-end muscle to push high refresh rates at demanding settings. The data suggests a practical path: prioritize lower settings for competitive smoothness or accept a 60-class experience at 1080p with higher presets.

FAQ

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

A: 1920x1080 is clearly the sweet spot. At Low settings, the average FPS is 151.3, and even at Ultra, it holds a 71.8 average. At 2560x1440, Low settings drop to 112 FPS, and Ultra falls to 50.4 FPS, making 4K viable only on Low at 74.1 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, placing it in the 50th percentile of all CPUs. It is virtually tied with the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300, 0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299, 0.2% faster), while being slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295, 0.4% faster). The Intel Core i7-8809G is marginally faster at 2319, a 0.6% lead.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580 a strong performer relative to other GPUs?

A: The Arc B580 sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 23021. It trades blows with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (23181, 0.7% faster) and the AMD Radeon 760M (22999, 0.1% slower), while being notably ahead of the NVIDIA P106-100 (22950, 0.3% faster) and the RTX 4060 Mobile (22729, 1.3% slower).

Q: What is the CPU's core and thread configuration?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache and support for dual-channel DDR4 memory.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have and what is its memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc B580 features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of VRAM, which is beneficial for texture-heavy scenes at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the data suggest this combo is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming?

A: The data strongly favors 1080p. At 1080p, every preset from Low to Ultra averages above 71 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset averages above 100 FPS (112), with Medium and High falling to 81.8 and 69.4 FPS respectively, and Ultra dropping below 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1296 out of 1637 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the bottom 21% of all tested pairs, which is a significant indicator of its overall performance ceiling. The data shows that while the individual components are mid-tier—the CPU is in the 50th percentile and the GPU is in the 66th percentile—their combined effect in this specific FPS title does not boost the system into the upper echelons.

The delta between the CPU and GPU percentiles suggests a potential imbalance. The CPU's 50th percentile standing means it is likely a limiting factor when paired with a GPU that performs above average. This is consistent with the measured FPS data, where the system struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra (32.7 FPS) but can achieve excellent results at 1080p Low (151.3 FPS). The rank indicates that this is not a combination for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming or any 4K gaming beyond the lowest settings. It is a competent 1080p machine, but the data clearly shows it falling behind a large portion of the tested field.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides six physical cores and six threads, a configuration that is adequate for modern FPS titles but lacks the multi-threading headroom of hyper-threaded rivals. With a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, the processor can deliver solid single-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and draw calls in a fast-paced FPS. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125 reinforce that it is a balanced, if aging, performer.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 151.3 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU adequately in less demanding scenarios. However, as settings increase, the frame rate drops are steep. At 1080p Ultra, the average falls to 71.8 FPS, which is a 52.5% drop from Low. While some of this is GPU-bound, the 6-thread limit of the i5-9400 likely contributes to the diminishing returns at higher presets, where more complex physics and AI calculations are required. The processor's 65W TDP and end-of-life production status indicate it is a mature platform, but its performance in this game is clearly capped by its older Coffee Lake architecture.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong performance: Low settings average 151.3 FPS, Medium 111.3 FPS, High 92.7 FPS, and Ultra 71.8 FPS. This makes 1080p the only resolution where all presets are fully playable, with even the most demanding preset staying above 70 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system begins to show strain. Low settings still produce a respectable 112 FPS, but Medium drops to 81.8 FPS, High to 69.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 50.4 FPS. This indicates that 1440p is only viable on lower presets for a smooth competitive experience, while Ultra is relegated to less demanding single-player scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the data shows the combo is out of its depth. Low settings yield 74.1 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 52.7 FPS, High to 42.8 FPS, and Ultra to 32.7 FPS. The step from 1440p to 4K is severe, with the Ultra preset losing 35% of its frame rate. The data shows that this pairing is best treated as a 1080p performer, with 1440p reserved for lower quality settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the stronger half of this pairing, built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs. It operates at a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz, and its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory capacity is generous for the GPU's class and helps maintain texture fidelity at higher resolutions, although the raw compute power (13.67 TFLOPS FP32) is what drives the frame rates.

The GPU's role becomes clear when examining the scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p. The jump from 151.3 FPS at Low to 92.7 FPS at High is a 38.7% reduction, which is typical of a GPU that has enough VRAM but is compute-limited at higher settings. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is insufficient to feed the massive pixel count at Ultra settings, resulting in a 32.7 FPS average. The GPU's 66th percentile ranking and close benchmark scores to the RTX 4060 (23181 vs 23021) suggest it is a capable 1080p card, but its performance in this game is constrained by the CPU's inability to keep up at lower resolutions, creating a balanced but not exceptional overall experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the data points to a clear hierarchy of experiences. For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the High preset at 1920x1080 is the optimal choice, offering a 92.7 FPS average. This provides a smooth experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold while retaining meaningful graphical fidelity.

For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the standout option, delivering a 151.3 FPS average. This is the only preset that pushes the system into high-refresh-rate territory, making it the ideal choice for players with 144Hz monitors. At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that maintains a triple-digit average (112 FPS), making it the recommended choice for 1440p users. The Medium preset at 1440p (81.8 FPS) is a reasonable compromise if visual quality is prioritized over raw speed, but High and Ultra at this resolution should be avoided for competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset (74.1 FPS) is the only playable option, and even then, it is borderline for fast-paced gameplay. The data shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming, as the frame rate drops to 52.7 FPS at Medium and below 45 FPS at High and Ultra. For the best experience, stick to 1080p High for a standard experience or 1080p Low for maximum responsiveness.