Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol pairs a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265 with an AMD Radeon RX 580, and the benchmark results show a system heavily constrained by the graphics card at most settings. The CPU is a modern Arrow Lake desktop part with a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 5.30 GHz boost clock, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs tested. In direct contrast, the RX 580 is an end-of-life Polaris GPU from 2017, sitting at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. This pairing yields a combo rank of 3384 out of 3714 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol, indicating that the entire system falls into the lower performance tier for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 brings substantial processing power to Lockdown Protocol, but the game’s frame rates reveal that most of this headroom is left unused. The CPU’s 20 cores and 20 threads operate at a base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost up to 5.30 GHz, with a 30 MB shared L3 cache. Across all tested configurations, the frame rate differences between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution are far larger than any scaling that could be attributed to CPU load — a pattern that points squarely at the GPU as the limiting factor.

The CPU’s benchmark credentials are strong: it scores 42,216 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 5,960 in single-core, with an average benchmark score of 64,640. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P, scores 64,823 (0.3% higher), while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64,438 (0.3% lower). These are server and workstation-class comparisons, yet in Lockdown Protocol, the game never pushes the CPU anywhere near its limits. At 1080p Low, the system produces 85 FPS average — the highest of any setting — and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 19 FPS. This 66 FPS swing across resolutions and settings is entirely consistent with a GPU bottleneck, as the CPU would easily handle any of these workloads.

The data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 265 is essentially idle in this pairing. Even at 1080p Ultra, where the GPU is least stressed, the system only reaches 40 FPS. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see frame rates that stay relatively flat as resolution increases, but instead the frame rate falls steadily from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. The 20 threads and high boost clock are simply not being taxed by Lockdown Protocol’s FPS gameplay, which appears to rely far more on the graphics pipeline than on multi-core processing. The CPU’s 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, versus the GPU’s 53rd percentile, makes the performance hierarchy unambiguous.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 fast enough for Lockdown Protocol?

A: The data shows the CPU is far more than adequate. It ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs and scores 42,216 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The measured frame rates in the game are limited by the GPU, not the CPU, as evidenced by the large FPS drops when resolution increases.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 580’s average benchmark score is 12,928. Its closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, scores 12,940 (0.1% higher), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12,986 (0.4% higher). The AMD Radeon 740M scores 12,870 (0.5% lower). These are all very close, indicating the RX 580 performs at a similar level to these parts.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1080p is the only viable resolution for smooth gameplay. At 1080p Medium, the system achieves 60 FPS average, while at 1440p Medium it drops to 44 FPS, and at 4K Medium it falls to 29 FPS. The 1080p Low setting hits 85 FPS, but Medium provides the best balance of visual quality and playability.

Q: Will lowering settings to Low always improve performance?

A: Yes, the data consistently shows that Low settings produce the highest frame rates at every resolution. At 1080p, Low delivers 85 FPS versus 40 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, Low gives 62 FPS versus 29 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, Low reaches 40 FPS versus 19 FPS on Ultra. The improvement is substantial across the board.

Q: How does this combo rank against all tested combinations?

A: This specific CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3384th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower 10% of all combinations, which aligns with the GPU’s 53rd percentile standing and the fact that the RX 580 is several generations old.

Q: Is the RX 580 a bottleneck?

A: The benchmark results indicate the RX 580 is the primary limiter. The GPU’s 53rd percentile rank and the fact that frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings — from 85 FPS at 1080p Low to 19 FPS at 4K Ultra — show that the graphics card is saturated while the CPU has ample headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions tells a clear story about which component is driving performance in Lockdown Protocol. Starting at 1080p Low, the system produces 85 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 62 FPS — a 27% reduction — and then to 4K Low at 40 FPS, another 35% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline is the signature of a GPU-bound system, as the RX 580’s 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are being overwhelmed as pixel count rises.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar: 60 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result also has a min FPS of 24 and max FPS of 33, showing that even the average is barely above the minimum playable threshold. At High settings, the numbers are 53 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The pattern is consistent — each resolution step costs roughly 25-30% of the frame rate, regardless of the quality preset.

