Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol is a fast-paced FPS that stresses both the CPU and GPU, and the measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the Intel Arc B570 provides a clear picture of its capabilities. The benchmark results show a system that is capable of smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but which hits a hard performance wall at 4K resolution. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, interprets the scaling behavior, and contextualizes the combo's overall ranking among other tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is the single most defining characteristic of this hardware combination in Lockdown Protocol. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 136 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 100 FPS, a 26.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 64 FPS, which is a 36% drop from 1440p and a 52.9% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the primary limiting factor as resolution increases.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For High settings, the averages are 84 FPS at 1080p, 62 FPS at 1440p, and 40 FPS at 4K. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs 26.2% performance, while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs 35.5%. The 4K result of 40 FPS is below the threshold for comfortable play in a competitive FPS, suggesting that 4K is not a viable target for this combo under High settings. The Ultra preset shows the same trend, starting at 63 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 46 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to 30 FPS at 4K.

This behavior points directly to GPU-bound scenarios at higher resolutions. The Core Ultra 7 265 has ample headroom to feed the graphics card at 1080p, where the frame rates are high. However, as the pixel count increases, the Arc B570’s rendering throughput becomes the bottleneck. The fact that the CPU is not the limiting factor is further supported by the relatively modest performance drop from Low to High settings at 1080p (136 to 84 FPS), which is a typical GPU-driven scaling curve. The data suggests that for a consistently smooth experience, users should target 1440p or 1080p, where the GPU can maintain higher frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The maximum measured average FPS is 136, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

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

A: The data indicates 4K is not a smooth experience. The best 4K result is 64 FPS on Low settings, but High and Ultra presets drop to 40 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, which are generally too low for a competitive FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to use for a balance of visual quality and performance?

A: 2560x1440 appears to be the sweet spot. At Medium settings, it delivers a 71 FPS average with a minimum of 60 FPS, providing a playable and visually detailed experience. High settings at 1440p also yield a respectable 62 FPS average.

Q: How much performance is gained by switching from Ultra to Low settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, switching from the Ultra preset (63 FPS average) to the Low preset (136 FPS average) results in a 115.9% increase in average frame rate.

Q: What is the average frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p on Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 96 at 1920x1080 to 71 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 25 FPS or 26%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: Based on the resolution scaling, the GPU is the limiting factor. Performance drops dramatically as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s high core count and benchmark scores suggest it has sufficient capability to keep up at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the decisive component in this system's gaming performance. Its benchmark scores place it in the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. This positions it near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which scores 20534 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20582 (a -0.1% delta). This indicates that the Arc B570 is a solid mid-range performer, capable of handling modern titles at 1080p and 1440p, but it does not have the raw power for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming.

The card features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the textures and assets in Lockdown Protocol at the tested resolutions. The card’s base and boost clocks are both set at 2500 MHz, and it has a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. These specifications help explain the frame rate drops at 4K; the card's fillrate and compute capacity (11.52 TFLOPS FP32) are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at that pixel count.

The measured FPS data confirms the GPU's role. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 30, which is a slideshow. Even at 4K Low, the card only manages 64 FPS. The GPU's performance is the primary reason why the system's overall combo rank is low (see the "How This Combo Ranks" section). While the CPU is more than capable, the Arc B570 holds the system back from achieving higher frame rates at higher resolutions. The data shows that the GPU's performance ceiling is around 136 FPS, which it only reaches at the lowest resolution and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations for Lockdown Protocol, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2264 out of 2828 total combos. This places the system in the bottom 20% of all tested configurations. This low ranking is surprising given the individual components' benchmark scores, but it makes sense when considering the GPU's performance ceiling in this specific game.

The CPU itself is a high performer. The Core Ultra 7 265 has a percentile rank of 93 against all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 64640 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. For example, it scores -0.3% against the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823) and +0.3% against the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438). This indicates the CPU is not a weak link in the chain. However, the GPU's 65th percentile ranking and its measured performance in this game drag the overall combo rank down significantly.

The rank of 2264 suggests that many other combinations of CPUs and GPUs are able to achieve higher frame rates in Lockdown Protocol. This is likely because the game is sensitive to GPU rasterization power, and many GPUs, even those with lower overall benchmark scores, might have a more favorable architecture for this specific title. The data implies that the Core Ultra 7 265 is being bottlenecked by the Arc B570, and pairing it with a more powerful GPU would yield a much higher combo rank. The CPU's potential is largely untapped in this configuration due to the GPU's limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete matrix of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The following is a detailed breakdown of the average frame rates, with minimum and maximum figures where available.

At 1920x1080, the system performs well across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS is 136. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 84 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still manages an average of 63 FPS. This resolution offers the most flexibility, allowing players to choose between maximum frame rates on Low or solid playability on Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance starts to become more constrained. The Low preset delivers an average of 100 FPS. The Medium preset averages 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. The High preset averages 62 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 46 FPS. This resolution is playable, but users will need to favor Medium settings to ensure a stable 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. The Low preset is the only playable option, yielding an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. The High preset drops to 40 FPS on average. The Ultra preset is unplayable, with an average of just 30 FPS. The data strongly suggests avoiding 4K unless using the Low preset and accepting a lower frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and performance goals. For a competitive edge with high frame rates, the 1920x1080 Low preset is the clear winner, delivering a 136 FPS average. This maximizes responsiveness and minimizes input lag.

For a balanced experience that prioritizes visual quality without sacrificing smoothness, the 2560x1440 Medium preset is the best choice. It provides a 71 FPS average with a 60 FPS minimum, ensuring that frame pacing remains stable and the game feels fluid. This is the highest resolution and settings combination that consistently maintains above 60 FPS.

At 4K, the options are limited. The 3840x2160 Low preset is the only one that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, averaging 64 FPS. While it sacrifices visual fidelity, it is the only way to get a somewhat smooth experience at this resolution. The Medium and High presets at 4K, with averages of 46 and 40 FPS respectively, are likely to feel sluggish for a fast-paced FPS.

Therefore, the recommendation is to play at 1440p with Medium settings for the best overall experience. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to 1080p Low provides a massive performance boost. The Ultra preset is generally not recommended, as it incurs a significant performance cost for diminishing visual returns, especially when compared to the High preset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 provides a strong foundation for this gaming system, but its full potential is not realized in Lockdown Protocol due to the GPU bottleneck. The CPU features 20 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This high core count and boost capability are reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and a single-core score of 5960. These scores place it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, far outperforming its GPU counterpart.

In gaming, the CPU is responsible for physics, AI, and game logic. In Lockdown Protocol, the data indicates that the CPU is more than adequate for these tasks. The massive frame rate jump from 4K to 1080p (up to 136 FPS) shows that the CPU can handle high instruction throughput. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or drop significantly even at lower resolutions. Instead, the frame rates scale consistently with resolution, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823, -0.3% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438, +0.3% delta). These scores show that the Core Ultra 7 265 is a top-tier processor. However, in this specific game and with this specific GPU, its performance contribution is capped. This suggests that for users looking to upgrade, investing in a more powerful GPU would yield significant performance gains in Lockdown Protocol, as the 265 has the headroom to support it.