Lockdown Protocol

# Lockdown Protocol with Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX + AMD Radeon 890M

This combination pairs Intel's top-tier mobile Core Ultra 9 275HX processor with AMD's integrated Radeon 890M graphics, producing a system that is decisively GPU-limited in Lockdown Protocol. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings show a clear ceiling imposed by the integrated GPU, with the CPU's substantial multi-core and single-core capabilities providing no visible headroom in this FPS title. The data places this combo at rank 2675 out of 2828 tested combinations, indicating it sits in the lower percentile of systems for this game, which is expected given the integrated graphics solution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases, a classic signature of GPU-bound rendering. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system averages 78 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 58 FPS, a reduction of 20 FPS. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 37 FPS. This represents a 53% decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, which strongly indicates the rendering pipeline is constrained by the GPU rather than the CPU.

The pattern holds across all quality presets. At High settings, the averages are 49 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p, and 23 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 26 FPS, a 53% reduction that mirrors the Low-setting scaling almost exactly. This consistency across settings suggests the bottleneck is purely pixel-throughput related — the Radeon 890M's 32 ROPs and 64 TMUs are being saturated by the increasing pixel count, regardless of the complexity of the shading work.

At Medium settings, the 1080p average is 56 FPS, dropping to 41 at 1440p and 26 at 4K. The 4K result includes a minimum of 22 and maximum of 30 FPS, showing tight frame pacing at the low end. Ultra settings yield the lowest numbers: 36 FPS at 1080p, 27 at 1440p, and 17 at 4K. The 4K Ultra figure represents a 53% drop from 1080p Ultra, consistent with the other presets.

The resolution scaling behavior indicates that the limiting component is the GPU. If the CPU were the constraint, the frame rate would remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU workload does not scale with pixel count. Instead, the near-linear relationship between pixel count and FPS — roughly halving from 1080p to 4K — is definitive evidence of a GPU-bound scenario at every settings level tested.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on Arrow Lake-HX architecture, built on TSMC's 3 nm process. Its base clock is 2.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 35589 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2204 in single-core, placing it at the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Geekbench results show 20795 multi-core and 2458 single-core scores, while PassMark multi-thread reaches 55759.

In Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role appears minimal given the measured frame rates. The game's FPS at all resolutions and settings is well below what this processor could theoretically deliver, even at 1080p Low where the 78 FPS average is the highest recorded. The CPU's nearest rivals — the Intel Xeon w5-3525 at 67673 average score, AMD EPYC 4484PX at 67822, AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX at 67868, and Intel Xeon 6515P at 67006 — all sit within 0.7% of the Core Ultra 9's 67469 average benchmark score, confirming its position near the top of desktop-class processors. Yet none of this headroom translates into higher frame rates in this game because the GPU cannot keep up.

The 24 threads and high boost clock would be more relevant in CPU-bound scenarios or heavily simulated games, but Lockdown Protocol's measured results show no evidence of CPU limitation. The FPS differences between settings at the same resolution are entirely attributable to GPU workload changes. For example, at 1080p, the spread from Low (78 FPS) to Ultra (36 FPS) is 42 FPS, a range that reflects shading and pixel work, not CPU processing. The CPU's architecture, with its 192 KB L1 per core and 3 MB L2 per core, is more than sufficient for this game's logic, but the data cannot confirm any CPU contribution because the GPU bottleneck masks it entirely.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor based on RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on TSMC's 4 nm process as part of the Strix Point chip. It has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with 16 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 400 MHz with a boost clock of 2900 MHz. Memory is system-shared with bandwidth dependent on the host system. The GPU's pixel rate is 92.80 GPixel/s and texture rate is 185.6 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 5.939 TFLOPS.

The 890M's synthetic benchmark results place it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Vega 8 at 9221 (-0.1%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 at 9273 (-0.7%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 at 9294 (-0.9%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M at 9302 (-1.0%). This places the 890M in the range of older discrete mid-range GPUs, which is consistent with its measured performance in Lockdown Protocol.

In DirectX benchmarks, the GPU scores 97 in PassMark DirectX 9, 73 in DirectX 11, and 37 in DirectX 12. The lower DirectX 12 score compared to DirectX 11 is notable — Lockdown Protocol's performance may be influenced by this, though the measured data does not specify which API the game uses. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 is modest, further indicating the GPU's limited throughput. The system-shared memory architecture means bandwidth is system-dependent, which could contribute to the scaling behavior seen across resolutions — higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth, and the shared pool may become a secondary constraint at 4K.

The GPU's 15 W TDP (as listed) underscores its integrated nature, though the actual power draw in a mobile system could vary. The 5.939 TFLOPS FP32 performance is the theoretical ceiling, and the measured frame rates show the practical delivery of that compute in a real FPS title. The 890M's boost clock of 2900 MHz is high for an iGPU, but the 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs limit fill-rate-bound scenarios like high-resolution rendering.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 78 FPS, the highest figure recorded across any configuration. Medium settings average 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64. High settings average 49 FPS. Ultra settings average 36 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 42 FPS, representing a 54% performance penalty for the highest quality preset.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 58 FPS on Low, 41 FPS on Medium (with min 35, max 47), 36 FPS on High, and 27 FPS on Ultra. The Low-to-Ultra spread is 31 FPS, a 53% drop from Low to Ultra. Compared to 1080p, each setting loses roughly 20 FPS at 1440p: Low drops from 78 to 58, Medium from 56 to 41, High from 49 to 36, and Ultra from 36 to 27.

