Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload where the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a playable, though not exceptional, experience. The benchmark data shows this pairing ranks in the 25th percentile of tested configurations, indicating that while it handles the game, most other combos perform better. The system’s performance is heavily dependent on resolution and settings, with the most balanced experience found at 1440p Medium, offering a solid 80 FPS average.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. This high-core-count CPU is designed for maximum multi-threaded throughput, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and Geekbench multi-core score of 21697. In a fast-paced FPS like Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic; the data suggests it does so effectively, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution changes, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings.

The processor’s single-thread performance, measured at 2262.5 in Cinebench R23, is also robust, which is critical for the primary game thread. The CPU’s performance percentile of 95 vs all CPUs confirms it is a top-tier part in general compute, but its specific impact in Lockdown Protocol is moderated by the GPU pairing. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, scores nearly identically (deltaPct of -0.3), meaning the CPU is not a source of differentiation in this combo. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 154 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 34 FPS, a clear sign that the Arc B580's rendering capabilities are the primary bottleneck in this configuration, not the i9-14900K's processing power.

The CPU’s large 36 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain high instruction throughput, but Lockdown Protocol’s frame rates are more sensitive to the GPU's fill rate and shading power. The i9-14900K’s boost clock of 6.00 GHz is a theoretical maximum; in practice, the benchmark results show that the combo's performance is constrained by the graphics card. For instance, moving from 1080p High to 1440p High results in a 26% drop in FPS (from 95 to 70), which is a GPU-bound behavior. Therefore, while the CPU is exceptionally powerful, its role in this specific pairing is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data, a task it handles with ease.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

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

A: The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2795 out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the lower half of all configurations.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580's benchmark average compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, scores 23061, which is a 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, putting it 0.6% behind the Arc B580.

Q: What is the best frame rate achievable at 1080p with this setup?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded at 1920x1080 is 154 FPS, achieved with the Low settings preset. The Ultra preset at this resolution yields a 72 FPS average.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K's performance significantly different from its closest rival?

A: The data shows the i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097, while the Intel Core i9-14900KF scores 79371. This is a deltaPct of -0.3%, indicating virtually identical performance between the two processors.

Q: Does the system maintain consistent frame times at 1440p Medium?

A: Yes, the measured data for 2560x1440 Medium shows an average FPS of 80, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. This indicates a frame time variance that is typical for a mid-range GPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the impact of enabling Ultra settings at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average frame rate drops to 34 FPS. This is a 53% reduction compared to the 73 FPS average achieved at 4K Low settings, demonstrating the significant performance cost of the Ultra preset at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B580 sits at rank 2795 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the 25th percentile, meaning that approximately 75% of all tested system configurations deliver higher average frame rates in this game. This ranking is a direct consequence of the Arc B580's performance class; the GPU’s average benchmark score of 23021 places it at the 68th percentile of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, are older or lower-tier parts. The CPU, on the other hand, is a top performer, ranking in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

This disparity between CPU and GPU performance classes explains the combo's overall rank. The i9-14900K has the processing headroom to push much higher frame rates, but the Arc B580 cannot keep up, especially at higher resolutions and settings. For example, the 1080p Low result of 154 FPS shows the potential of the CPU, but the 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS shows the hard limit imposed by the GPU. In the context of all tested combos, this pairing is not competitive for high-refresh-rate 1440p or 4K gaming, but it offers a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings. The combo's rank is a holistic measure that confirms the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU is capable of performing far above the levels this system achieves.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across nine different scenarios. At 1920x1080, the system performs best at Low settings, achieving an average of 154 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 109 FPS (min 93, max 126), which is a smooth experience for competitive play. High settings at 1080p yield 95 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 72 FPS, showing a steep performance cost for the highest visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset maintains a high 113 FPS average. The Medium preset is the sweet spot for this resolution, with an 80 FPS average and a minimum of 68 FPS, ensuring consistent gameplay. High settings at 1440p produce 70 FPS, which is still playable but approaches the threshold where frame drops become noticeable. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 52 FPS, which is a significant reduction from the 1080p Ultra result, indicating the GPU is struggling with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily GPU-bound. The Low preset is the only option that provides a playable frame rate, with an average of 73 FPS. Medium settings at 4K drop to 52 FPS (min 44, max 59), which is on the edge of playability. High settings at 4K yield only 45 FPS, and the Ultra preset is virtually unplayable at 34 FPS. The data shows a clear pattern: the Arc B580 is capable of handling the game at lower resolutions and settings, but its 12 GB of memory and 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are insufficient for high-end 4K rendering in this title.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1080p to 70 at 1440p and further to 45 at 4K. This represents a 26% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a 53% decrease from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is consistent with a graphics card that is becoming saturated as pixel count increases. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance drop when moving to higher resolutions, as the CPU workload would remain relatively constant while the GPU takes on more rendering work.

The data from the Low settings preset further confirms this. At Low settings, the frame rates are 154 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The absolute drop in FPS is larger at lower settings because the GPU is less burdened, allowing the CPU to push more frames, but the percentage drop is still significant. This indicates that the Intel Arc B580's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s and its 192-bit memory bus are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the demand for pixel throughput exceeds what the card can provide, particularly on the Ultra preset where the 34 FPS result is a hard bottleneck. The i9-14900K, with its high single-core and multi-core scores, is not the limiting factor in this configuration.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combination of Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B580 is found at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset, which delivers an average of 109 FPS and a minimum of 93 FPS. This provides a high frame rate that is well-suited for a fast-paced FPS, while maintaining a frame time consistency that avoids stutter. For players seeking higher visual fidelity, the High preset at 1080p is a viable alternative, offering 95 FPS, which is still smooth. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended for competitive play, as the 72 FPS average is a significant drop from the Medium preset, though it remains playable.

For 2560x1440 users, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation, with an 80 FPS average and a 68 FPS minimum. This is the only combination at this resolution that offers both high frame rates and acceptable visual quality. The High preset at 1440p, with its 70 FPS average, is on the edge of playability for a competitive shooter, but the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin. The Low preset at 1440p, at 113 FPS, is an option for those prioritizing frame rate above all else, but it sacrifices visual detail.

At 3840x2160, the system is not well-suited for high-fidelity gaming. The Low preset is the only playable option, with a 73 FPS average. The Medium preset at 4K, at 52 FPS, is borderline, but the minimum of 44 FPS could be noticeable in intense scenes. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they produce average frame rates below 45 FPS, which is too low for a smooth experience. In summary, the best overall experience is achieved at 1080p or 1440p with the Medium preset, balancing visual quality and performance. The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B580 is not a 4K gaming card for this title, and users should target 1080p or 1440p for optimal results.