Results: Metro: Last Light
Metro: Last Light is somewhat of a conundrum for me, since it looks great even at the Low-detail preset that allows integrated graphics solutions to survive. Making small improvements to image quality requires large upgrades in GPU capability, to the point that even a GeForce GTX 780M is unable to push playable frame rates at 2560x1600 and Medium Quality. Then again, the Metro games are known for their ability to throttle even high-end desktop hardware.
A look at the frame rates over time shows the problem for more mainstream GPUs at 1920x1080. The GeForce GTX 780M and Radeon HD 8970M barely pass the playability mark at 1920x1080.
No single notebook GPU is viable at this game’s High Quality setting, at least not without lightening up on a few of its more demanding features. Although the GeForce GTX 780M posts a reasonably strong 38.6 FPS average, it drops as low as 15 FPS in the most taxing sequences.