Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol, a 2024 FPS title, presents a demanding workload that clearly favors CPU capability at lower resolutions while shifting the bottleneck to the GPU at 4K. The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and the Intel Arc B570 delivers a solid, playable experience across most settings, but the data reveals a significant performance cliff at the highest preset that users should avoid. Benchmark results indicate this pairing is best utilized at 1440p with High settings, where it strikes an optimal balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, ensuring a smooth and responsive session.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for this combo makes a decisive case for the High preset at 2560x1440 as the best overall experience. At this setting, the system achieves an average of 62 FPS, which is comfortably playable for a competitive FPS. The step up to Ultra at the same resolution yields only 46 FPS, a 26% drop in performance that does not justify the marginal visual gains for a fast-paced shooter where frame rate is critical. Conversely, dropping to Medium at 1440p only recovers 9 FPS (to 71) over High, making the High preset the superior choice for visual quality per frame.

For users with 1080p displays, the High preset is also the clear winner. It delivers a robust 84 FPS average, which is well within the high-refresh-rate territory. While the Low preset pushes this to 136 FPS, the visual compromise is substantial. The Medium preset at 1080p offers a modest increase to 96 FPS over High, but the 12 FPS gain is not worth the reduction in graphical detail. The data suggests that High at 1080p provides a more premium experience without sacrificing the fluidity required for the game's mechanics.

At 4K, the system struggles to maintain high performance. The High preset manages only a 40 FPS average, which is below the ideal threshold for a fast-paced shooter. The Ultra preset is essentially unplayable at 30 FPS. The only viable 4K option is the Low preset, which achieves 64 FPS. However, this forces a significant downgrade in visual quality. Given the data, 4K is not a recommended resolution for this combo if users prioritize consistent, high frame rates; 1440p High is the definitive sweet spot.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B570 handle Lockdown Protocol at 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K is challenging for this combo. At High settings, the average FPS is 40, which is playable but not ideal for a competitive FPS. At Ultra, the average drops to 30 FPS, which is generally considered too low for smooth gameplay. The only way to achieve a higher frame rate at 4K is to use Low settings, which yields an average of 64 FPS.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate that 2560x1440 with the High preset is the optimal choice. This configuration produces an average of 62 FPS, offering a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance. It provides a significant improvement in image quality over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate that is well-suited for the game's action.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset incurs a significant performance penalty. At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 62 (High) to 46 (Ultra), a decrease of 16 FPS. At 1080p, the drop is from 84 FPS to 63 FPS. This substantial performance cost suggests that the visual improvements from Ultra are not worth the loss in smoothness for this title.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the performance scaling suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The Core i7-13700K is a high-end processor with a strong multi-threaded score of 30745 in Cinebench R23, making it unlikely to be the limiting component at this resolution. The fact that frame rates vary significantly with graphics settings (from 136 FPS on Low to 63 FPS on Ultra) indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the component being stressed.

Q: What kind of frame rates can be expected on the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset provides a middle-ground performance tier. At 1080p, the average FPS is 96, with a minimum of 82 and a maximum of 111. At 1440p, the average is 71, with a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 81. At 4K, the average drops to 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 52.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its high core count and boost clock of 5.40 GHz make it a formidable component for gaming. In Lockdown Protocol, the data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck until the resolution is lowered to 1080p. The benchmark scores for this processor are exceptionally high, with a multi-core score of 30745 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 2116 in the same test. These results indicate a processor capable of handling the game's logic and physics without becoming a limiting factor.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as frame rates are significantly lower than at 1440p or 1080p. At 1440p, the system shows a balanced workload, with the CPU providing enough headroom to allow the GPU to perform at its best. However, at 1080p, the performance scaling between settings reveals a shift. The 136 FPS average on Low settings versus the 63 FPS on Ultra settings demonstrates that the GPU is still the primary constraint, as the CPU is able to feed frames far faster than the Arc B570 can render them at higher detail levels.

The processor's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory contribute to its ability to handle data-intensive tasks. The data shows that the i7-13700K holds an 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, placing it in the top tier of processors. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, are within a 0.5% performance delta in average benchmark score, underscoring its competitive positioning. In practical terms for Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to provide a stable and fast foundation, ensuring that the game's simulation and input handling are never the cause of stutters or frame drops, which the benchmark results confirm.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2264 out of 2828 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a reflection of the GPU's mid-range positioning rather than the CPU's capabilities. The data indicates that this is not a top-tier pairing for this specific game, but it is far from the bottom of the list. The rank suggests that while the system can play the game, there are many other configurations that will deliver higher frame rates.

This ranking is primarily influenced by the Intel Arc B570's performance. The GPU sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which has an almost identical score (20534), indicating a parity in raw compute power. However, in Lockdown Protocol, the performance is dictated by the measured FPS data. The combo's rank of 2264 suggests that the Arc B570's performance is not sufficient to place this system in a higher tier, especially when paired with a very high-end CPU like the i7-13700K.

The CPU itself is a top-10% performer, but this does not translate to a high combo rank in this game. This indicates that Lockdown Protocol is heavily GPU-bound. The i7-13700K's performance is more than adequate, so the system's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's inability to keep pace with more powerful graphics cards. For users with this specific CPU looking to upgrade, the data suggests that the GPU is the component holding back the system's overall performance in this title, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a more powerful graphics solution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and expected trend of decreasing performance as resolution increases. At the High preset, the system achieves an average of 84 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 62 FPS at 1440p (a 26% reduction), and further to 40 FPS at 4K (a 52% reduction from 1440p). This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU bottleneck. The frame rate drops are more pronounced when moving from 1440p to 4K, as the number of pixels to render quadruples, putting immense strain on the Intel Arc B570's 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The difference in scaling between the Low and Ultra presets further confirms this. On Low settings, the frame rate at 1080p is 136 FPS, which is more than double the 64 FPS achieved at 4K. This shows that even when the GPU load is relatively light, the resolution is still the primary factor limiting performance. The fact that the CPU is not the bottleneck is evidenced by the i7-13700K's high benchmark scores and the massive frame rate drop at higher resolutions, which can only be attributed to the GPU's rendering capabilities.

The data indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component in this system. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 22 FPS drop on High settings, but the transition from 1440p to 4K results in a 22 FPS drop as well. This linear decline in performance highlights the GPU's struggle to cope with the increased pixel count. For users seeking higher frame rates, the data suggests that sticking to 1440p or lower is necessary, as the 4K experience is compromised by the GPU's inability to maintain a high enough frame rate for a competitive FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system's performance is at its peak. On the Low preset, the average FPS is 136, providing an exceptionally smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS, ensuring a stable and fluid session. The High preset maintains a strong 84 FPS average, which is still excellent for competitive play. The Ultra preset, however, sees a significant drop to 63 FPS, indicating that the highest visual quality comes at a steep performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain playable but show more strain. The Low preset yields an average of 100 FPS, which is still very good. The Medium preset delivers 71 FPS on average, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS, keeping the gameplay smooth. High settings produce an average of 62 FPS, which is adequate for the game. Ultra settings drop to 46 FPS, which is a noticeable decrease and may feel less responsive. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance, with each increase in settings costing a consistent amount of frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only playable option, achieving an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS, which can lead to noticeable stutters in intense moments. High settings manage only 40 FPS, which is on the edge of playability. The Ultra preset is the worst performer, with an average of just 30 FPS, making it unsuitable for a fast-paced FPS title. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo unless users are willing to accept significantly reduced visual quality and frame rates.