Downfall

The AMD Radeon 880M integrated GPU paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H represents a specific mobile computing segment where the processor’s capabilities must often compensate for the graphics solution’s limitations. In Downfall, a horror title from 2016, this combination produces playable results at lower resolutions, but the performance ceiling becomes apparent as resolution demands increase. The data shows a clear pattern: this is a system designed for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a stretch and 4K largely out of reach for smooth gameplay. The following analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, the ranking of this combo against all tested configurations, and the respective roles of the CPU and GPU in determining the final experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how severely this combo is impacted by resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 89 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops that average to 64 FPS, a reduction of 25 FPS or roughly 28% from the 1080p figure. Pushing further to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields an average of 40 FPS, which is less than half of the 1080p Low result. This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops are nearly proportional to the pixel count increase.

Looking at High settings, the trend continues but from a lower starting point. At 1080p High, the average is 60 FPS. At 1440p High, it falls to 43 FPS, a 17 FPS difference. At 4K High, the average drops to 27 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic falloff: 37 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and only 17 FPS at 4K. These numbers suggest that the GPU’s shading units and texture units are overwhelmed when the pixel workload increases, and the system’s shared memory architecture does not provide enough bandwidth to compensate.

The Medium settings row provides additional context, as it is the only preset with recorded minimum and maximum frame rates. At 1080p Medium, the average is 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60. At 4K Medium, the average is 32 FPS with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 37. The minimum frame rates at each resolution are notably close to the averages, indicating that frame pacing is relatively consistent rather than spiky. However, the fact that the 4K Medium minimum is 28 FPS means that even the least demanding moments in Downfall will be below 30 FPS, which can feel choppy in a horror game where smooth camera movement is essential for atmosphere.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings is a 21 FPS drop (73 to 52), while the scaling from 1440p to 4K is a 20 FPS drop (52 to 32). This near-linear degradation across resolutions points to a GPU that is compute-bound rather than memory-bound, as the Radeon 880M’s 768 shading units are simply not enough to sustain higher pixel throughput. The 4K Ultra result of 17 FPS is essentially a slideshow, confirming that this resolution is not viable for this game with this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this specific CPU-GPU pairing in Downfall is 2852 out of 2928 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 3% of all configurations tested for this game. The percentile is not explicitly stated, but the rank of 2852 against 2928 total combos indicates that only 76 other combinations performed worse. This is a significant finding for builders who might assume that a modern integrated GPU could handle a 2016 horror title with ease.

The GPU’s standalone percentile is 43, meaning it outperforms 43% of all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 8436, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX at 8427 (0.1% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 at 8458 (0.3% slower), and the AMD Radeon HD 8870M at 8462 (0.3% slower). These are all older discrete mobile GPUs, which shows that the Radeon 880M’s raw compute is roughly on par with a mid-range laptop GPU from several generations ago. The CPU, by contrast, has an 81st percentile ranking, with an average score of 29093, placing it near the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X at 29123 (0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i5-13500HX at 29270 (0.6% faster).

The disparity between the CPU’s high percentile (81) and the combo’s low rank (2852 of 2928) is telling. It suggests that in Downfall, the GPU is the bottleneck that drags the entire system down. A CPU that performs near desktop-class levels is paired with an iGPU that is barely above average, and the game’s rendering demands are such that the GPU cannot keep up even at lower settings. The combo rank is not simply an average of the two components’ percentiles; instead, it reflects the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, which are heavily GPU-limited.

For context, the CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, is a desktop processor with a 0.1% delta in average score, meaning the 135H is essentially equivalent in CPU-bound tasks. However, the GPU’s nearest rival, the GTX 675MX, is a discrete card from 2012, and the 880M only outperforms it by 0.1%. This means that in a game like Downfall, the combo’s performance is dictated by a GPU that is roughly a decade old in capability, despite being released in 2024.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 880M is an integrated graphics solution based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation units. The boost clock is listed as 2900 MHz, with a base clock of 400 MHz. The pixel rate is 46.40 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 139.2 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 4.454 TFLOPS. These are the raw specifications that determine how fast the GPU can process geometry and pixels.

In Downfall, the GPU’s role is critical because the game’s horror atmosphere relies on dynamic lighting and shadow effects, which are compute-intensive. The measured frame rates show that the 880M’s 4.454 TFLOPS are insufficient for high-resolution rendering. At 1080p Low, the 89 FPS average suggests that the GPU can handle the reduced pixel count and simplified shading. However, at 4K Low, the 40 FPS average indicates that the pixel fill rate is the limiting factor, as the 16 ROPs are being asked to write to four times as many pixels as at 1080p.

The memory situation is also important. The 880M uses System Shared memory, with the bus width and bandwidth listed as System Dependent. This means the GPU has no dedicated VRAM, and it must share the system’s DDR5 memory with the CPU. The CPU’s memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s, but that is shared between all cores and the iGPU. In Downfall, which may require frequent texture streaming, this shared bandwidth can cause stutters or frame drops, especially at higher resolutions where more texture data needs to be fetched. The measured minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 28, which is only 4 FPS below the average of 32, suggesting that stutters are not severe, but the overall performance is still low.

