Ryzen AI Max+ 395's Radeon 8060S iGPU tested in new handheld gaming simulation test

While gaming handhelds featuring the Ryzen Z2 Extreme have yet to hit the shelves, Chinese manufacturers have already brought systems featuring the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. That has introduced the well-capable Radeon 890M iGPU into the gaming handheld space, and now that more and more devices with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 are being announced, the market could soon see handhelds with the new Zen 5 APU.

Before that becomes a reality, ETA Prime has given a glimpse of what the performance of the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with the Radeon 8060S iGPU could be like inside a gaming handheld. In this simulation, the YouTuber has put the Zen 5 APU to the test in 18 W and 25 W TDPs. Now, while the gaming performance looks decent, the iGPU appears too constrained to offer its maximum potential.

To be specific, ETA Prime notes that the Radeon 8060S doesn't seem to run over 600 MHz when the APU is in the 18 W TDP mode. Even with the TDP set to 25 W, it doesn't go over 1,000 MHz in the gaming tests. To fill you in, the Radeon 8060S can boost to 2900 MHz when the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 isn't power-constrained.

Ryzen AI Max+ 395-equipped gaming handhelds could benefit from being power hungry

As for how well the iGPU performed in the simulation, ETA Prime first ran GTA 5 Enhanced Edition. At 18 W TDP and the resolution set to 1080p, the FPS was hovering around 60 FPS during most parts of the gameplay on the High preset. At 25 W, the game hovered at around 90 FPS.

Next, ETA ran DOOM Eternal, and the game ran at over 70 FPS in most instances at 1080p resolution on the Medium preset. Witcher 3 ran reasonably well too. At 18 W TDP with the resolution set to 1080p and on the Steam Deck preset, the power-constrained Radeon 8060S could offer an average of around 65 FPS.

When the TDP is kicked up to 25 W, the average FPS jumps to around 84. Another notable game tested is Cyberpunk 2077, and at 900P on the Steam Deck preset, the Radeon 8060S could offer about around 45 FPS in the 18 W TDP mode. With the TDP bumped to 25 W TDP, the average went up to around 63 FPS.

From this simulation, it seems that gaming handhelds with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 would need to give up on battery life to offer good overall performance (140 W Anker 737 power bank curr. $109.99 on Amazon). Of course, AMD can tweak the power profiles and overall configuration if it decides to introduce a Ryzen Z-series APU based on it. In such a case, the same battery life concern may not stay valid. You can check out our review of the ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA to see how well the Radeon 8060S can perform in a mobile device when it's not power-constrained.