Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol presents a demanding workload for mobile hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H with the AMD Radeon 880M produces a specific performance profile. This analysis examines the measured frame rates to determine where this combo stands, how each component contributes, and what settings provide the most playable experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data positions this combo at rank 2763 out of 2828 tested combinations in Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the bottom 2% of all tested systems, indicating that this is not a configuration designed for high-refresh-rate competitive play in this title. The ranking reflects a fundamental imbalance: the CPU is a high-end mobile processor, but the GPU is an integrated graphics solution that struggles with the game's rendering demands.

To contextualize the CPU's contribution, the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H achieves an average benchmark score of 40518, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 253PE with an average score of 40557 (a delta of -0.1%), the Intel Core 5 223PE at 40585 (-0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H at 40431 (+0.2%). These tiny deltas show that the processor is entirely competitive with other top-tier mobile chips, yet the overall combo rank suffers because the GPU cannot keep pace.

The GPU's percentile ranking tells a different story. The AMD Radeon 880M sits in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 8436. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX at 8427 (+0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 at 8458 (-0.3%), and the AMD Radeon HD 8870M at 8462 (-0.3%). These are all older discrete GPU parts, which suggests the 880M performs at the level of a low-end dedicated graphics card from several generations ago. The data shows that while the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU's mid-tier standing drags the entire combo to a near-bottom rank in this specific game.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 880M is an integrated graphics processor based on the Strix Point chip with RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. The memory configuration is listed as "System Shared," meaning the GPU uses a portion of the system's main memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. This shared memory setup is a critical factor in Lockdown Protocol's performance, as the bandwidth available to the GPU is "System Dependent" and will vary based on the system's memory configuration.

With 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation pipelines, the 880M has a theoretical pixel rate of 46.40 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 139.2 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute performance is rated at 4.454 TFLOPS. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results reflect this. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the GPU scores 535, while in Geekbench Vulkan it scores 40006. The PassMark G3D score is 7615, with a G2D score of 969.

The GPU's capabilities are the primary limiter in this combo. In Lockdown Protocol, the highest average frame rate achieved at any resolution is 74 FPS at 1080p with Low settings. As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, showing that the GPU is increasingly overwhelmed. The RT cores (12 of them) and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate suggest the hardware is capable of advanced features, but the raw rendering throughput is insufficient for smooth gameplay at higher settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p, the combo achieves playable frame rates at all settings, with Low settings producing 74 FPS, Medium at 53 FPS, High at 46 FPS, and Ultra at 35 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1080p is the only resolution where the GPU can maintain reasonable performance, and even then, only at lower presets.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates drop substantially. Low settings produce 54 FPS, Medium drops to 39 FPS, High falls to 34 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 25 FPS. This represents a decrease of approximately 27% from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings (from 74 to 54 FPS), and a similar proportional drop at other settings. The scaling indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as a CPU-bound scenario would show less dramatic changes with resolution.

At 4K (3840x2160), the performance becomes largely unplayable for smooth gameplay. Low settings yield 35 FPS, Medium produces 25 FPS (with a minimum of 21 and maximum of 29), High drops to 22 FPS, and Ultra falls to 16 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K on Low settings is from 74 to 35 FPS, a reduction of over 52%. This steep decline confirms that the integrated GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for high-resolution rendering. The data strongly suggests that 1080p is the intended playable resolution for this combo, with 1440p being marginal and 4K reserved for static scenes or screenshots.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS values, the optimal experience for this combo in Lockdown Protocol is at 1080p with Low settings, where the average frame rate reaches 74 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth for an FPS title. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 21 FPS (from 74 to 53), which is a significant reduction, but the Medium preset does provide a minimum FPS of 45 and a maximum of 61, suggesting it can hold near-playable levels.

For players who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, the High preset at 1080p offers 46 FPS, which is still playable but with visible stutter potential in fast-paced scenes. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 35 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a shooter. At 1440p, the Low preset at 54 FPS is the only viable option, while all other settings fall below 40 FPS. The 4K resolution yields no playable configurations, as even Low settings only manage 35 FPS.

The data indicates that the best balance of playability and visual fidelity is achieved at 1080p with Low settings. This provides a 74 FPS average, which is 21 FPS higher than the next-best Low preset at 1440p (54 FPS). For players willing to accept lower frame rates, 1080p Medium at 53 FPS offers a better visual experience, but the 45 FPS minimum could cause noticeable hitches during intense combat. The recommendation is clear: stick to 1080p and use Low settings for competitive play, or Medium for a marginally better look if 45 FPS is acceptable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured frame rates provides a detailed view of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from a high of 74 FPS on Low settings to a low of 35 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset records an average of 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61 FPS, while High produces 46 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can exceed 60 FPS, and only at the lowest quality preset.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 54 FPS, Medium averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 and maximum of 44 FPS, High averages 34 FPS, and Ultra averages 25 FPS. The 1440p results are all below the 60 FPS threshold, and only Low settings provide a frame rate that could be considered minimally acceptable for an FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 33 FPS indicates that frame pacing could be inconsistent during demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the performance is largely unsuitable for gameplay. Low settings produce 35 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 and maximum of 29 FPS, High averages 22 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. The 4K results show a consistent pattern where each settings tier costs approximately 5-10 FPS, and the overall experience is stuttery and unresponsive. The data confirms that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo in Lockdown Protocol, regardless of the quality preset selected.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings, where the average frame rate is 74 FPS. All other tested configurations fall below 60 FPS, with 1440p Low at 54 FPS being the next closest.

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

A: The 1920x1080 resolution provides the highest frame rates across all settings. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset (35 FPS) outperforms the 1440p Low preset (34 FPS) and the 4K Low preset (35 FPS), though the 1080p Low preset at 74 FPS is the standout configuration.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H has an average benchmark score of 40518, which is within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H (40431) and the Intel Xeon 6507P (40426). It is slightly behind the Intel Core 7 253PE (40557) and Intel Core 5 223PE (40585), but the differences are negligible.

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

A: The AMD Radeon 880M has an average benchmark score of 8436, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (8427) and within 1.3% of the AMD Radeon R9 M375X (8325). It lags slightly behind the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (8458) and AMD Radeon HD 8870M (8462).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K on Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the average frame rate is 74 FPS. At 4K Low, it drops to 35 FPS, a reduction of 39 FPS or approximately 53%. This large drop indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Q: Are there any playable settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, only Low settings provide a playable experience with an average of 54 FPS. Medium (39 FPS), High (34 FPS), and Ultra (25 FPS) all fall below the 40 FPS threshold that is generally considered acceptable for smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by Intel. It has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a TDP of 25 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a high-end mobile CPU, as evidenced by its 87th percentile ranking among all processors.

The CPU's benchmark scores are robust across a variety of tests. In Cinebench R23, it scores 28221 in multicore and 3984 in single-core tests. PassMark multithread testing yields a score of 32956, while single-thread performance is 4005. The data encryption test produces a score of 25228, and physics processing scores 2857. These numbers indicate strong computational capabilities, particularly for a mobile processor with a 25 W TDP.

However, in Lockdown Protocol, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS data shows that frame rates scale heavily with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At 1080p, the CPU is likely sufficient to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the 74 FPS result at Low settings. But as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's performance advantage cannot compensate. The combo rank of 2763 out of 2828 confirms that the system's overall gaming performance is held back almost entirely by the integrated graphics, despite the CPU being in the top 13% of all processors.