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When Starfield received its performance mode upgrade for Series X, pretty much the only criticism we had was that Series S didn't get the same attention. That changed recently, with Bethesda granting the junior Xbox the same options as the more premium console - but relatively speaking, do you get the same level of improvement? Oliver Mackenzie reports.

00:00 Overview
01:03 Mode visual comparisons
05:59 Frame-rate targets and performance
09:52 Analysis and conclusion

 

[Woody337]

The word "performance" shouldnt be used with this game.

 

[ManaByte]

430p

 

[Skifi28]

Just about what you'd expect, we're back to SD resolutions for the S and also introducing some pretty big visual cuts while still struggling to hit the 60 target anyway. kudos for trying at least. The 40fps mode is probably the best one.

 

[adamsapple]

- Starfield has received 40, 60 and Unlocked FPS modes on Series S with recent patch
- Performance mode takes hit in grass density shadow distance and quality over Quality mode
- In general, the visuals mode provides a much better and cohesive visual experience

Series S:
- Quality mode: 900p reconstructed to 1440p
- Performance mode: 432p reconstructed to 1080p
- Performance mode struggles to resolve finer details
- Cube map settings etc are same as on SX's Performance mode, same for Terrain details
- Between patches, no difference in Series S in its default Quality mode

- 60hz mode:
- Hits consistently in indoor places, outdoors and combat drops frames
- Series X has higher average frame rate and adherence to 60 comparatively, often 20% or so

- 30hz mode:
- Certain loading / check point related drops but otherwise it hits 30 FPS lock no problem

40hz mode:
- Visuals mode gets there just about in most places with some drops
- Performance mode fares better but still has drops in cities

- DF does not think using uncapped is a good idea
- Playing the game with VRR is preferable than without it
- No difference in visuals when choosing different frame rate targets in Visuals mode.

Conclusion:
- DF thinks these modes should have been exposed with the original patch
- Less exciting patch on Series S due to lesser headroom however
- DF thinks too many options can be complex for some players
- Players who are ok with a little bit of unstability should be happy with the frame rate modes, but for those who want full consistency, should stick to the 30 FPS lock.

 

[nowhat]

430p

The impression I got pre-launch of Series X was that they wanted to make it their new 360.

So I guess that makes Series S the new OG.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

432p?!?!

Why even fucking bother at that point? That's below OG Xbox resolutions.

 

[Mr Moose]

Holy shimmering shit. And that soup! Just keep it 30 or 40.

 

[Drunkensamurai]

Obligatory.

 

[Flabagast]

Skimming through the video it looks like Cyberpunk on Xbox one tbh

 

[PeteBull]

432p?!?!

Why even fucking bother at that point? That's below OG Xbox resolutions.

i remember ppl had big laugh at xbox one's titanfal 792p, back in early 2014, now over 10 years later we getting 432p

 

[Skifi28]

i remember ppl had big laugh at xbox one's titanfal 792p, back in early 2014, now over 10 years later we getting 432p

Well, technically the perceived resolution is much higher after the reconstuction. Usually at least. Unfortunately, reconstruction doesn't work well with so few pixels.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

- Starfield has received 40, 60 and Unlocked FPS modes on Series S with recent patch
- Performance mode takes hit in grass density shadow distance and quality over Quality mode
- In general, the visuals mode provides a much better and cohesive visual experience

Series S:
- Quality mode: 900p reconstructed to 1440p
- Performance mode: 432p reconstructed to 1080p
- Performance mode struggles to resolve finer details
- Cube map settings etc are same as on SX's Performance mode, same for Terrain details
- Between patches, no difference in Series S in its default Quality mode

- 60hz mode:
- Hits consistently in indoor places, outdoors and combat drops frames
- Series X has higher average frame rate and adherence to 60 comparatively, often 20% or so

- 30hz mode:
- Certain loading / check point related drops but otherwise it hits 30 FPS lock no problem

40hz mode:
- Visuals mode gets there just about in most places with some drops
- Performance mode fares better but still has drops in cities

- DF does not think using uncapped is a good idea
- Playing the game with VRR is preferable than without it
- No difference in visuals when choosing different frame rate targets in Visuals mode.

