Downfall

Downfall, a 2016 horror title, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates the capabilities of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor and the AMD Radeon 880M integrated graphics. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the iGPU is the primary bottleneck, with the CPU's substantial core count and high boost clocks providing ample headroom. This analysis breaks down the performance data, showing how the combination ranks and what settings provide the most balanced experience for this specific hardware pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is the clearest indicator of where the performance ceiling lies in this system. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 60. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High preset drops the average to 43 FPS, a reduction of 17 FPS or roughly 28%. Stepping up to 3840x2160 at High yields an average of just 27 FPS, which is a further drop of 16 FPS from 1440p and a total reduction of 33 FPS from 1080p. This steep decline as resolution increases points directly at the AMD Radeon 880M as the limiting factor, as the pixel throughput demand outpaces the iGPU’s rendering capabilities.

The pattern repeats across all quality presets. At Low settings, the 1080p average of 89 FPS falls to 64 FPS at 1440p and then to 40 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 73 FPS at 1080p, 52 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. Even at Ultra, where the absolute numbers are much lower, the scaling is consistent: 37 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. The consistent percentage-like drops across all settings reinforce that the bottleneck is resolution-dependent, which is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario.

The data suggests that the CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, is not the constraining factor in any of these tests. If the processor were the limit, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or become more erratic as resolution increases, since the CPU workload per frame typically remains constant or even decreases slightly at higher resolutions. Instead, the smooth and predictable drop in FPS as pixel count rises indicates that the Radeon 880M is being saturated with rendering work, while the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 sits with performance to spare.

Furthermore, the 4K results are particularly telling. The average of 27 FPS at High and 17 FPS at Ultra are not playable for a smooth experience, while even the Low preset at 40 FPS falls short of a consistent 60 FPS target. The 1440p results are borderline, with Medium achieving 52 FPS and High at 43 FPS, suggesting that only the Low preset at this resolution comes close to a playable frame rate for most users. The 1080p results are the only set where the iGPU manages to deliver a fully fluid experience, with the Low preset at 89 FPS and Medium at 73 FPS providing the best headroom.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is a mobile processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, featuring 16 cores and 32 threads. Its base clock is 3.00 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. In the context of Downfall, a horror game from 2016, this processor is exceptionally powerful. The benchmark data shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35314 and a single-core score of 2044, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates that the processor has far more compute capability than a title like Downfall would require, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

The CPU's role in these measured results is largely to provide a stable platform for the integrated GPU. With a multicore Geekbench score of 20992 and a Passmark multithread score of 54934, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is unlikely to cause any frame rate dips due to processing limitations. Even at 1080p Low, where the average FPS is 89, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The data shows that the frame rates are dictated entirely by the Radeon 880M's ability to render the scene.

In terms of its competitive position, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 sits near other high-end desktop and mobile parts. Its average benchmark score of 77740 is 1.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX, which has an average score of 76513. It is also 1.6% higher than the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (76492). Compared to the Intel Core i9-14900K, which scores 79097, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is 1.7% lower. This places it in a performance tier where its 16 cores and high clocks are more than sufficient for the vast majority of gaming workloads, including Downfall.

The 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth provided by the quad-channel LPDDR5X memory support are critical for feeding the integrated GPU. For an iGPU, which has no dedicated VRAM, the speed and bandwidth of the system memory are paramount. The data from the measured FPS suggests that this memory configuration is adequate, but it is still the GPU's own shading units, TMUs, and ROPs that determine the final frame rate. The CPU is effectively a non-factor in these specific results, performing its role without introducing any measurable performance ceiling.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 880M is the integrated graphics processor in this setup, built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture and manufactured on a 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. The GPU has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operations pipelines. This configuration results in a pixel rate of 46.40 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 139.2 GTexel/s, with an FP32 performance of 4.454 TFLOPS. As an IGP, it relies on system memory, with the memory size, type, and bus width all listed as "System Shared," and the bandwidth being "System Dependent."

The GPU's benchmark scores are modest compared to its CPU counterpart. In the Passmark G3D test, it scores 7615, placing it in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. Its performance is closely matched to several older discrete mobile GPUs. The data shows it is 0.1% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (which has an average score of 8427) and 1.3% faster than the AMD Radeon R9 M375X (8325). However, it is 0.3% slower than both the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (8458) and the AMD Radeon HD 8870M (8462). This places the Radeon 880M in a performance bracket that is suitable for esports titles and older games, but which struggles with the demands of modern, high-fidelity releases.

In Downfall, the GPU’s role is the decisive factor in the measured FPS. The 4.454 TFLOPS of compute power and the limited 16 ROPs are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 17 FPS is a clear indication that the iGPU is overwhelmed by the pixel shading and rasterization demands. Even at 1080p, the Ultra preset at 37 FPS shows that the GPU is the limiting component; the CPU is not holding it back. The data suggests that to achieve a 60 FPS average, the settings must be reduced to Low at 1080p, where the GPU can keep up with the reduced workload.

