Lockdown Protocol

Lockdown Protocol places this Intel Core Ultra X9 388H + AMD Radeon 890M combo in the bottom 5% of all tested system configurations, ranking 2675th out of 2828 combos. The data indicates a platform that is fundamentally GPU-limited at every resolution, with the CPU’s strong multi-threaded headroom going largely unused as the integrated graphics struggle to maintain playable framerates above 1080p.

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

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is a 16-core, 16-thread mobile processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process node. Its base clock of 2.10 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz give it substantial single-thread capability, which is reflected in its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 single-core result of 2200.5 points and a Passmark single-thread score of 4280. Multi-threaded performance is equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18911 and a Passmark multithread score of 36811.

For a game like Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The Ultra X9 388H’s 16 threads and 18 MB of shared L3 cache provide ample bandwidth for such tasks. However, the measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings shows that this CPU is never the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the combo achieves 78 FPS average. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 36 FPS — a 54% reduction that is far too steep to be explained by CPU limitations alone.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 88 among all processors (with an average benchmark score of 44466) places it in the upper tier of mobile CPUs, competitive with the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D (deltaPct -0.2), Intel Core i9-13950HX (deltaPct 0.3), and AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (deltaPct 0.4). Yet this processing power does not translate into high framerates in Lockdown Protocol because the integrated GPU cannot keep pace. The data suggests the CPU sits idle for large portions of each frame, waiting on the Radeon 890M to complete rendering tasks.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo’s rank of 2675 out of 2828 tested configurations places it in the 5.4th percentile overall, meaning roughly 95% of all tested combos deliver higher average framerates in Lockdown Protocol. This is a poor result, but it is not unexpected given the hardware pairing: a high-end mobile CPU with an integrated GPU that ranks in the 45th percentile among all GPUs.

The disparity between the CPU’s strength (88th percentile) and the GPU’s mediocrity (45th percentile) creates a severely imbalanced system. In practical terms, the Ultra X9 388H offers enough processing power to drive a discrete GPU far more capable than the Radeon 890M, but the measured FPS data shows the integrated graphics capping performance well below what the CPU could theoretically support. For comparison, the GPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score — the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (deltaPct -0.1), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (deltaPct -0.7), GTX 465 (deltaPct -0.9), and GTX 850M (deltaPct -1) — are all older or lower-tier parts, yet the 890M still lands near the bottom of the overall combo ranking because Lockdown Protocol appears to be particularly demanding on graphics resources.

At 1080p Low, the best-case scenario, the combo achieves 78 FPS, which is playable but not exceptional. The ranking data indicates that most other combos tested — including those with similar integrated GPUs but weaker CPUs — manage better results, suggesting that the 890M’s performance in this specific title is the limiting factor. The combo’s rank does not improve at higher settings; it only worsens as the GPU becomes even more overwhelmed.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon 890M is the primary bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 78 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p (a 25.6% reduction) and then to 37 at 2160p (a 36.2% reduction from 1440p). This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where increasing pixel count directly increases the rendering workload.

At Medium settings, the same pattern emerges: 56 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p (a 26.8% drop), and 26 FPS at 2160p (a 36.6% drop from 1440p). High settings show 49 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p (a 26.5% drop), and 23 FPS at 2160p (a 36.1% drop). Ultra settings follow suit with 36 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop), and 17 FPS at 2160p (a 37% drop from 1440p).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings — roughly 25-27% from 1080p to 1440p and 36-37% from 1440p to 2160p — is a textbook sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU workload (draw calls, physics, game logic) does not scale with pixel count. Instead, the uniform degradation proves that the Radeon 890M’s shading units, TMUs, and ROPs are saturated at every resolution. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 5.10 GHz boost clock, is never the limiting factor.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 78 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset that exceeds 60 FPS. Medium settings yield 56 FPS average, with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 64 FPS — the only setting tier in the data with reported min/max values. High settings drop to 49 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 42 FPS, representing a 53.8% performance penalty for the higher visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes marginal for smooth gameplay. Low settings average 58 FPS, just under the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 41 FPS average, with a minimum of 35 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting tier ranges from 19 to 22 FPS, confirming the GPU-bound scaling discussed earlier.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable framerates. Low settings average 37 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration above 30 FPS. Medium settings average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 FPS and maximum of 30 FPS — indicating that even the best-case frames in this configuration barely reach 30 FPS. High settings average 23 FPS, and Ultra drops to 17 FPS average. At 4K Ultra, the system delivers less than a third of the 1080p Low performance, making it effectively unplayable for a fast-paced FPS.