At 3840x2160, the results fall below playable thresholds for most presets. Low averages 37 FPS, Medium averages 26 FPS (min 22, max 30), High averages 23 FPS, and Ultra averages 17 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread is 20 FPS, a 54% reduction. The 4K Medium minimum of 22 FPS and maximum of 30 FPS indicate frame times that would likely feel inconsistent in fast-paced FPS gameplay.

Comparing settings across resolutions reveals a consistent pattern: each step from Low to Medium to High to Ultra costs roughly 15-20% performance at any given resolution. The Medium preset's min/max values at 1080p (47-64) and 1440p (35-47) show a narrower range than the 4K Medium (22-30), suggesting smoother frame delivery at lower resolutions. The data does not include min/max FPS for Low, High, or Ultra presets, so those comparisons are limited to averages.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system approaches smooth playability, with an average of 78 FPS on Low and 56 FPS on Medium. At 2560x1440, the best average is 58 FPS on Low, while 3840x2160 tops out at 37 FPS on Low.

Q: Is this system CPU-bound or GPU-bound in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The measured FPS data indicates a GPU-bound scenario. Frame rates scale nearly linearly with resolution — dropping approximately 53% from 1080p to 4K at every settings level — which is the signature of a pixel-throughput limit. The Core Ultra 9 275HX's strong synthetic scores (35589 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) are not reflected in higher frame rates.

Q: How does the Radeon 890M compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210, placing it 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (9221), 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273), 0.9% behind the GTX 465 (9294), and 1.0% behind the GTX 850M (9302). Its 45th percentile ranking among all GPUs reflects its integrated-class performance.

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

A: Yes, but only at reduced settings. The 4K Low preset averages 37 FPS, 4K Medium averages 26 FPS, 4K High averages 23 FPS, and 4K Ultra averages 17 FPS. None of these reach 60 FPS, and only Low comes close to a playable threshold for an FPS title.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low averages 78 FPS while Ultra averages 36 FPS, a difference of 42 FPS or 54%. Medium (56 FPS) and High (49 FPS) sit between these extremes, showing that each quality tier carries a measurable performance cost.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2675 out of 2828 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 5% of systems for Lockdown Protocol performance. This low ranking is consistent with the integrated GPU's 45th percentile position among all GPUs.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience in the measured data. The 56 FPS average with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64 provides a playable baseline, though the minimum dips below 60. Low settings at 78 FPS give the smoothest experience if frame rate is the priority, while High at 49 FPS may be acceptable for players who prefer visual quality over smoothness. Ultra at 36 FPS is not recommended for an FPS title, as the average falls below common playability thresholds.

At 2560x1440, Low settings are the only viable option for competitive play, with 58 FPS average. Medium at 41 FPS (min 35, max 47) is marginal, and High at 36 FPS or Ultra at 27 FPS would likely feel sluggish in fast-paced gameplay. The 1440p Low setting represents the best trade-off between resolution and performance for this combo.

At 3840x2160, no preset delivers a consistently smooth experience. Low at 37 FPS is the highest average, but even this falls short of the 60 FPS target typical for FPS games. Medium at 26 FPS and High at 23 FPS are below playable thresholds, and Ultra at 17 FPS is effectively a slideshow. The data suggests that 4K is not a practical resolution for this system in Lockdown Protocol, regardless of settings.

The overall recommendation based on measured data is to run the game at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, accepting the 56 FPS average as the best compromise between visual fidelity and performance. If smoothness is paramount, Low at 78 FPS delivers the highest frame rate available. The Ultra preset at any resolution provides no competitive advantage in an FPS context given the substantial FPS penalty.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 2675 out of 2828 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the bottom 5% of systems. This low ranking is consistent with the individual component benchmarks: the CPU sits at the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 45th percentile of all GPUs. The system's performance in this game is therefore dictated entirely by its weakest link, the integrated Radeon 890M.

The GPU's nearest rival comparisons reinforce this assessment. The 890M's average benchmark score of 9210 is statistically indistinguishable from the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (9221, -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273, -0.7%). These are all older or lower-tier GPUs, and their performance in Lockdown Protocol would likely be similar, though the measured data only covers the 890M specifically.

The CPU's ranking among its peers — within 0.7% of the Intel Xeon w5-3525, AMD EPYC 4484PX, AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX, and Intel Xeon 6515P in average benchmark score — shows that the processor is not the limiting factor. A combo featuring this CPU with a more powerful discrete GPU would likely rank substantially higher, but that configuration is not in the measured data.

The rank of 2675 out of 2828 indicates that the vast majority of tested systems outperform this combo in Lockdown Protocol. This is expected for an integrated graphics solution in a demanding FPS title. The data shows that while the CPU is a top-tier mobile processor, the GPU's 1024 shading units, 32 ROPs, and system-shared memory cannot deliver the frame rates needed for high-resolution or high-settings gameplay. For players considering this combo, the measured results suggest that 1080p Medium or Low is the practical ceiling, and that the system's ranking reflects its GPU-bound nature in this game.