Earlier this month, the arrival of console mods for Starfield brought a variety of wild and wacky new additions to the game on Xbox, including a few tools to make the Xbox Series S version run with a higher frame rate than intended.
The folks over at Digital Foundry have now taken a look at a handful of these, and the results are pretty positive! As shown in the video above, using the "Uncap FPS for Series S" mod does legitimately uncap the frame rate, resulting in a smoother experience albeit with a lot of screen tearing. Another mod drops the resolution of the game to 720p, providing the ability to run Starfield at up to a whopping 120 frames per-second on the console.
However, this doesn't come without its downsides:
"I actually tested this in full 120Hz mode, meaning that frame-rate could rise as high it wishes (measurable with our tools up to 120fps) and found that we hit a 60fps baseline on challenging GPU-limited areas of the game..."
"This is a rather nice way to play the game - with one exception. The drop to 1280x720 from 1600x900 seems to be far more impactful to image quality than you might imagine. We seem to be finding the limits of FSR 2 upscaling quality, with some ugly artefacting. Even so, you are getting a viable performance mode - it's just that the trades are far more obvious to the eye than the Series X version."
In general, there's plenty of praise in this analysis for these Xbox Series S tools and Bethesda's willingness to allow such modifications, but also an acknowledgment that playing this way can be pretty rough - particularly in the visuals department.
The question is also posed about whether Bethesda would see fit to implement an official Starfield performance mode for Xbox Series S at some point... potentially even at 40FPS rather than 60FPS if need be:
"Looking back at the first test with the existing image quality level paired with an unlocked frame-rate, perhaps there's simply not enough content that gets close to 60fps to make it fully worthwhile… although I'd say that there is a decent enough turnout to make a 120Hz 40fps mode."
Whatever happens next, it's nice to know that these Xbox Series S mods are accessible to everyone for free. Just keep in mind that if you do choose to use them, any number of issues could crop up... that's the nature of mods for you!
Would you like to see an official Starfield performance mode on Series S? Tell us in the comments below.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 18
The question is also posed about whether Bethesda would see fit to implement an official Starfield performance mode for Xbox Series S at some point
Failing that, they'll just probably try to charge for the mod that enables it😉. Jesting aside, it's good to see some positive news related to the Series S 😀.
Just a shame the game is dull but good news for people who care about that stuff 👍
I'm not sure if I watched the same video, but I've understood it as basically not being good at all. Uncapped mod is running in 30-40 territory, which is not good enough for VRR, and is choppy on regular display. 120 mode is all over the place, 30-120, and image quality is very poor (this actually might just be a mod bug).
Either way, it's a nice experiment for power users and DF crew, but I don't see it as actually viable or useful.
@Cikajovazmaj You're correct. Nothing about this video indicated this worked out positively in any way. And given we know the Series X struggles to hit 60FPS in cities, sounds like it would be a bad experience on the Series S.
@InterceptorAlpha @Ricky-Spanish @ Sol4ris
Totally off subject.
If you are single console owner this generation and including Switch. This has to be the most bemused generation to ever try and own just own console.
I’m saying this because they all seem to have some advantages and some disadvantages and this generation no individual console has really been a superstar.
I have in the past settled for owning one console however but have swapped during the generation sometimes, but this generation is just not settled after a good few years into any real rhythm or any particular console been a total stand out.
@OldGamer999 i have money set aside for a ps5 but there hasn't been any game i want over there. nothing. xbox has several. i may go ps6 if the xbox games i want go there.
on topic, i tried the performance mods for series s and x. im happy with modded starfield on x, the s not so much but i don't have the vrr monitor.
@rustyduck
I play Starfield with series x on 60fps with VRR on.
Also with the other updates it’s a bit better now for sure.
Still have that love/hate relationship with the game and only play when I’m in the right frame of mind, calm and chilled sort of.
And whilst it can reach up to 120fps, in some areas its still so CPU limited you'll be lucky to hit a solid 40fps if they did a 40fps mode - its that varied and CPU dependant.
@rustyduck I never really believe people when they say a particular console has nothing they wanna play. I love videogames and every single console known to man has games I wanna play. I buy em all for that very reason.
Remember when they said 60fps was impossible
Yeah not worth even trying it. I do think Bethesda could try their end though.
@Realist I find people that also say it don't even know half the games the consoles have as well.
@OldGamer999 Id say COVID must of had a bit to do with that but still not great and as much as people moan about the series s i have loved bought mine day one was going to upgrade to series x this summer but literally couldn't bring myself to spend the money it wouldn't be worth it for me for just better resolution and sometimes frame rates I'll probably just use my series s with my 512gb memory expansion till next gen obviously the series x beats the series s hands down in every area but for me the series s works amazing and and is a hero dispite the obvious draw backs 🤴🧎
@Realist go ahead and list the console exclusives for ps5 and switch. i bet there is nothing on either that will make me want to buy the consoles.
@OldGamer999 I can't say I've ever just been a one console person. They've pretty much always had their ups and downs.
But I definitely agree from my perspective as well. Previously, particular PS3/360, both had banger after banger and it was hard to keep up. So you could just have one and always have some new, amazing, first party, AAA, thing.
This gen though, I feel like owning them all was just kind of a waste. I was all into it at the beginning, but now it just feels like I should have just stuck to one+switch and get everything else on PC. Most things are just kinda commercially ruined and devoid of heart resulting in bland games.
They're just not even trying to hide it anymore. Turning everything into mobile games with pretty paint and tons of microtransactions.
This has been the least exciting generation overall by a mile. 😢 I'm honestly feeling like VR is starting to beat out regular gaming for me. Especially now that I have got one of them new fangled VR treadmills.
@InterceptorAlpha
Definitely the most least exciting for sure especially after the first 2 years.
It’s like watching paint dry at times with paint by number games.
@rustyduck I'll list a bunch. You'll say no thanks. I wont believe you and the cycle will continue. Lol
@OldGamer999 Couldn't have said it better myself. One thing is for sure, I save some money now with how much pickier I am due to all the "same ol'-same ol". Buying the same game with a different coat of paint, name, and different developer, 3 times a year gets old after all.
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