The GPU’s benchmark scores are also relevant. Its Passmark G3D score is 7615, which places it at the 43rd percentile. Its Geekbench Vulkan score is 40006, and its OpenCL score is 31285. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 535, which is a low result for a modern API test. These scores confirm that the 880M is a modest performer, and the Downfall results align with that assessment. The GPU’s nearest rivals in the database are all older discrete mobile GPUs, which further illustrates its position in the performance hierarchy.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of how this combo performs across all tested settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 89 FPS, Medium produces 73 FPS (with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84), High produces 60 FPS, and Ultra produces 37 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system can achieve playable frame rates on all presets, with Low and Medium offering smooth experiences above 60 FPS, and High being exactly at the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra at 37 FPS is playable but not ideal for a horror game where quick reactions might be needed.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings yield an average of 64 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium produces 52 FPS (with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60), which is acceptable but with occasional dips below 60. High drops to 43 FPS, which is borderline playable for a slower-paced horror title. Ultra at 27 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold and will feel choppy. The 1440p results suggest that this resolution is viable only at Low or Medium settings, and even then, the experience is not consistently smooth.

At 3840x2160, the results are mostly unplayable. Low settings produce 40 FPS, which is technically playable but with significant compromises. Medium produces 32 FPS (with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 37), which is below 30 FPS at times. High drops to 27 FPS, and Ultra is at 17 FPS. None of these results meet the standard of 60 FPS, and even the 30 FPS threshold is only met at Low settings. For a horror game that relies on immersion, these frame rates will detract from the experience.

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the difference between Low (89 FPS) and Ultra (37 FPS) is 52 FPS, a 58% reduction. At 1440p, the difference between Low (64 FPS) and Ultra (27 FPS) is 37 FPS, a 58% reduction. At 4K, the difference between Low (40 FPS) and Ultra (17 FPS) is 23 FPS, a 58% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the settings sliders have a uniform effect on the GPU’s workload, regardless of pixel count.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance. It delivers an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, which means it stays above 60 FPS for the vast majority of gameplay. The High preset at 60 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset provides a safety margin for more demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 37 FPS is not recommended, as it introduces a significant frame rate penalty for marginal visual improvements that may not be noticeable in a dark horror game.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset at 64 FPS is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 52 FPS is playable, but the minimum of 44 FPS means there will be noticeable dips during intense moments. The High preset at 43 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and is only suitable if the user prioritizes visual quality over smoothness. The Ultra preset at 27 FPS should be avoided, as it falls below 30 FPS and will feel jerky.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset at 40 FPS is the only acceptable option, and even then, it is not ideal. The Medium preset at 32 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 28 FPS that will cause visible stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 27 FPS and 17 FPS respectively are unplayable and should not be used. For users who insist on 4K, the Low preset is the only choice, but they should be prepared for a compromised experience.

The best overall setting for this combo is 1080p Medium. It provides a 73 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and the minimum of 62 FPS ensures that the game rarely drops below that threshold. This setting also leaves some headroom for background processes or future driver updates. For users with 1440p monitors, the Low preset is recommended, as it maintains a 64 FPS average. The 4K resolution should only be considered with Low settings and a tolerance for sub-60 FPS gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process by Intel. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The cache configuration includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Its TDP is 28 W, making it a power-efficient mobile part.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role is less critical than the GPU’s, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling. At 1080p Low, the 89 FPS average indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls and game logic updates. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 11875.5, and its single-core score is 1700. These scores show strong multi-threaded performance, which is useful for a game that may use multiple cores for AI, physics, and streaming. The Passmark multi-thread score is 22422, and the single-thread score is 3521, both of which are respectable.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which has an average score that is 0.1% lower, and the Intel Core i5-13500HX, which is 0.6% higher. This places the 135H in the upper echelon of mobile processors, with performance comparable to desktop parts from a few generations ago. In Downfall, the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck at any resolution, as the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU should be able to maintain high frame rates without issue.

The 18 threads are particularly beneficial for a horror game that may have complex scripting and multiple enemy AI routines. The 18 MB of L3 cache helps with data locality, reducing the need to access slower system memory. However, the shared memory architecture means that the CPU and GPU compete for the same 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, which could cause stalls in memory-intensive scenes. Despite this, the measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not preventing the combo from reaching its potential, as the frame rates are consistent with what the GPU can deliver.

The CPU’s 81st percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29093, confirms that this is a powerful processor. Its Passmark data compression score is 251651, and its encryption score is 15026. These numbers indicate strong general-purpose performance, which is useful for non-gaming tasks as well. In Downfall, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the game logic runs smoothly, and the data suggests it does so effectively. The bottleneck in this combo is unequivocally the GPU, and users should not expect CPU upgrades to improve frame rates in this title.