Optimisation guide · Updated October 1, 2026
How to boost Assassin's Creed Shadows FPS on Mac
Assassin's Creed Shadows runs natively on Apple Silicon Macs and includes MetalFX, Apple’s upscaler. These are the settings that cost the most FPS and the preset that holds 60 FPS on each Mac.
What you would gain on a MacBook Pro M5 Max
Ultra, unoptimised
44FPS
With the guide’s settings
52FPS
+ MetalFX Quality
64FPS
1080p, 36 GB. Applying the guide and MetalFX gains 45% FPS on this Mac. See every figure →
The settings that cost the most FPS
- Ray-traced global illumination cannot be fully disabled on Mac, which is why the game asks for M1 Max or M2 Pro and up.
- Vegetation and geometry detail: the heaviest raster settings in forests and towns.
Which preset to use on each Mac
The highest setting that holds 60 FPS (or 30 when 60 is out of reach), with and without MetalFX Quality.
| Mac | Native | MetalFX | 1080p High |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro M4 Max | 1440p Medium · 32 FPS | 1080p Medium · 63 FPS | 43FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | 1080p High · 30 FPS | 1440p Low · 33 FPS | 30FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Max | 1080p Medium · 63 FPS | 1080p High · 64 FPS | 52FPS |
| Mac mini M5 Pro | 1080p High · 31 FPS | 1440p Medium · 30 FPS | 31FPS |
| Mac Studio M5 Max | 1080p Medium · 66 FPS | 1440p Low · 60 FPS | 55FPS |
Assassin's Creed Shadows-specific tips
- Keep dynamic resolution on and let MetalFX upscale; fixed native resolution is out of reach below Max chips.
- Target 30 FPS on Pro chips: the game is tuned for it and holds it far more consistently than 60.
- Play in full screen so macOS turns on Game Mode, and close your browser: memory is shared with the GPU.
FAQ
Which setting gains the most FPS in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Ray-traced global illumination cannot be fully disabled on Mac, which is why the game asks for M1 Max or M2 Pro and up.
Does Assassin's Creed Shadows support MetalFX?
Yes. MetalFX Quality usually adds around 24% FPS with little visible loss.
How many FPS does this guide gain?
On a MacBook Pro M5 Max, going from Ultra to the recommended settings and MetalFX Quality takes the game from 44 to about 64 FPS at 1080p (+45%).
Want to know exactly how many FPS YOUR Mac gets in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Assassin's Creed Shadows FPS on every Mac →Estimates from our calibrated formula. Methodology