The lack of dedicated VRAM further hampers performance at higher resolutions. At 4K, the memory bandwidth becomes a critical constraint, as the GPU and CPU share the same memory pool. The measured 40 FPS at 4K Low versus 27 FPS at 4K High illustrates how even modest increases in texture quality and shading complexity can significantly impact the shared memory subsystem. The Radeon 880M is a capable iGPU for light gaming, but the data from Downfall clearly shows its limitations as resolution and settings increase.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full set of measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance in Downfall. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 89 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves an average of 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS, indicating a playable and reasonably smooth experience. The High preset at 1080p drops to an average of 60 FPS, which is right at the edge of a standard 60 Hz monitor's refresh rate. Finally, the Ultra preset at 1080p yields an average of 37 FPS, which is a significant drop and suggests the GPU is heavily taxed.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance takes a noticeable hit across all presets. The Low preset averages 64 FPS, which is still playable, but the Medium preset falls to 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS. The High preset averages 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 27 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1440p, only the Low preset is adequate. The Medium preset might be acceptable for some players who tolerate frame rates below 60, but the minimum of 44 FPS could lead to noticeable stutters in intense scenes.

At 3840x2160, the results are mostly below the threshold for comfortable play. The Low preset reaches an average of 40 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 30 FPS. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS, with a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset is virtually unplayable at an average of 17 FPS. These numbers confirm that 4K is not a viable resolution for this iGPU in this game, except perhaps for very undemanding scenes or for players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.

The data also shows a consistent gap between the Low and Ultra presets at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 52 FPS (89 vs 37). At 1440p, the difference is 37 FPS (64 vs 27). At 4K, the difference is 23 FPS (40 vs 17). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes so saturated with base rendering work that the additional load from higher settings has a relatively smaller absolute impact, though the frame rates are already too low to be usable. The Medium preset at 1080p, with its 73 FPS average and 62 FPS minimum, appears to be the sweet spot for a balance between visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and the AMD Radeon 880M is ranked 2852 out of 2928 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the bottom 3% of all system pairings in the database, which is a direct consequence of the weak integrated GPU. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU's performance category holds the entire combo back. This ranking highlights the importance of a balanced system; a powerful processor cannot compensate for a graphics solution that is fundamentally outclassed by the game's requirements.

The combo rank is a relative measure, and the data shows that for this specific game, the system is not competitive. With 2852 combos ranked above it, there is a vast array of systems that will deliver higher frame rates in Downfall. This is expected, as most of the combos above it will feature discrete graphics cards with dedicated VRAM and significantly higher compute throughput. The Radeon 880M, while a good iGPU, is simply not in the same league as even entry-level discrete GPUs.

However, the ranking also reflects the specific nature of Downfall. A less demanding or older game might see this combo rank higher. The fact that it is ranked so low indicates that Downfall is particularly sensitive to GPU performance, and the iGPU's 43rd percentile standing (with an average benchmark score of 8436) is not sufficient to achieve a good result. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking is rendered irrelevant in this context, as the overall combo's performance is gated by the GPU. The deltaPct values for the GPU's nearest rivals, being within 1.3% of its average score, show how tightly clustered this performance tier is, but it is still a tier that is far below what is needed for a game like Downfall at high settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system in Downfall depend heavily on the user's target resolution and tolerance for frame rate dips. For a 1080p display, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. It delivers an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate stays above 60 for the vast majority of the gameplay experience. The High preset at 1080p, with its 60 FPS average, is also viable, but it offers less headroom and may dip below 60 FPS in more demanding scenes. The Low preset at 1080p is the best choice for competitive or highly responsive play, as the 89 FPS average provides a significant margin above the display's refresh rate.

For 2560x1440, the recommendation is to use the Low preset, which yields an average of 64 FPS. This is the only 1440p setting that maintains a frame rate that is generally considered playable. The Medium preset at 52 FPS is a compromise, but the minimum of 44 FPS suggests that it will not feel consistently smooth. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p, with averages of 43 FPS and 27 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a satisfactory experience. Players with a 1440p monitor should consider lowering the resolution to 1080p to achieve better performance.

At 3840x2160, no preset provides a truly playable experience. The Low preset at 40 FPS is the only one that approaches a tolerable level, but it still falls short of a stable 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 32 FPS is on the edge of playability for some, but the minimum of 28 FPS indicates potential stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 27 FPS and 17 FPS are effectively unplayable. For 4K, the data strongly suggests that this iGPU is not suitable for Downfall, and users should either lower the resolution to 1440p or 1080p or adjust their expectations for frame rate.

Ultimately, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1080p with the Medium preset. This setting provides a good balance of visual fidelity and performance, keeping the average FPS well above the 60 FPS threshold while avoiding the significant visual downgrades of the Low preset. The High preset is a secondary option for those who prefer better image quality and can tolerate a frame rate that is exactly at 60 FPS on average. For all other resolutions, the Low preset is the only one that offers a reasonably smooth experience, and even then, 4K remains a challenge for this hardware combination.