The min/max values for Medium settings at all three resolutions (47/64 at 1080p, 35/47 at 1440p, 22/30 at 2160p) show a consistent 17-12 FPS variance, suggesting that frame pacing is relatively stable even when the GPU is heavily loaded. However, the absolute FPS numbers are too low for competitive play at 1440p or above.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated GPU based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, manufactured on TSMC’s 4 nm process node. It features 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with 16 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, delivering a peak FP32 throughput of 5.939 TFLOPS. Its memory configuration is entirely system-shared, with the bus width and bandwidth being system-dependent, which means the 890M relies on the same LPDDR5X memory as the CPU.

In Lockdown Protocol, the 890M’s performance profile is consistent with its benchmark standing. Its Passmark G3D score of 8076 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 place it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs, just below the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (deltaPct -0.1) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (deltaPct -0.7). The GPU’s DirectX 12 Passmark score of 37 and DirectX 11 score of 73 are low, indicating limited ability to handle modern rendering pipelines efficiently.

The measured FPS data shows that the 890M’s 5.939 TFLOPS of compute power is insufficient for Lockdown Protocol at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the GPU manages 78 FPS, which suggests the game is moderately demanding. However, the steep drop to 17 FPS at 4K Ultra reveals that the GPU’s memory bandwidth limitations — since it shares system memory — become crippling at high pixel counts. The 890M’s 32 ROPs are also likely a bottleneck, as pixel fill rate (92.80 GPixel/s) is insufficient to sustain high framerates at 4K.

The GPU’s TDP of 15 W is extremely low, further constraining its performance. Unlike a discrete GPU with dedicated power and cooling, the 890M must operate within the thermal envelope of the mobile platform, which limits how long it can sustain boost clocks under load. This explains why the measured FPS at Medium settings shows a tight min/max range (e.g., 47-64 at 1080p) — the GPU is likely throttling to maintain stability.

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

Based strictly on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and the user’s frame rate requirements.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the only configuration that delivers a clearly playable experience, with an average of 78 FPS. This provides enough headroom for the frame drops that occur during intense firefights or when multiple enemies are on screen. The Medium preset at 56 FPS average is borderline playable, but the 47 FPS minimum reported in the data suggests that the game can dip into stutter territory during demanding scenes. High (49 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are not recommended for serious play, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold that most FPS players consider ideal.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is again the best choice, averaging 58 FPS. This is just below 60 FPS but may be acceptable for less competitive play. The Medium preset at 41 FPS average, with a 35 FPS minimum, is likely too inconsistent for a fast-paced FPS. High (36 FPS) and Ultra (27 FPS) are playable only in the most forgiving scenarios.

At 3840x2160, no setting tier is truly playable for an FPS. The Low preset averages 37 FPS, which is technically above the 30 FPS minimum for "playable" but far below what is needed for responsive aiming. Medium (26 FPS), High (23 FPS), and Ultra (17 FPS) are all below 30 FPS and should be avoided.

The data strongly suggests that the best experience for this combo is at 1080p with the Low preset, which maximizes frame rate while still allowing the game to run. If visual quality is a priority, the Medium preset at 1080p provides a middle ground, but the 47 FPS minimum is a risk. Users who must play at 1440p should stick to Low settings, and 4K is only viable for static scenes or screenshots, not active gameplay. The GPU’s 15 W TDP and shared memory architecture mean that no amount of CPU power from the Ultra X9 388H can compensate for the 890M’s rendering limitations in this title.