The data indicates that the CPU is never the limiting factor in this game. If the Core Ultra 7 265 were the constraint, we would see diminishing frame rate penalties as resolution increases, because the CPU would be the bottleneck at all resolutions. Instead, the consistent percentage drops with each resolution increase point to the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth as the binding constraints. At 4K Ultra, the system bottoms out at 19 FPS, which is effectively unplayable. This resolution scaling analysis confirms that any performance improvement would require a GPU upgrade, not a CPU change, given the 93rd percentile CPU sitting behind a 53rd percentile GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3384th out of 3714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol. This places the system in the bottom 10% of all configurations tested for this game, which is a surprising result given the CPU’s high standing. The rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which sits at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 12,928. The CPU, by contrast, is at the 93rd percentile with an average score of 64,640.

This disparity creates an unusual situation where a top-tier CPU is paired with a mid-tier GPU, and the game’s performance reflects the weaker component. The combo rank of 3384 means that only 330 other tested combinations performed worse. To put this in context, the CPU’s nearest rivals — the AMD EPYC 4464P, Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, AMD EPYC 7343, and AMD EPYC 9124 — all have average scores within 0.7% of each other, showing that the processor is competitive with high-end server parts. Yet in this game, that processing power is largely irrelevant because the RX 580 cannot feed frames fast enough.

The rank also implies that most other tested combinations — even those with less capable CPUs — outperform this one because they likely feature more modern GPUs. For Lockdown Protocol, which appears to be graphically intensive given the FPS drops, the GPU is the deciding factor. The 53rd percentile GPU ranking suggests that roughly half of all GPUs tested would outperform the RX 580, and any of those paired with a similar CPU would likely rank higher. The 3384th position out of 3714 is a clear verdict: this combo is GPU-limited, and the system’s overall standing is dragged down by the aging graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of how this combo performs across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the system achieves 85 FPS on Low, 60 FPS on Medium (with a min of 51 and max of 69), 53 FPS on High, and 40 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p Medium result is notable because it is the only configuration that hits 60 FPS average while offering more than minimal visual quality. At 1080p Low, the 85 FPS average is the highest of any tested setting, but the visual fidelity is correspondingly reduced.

At 1440p, performance drops noticeably. Low settings deliver 62 FPS, Medium delivers 44 FPS (min 38, max 51), High delivers 39 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS. The 1440p Medium result is borderline playable, but the 44 FPS average leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The 1440p High setting at 39 FPS is marginal, and Ultra at 29 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The pattern shows a consistent 25-30% penalty when moving from 1080p to 1440p at each quality level.

At 4K, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings produce 40 FPS, Medium produces 29 FPS (min 24, max 33), High produces 25 FPS, and Ultra produces 19 FPS. The 4K Low result is the only one that approaches playability, and even that is marginal for a fast-paced FPS. The 4K Medium min FPS of 24 indicates significant frame dips that would be noticeable during gameplay. The 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS is essentially a slideshow. This breakdown confirms that the RX 580’s 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus are insufficient for 4K gaming in this title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo are 1080p Medium. This configuration produces 60 FPS average with a min of 51 FPS and max of 69 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience that meets the standard for competitive FPS gameplay. The 1080p Low setting at 85 FPS is smoother, but the visual quality trade-off is significant, and the 60 FPS Medium result offers a better balance of image quality and performance.

For players who prioritize frame rate above all else, 1080p Low at 85 FPS is the clear choice. However, the data suggests that the jump from Low to Medium at 1080p only costs 25 FPS (from 85 to 60), which is a worthwhile trade for improved visuals. The 1080p High setting at 53 FPS is the first point where the frame rate dips below 60, making it less ideal for fast-paced gameplay. Ultra at 1080p drops to 40 FPS, which is too low for a competitive FPS.

At 1440p, the best option is Medium at 44 FPS, but this is below the 60 FPS target and only suitable for less demanding play styles. The 1440p Low setting at 62 FPS is the only 1440p option that stays above 60, but it sacrifices visual quality. For 4K, none of the settings are recommended, as even Low only reaches 40 FPS and Medium falls to 29 FPS with dips to 24 FPS. The data clearly indicates that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot for this hardware combination, delivering the best playable experience without requiring the lowest visual settings. The RX 580’s performance ceiling in Lockdown Protocol is 1080p, and Medium is the highest quality preset that maintains a 60 FPS average.