Conclusion:
- DF thinks these modes should have been exposed with the original patch
- Less exciting patch on Series S due to lesser headroom however
- DF thinks too many options can be complex for some players
- Players who are ok with a little bit of unstability should be happy with the frame rate modes, but for those who want full consistency, should stick to the 30 FPS lock.

Looks like you have a fan on the purple forum cuz they copy and pasted your summary word for word. They should give credit at least, lol.

 

[RoboFu]

The bigger question is .. why is this game so demanding?... seriously there isn't much happening on screen at any given time and graphics are not spectacular.

 

[PeteBull]

Well, technically the perceived resolution is much higher after the reconstuction. Usually at least. Unfortunately, reconstruction doesn't work well with so few pixels.

It works well in screens/stills, in motion its terrible blurry mess, we all saw the vid.
Even much superior dlss is only acceptable if u reconstructing from 1080p to 4k, im not saying its anywhere close to native, but its somewhat ok enough, on consoles, at such tiny base res and in motion, its a diseaster, on top game drops below 30 in any cpu heavy scenario so cities/many npc etc.

TLDR: I will repeat what i said back at the start of current gen, series S is nothing but a scam

 

[PeteBull]

The bigger question is .. why is this game so demanding?... seriously there isn't much happening on screen at any given time and graphics are not spectacular.

bethesda has its own engine, its super demanding on pc too, both cpu and gpu wise

Creation Engine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MarkMe2525]

I'll never fault giving users more options, but I question if anyone would sacrifice this much fidelity to achieve the 60fps. It can be fun to speculate though, and maybe this is a long play for compatibility with an upcoming handheld.

 

[Topher]

Zombie NPCs look less freakish at lower resolutions.

 

[welshrat]

432p wow is it worth it at that point ?

 

[Bojji]

430p

Below PS1

 

[scydrex]

432p for real? Back to PS2 era i guess... Why even bother with 60fps?

 

[Parazels]

Series S is still a good console, considering there are tons of nice looking games from several generations. Just don't buy too demanding games.

 

[proandrad]

Tanking the resolution is such a lazy way to get to 60fps.

 

[Parazels]

432p for real? Back to PS2 era i guess...

Doesn't every single person on this site praise PS2 era?

 

[adamsapple]

Below PS1

Interlaced vs progressive, and it uses reconstruction.

 

[kevboard]

Below PS1

PS1 games almost exclusively ran at 240p or below

 

[Bojji]

Interlaced vs progressive, and it uses reconstruction.

PS1 games almost exclusively ran at 240p or below

Why are Playstation resolution modes so weird?

I mean, whats the point of Ridge Racer being rendered as 320x480 (not 480x320). There are some games that use ultra-wide resolutions (to be vertically stretched) or this kind of ultra-narrow resolutions (to be horizontally stretched). And other question. Is (:-P) Squaresoft's iS...

forum.beyond3d.com

No, Tobal No. 1 and Tobal 2 also run at 640x480. However VERY few Playstation games ran at that resolution.

Tobal from 1996 has higher resolution than starfield in 2024

 

[Darsxx82]

There are times when giving more options is a waste of time and resources. I think Starfield's version of XSS was very decent for the type of hardware and the type of users it is aimed at. There was no need for more. Better to spend that time polishing the original 30 fps version as much as possible. But we are in a time where if you don't have a 60fps mode (even if it's a crap that goes from 30-60fps) it penalizes you at the level of media and criticism

 

[MostlyPeaceful]

Absolute abortion of a console

MS should have just done what Sony did. 1 console spec but 2 skus - one with a disc drive and one without.

 

[GoldenEye98]

Series S is still a good console, considering there are tons of nice looking games from several generations. Just don't buy too demanding games.

Can't wait for the total overnight pivot that happens with this general performance target when Switch 2 releases.

From "holding the industry back!" to "pretty, pretty please bring it to Switch 2!"

 

[Heisenberg007]

Bethesda's "Creative Vision™" compromised for yet another console.

 

[welshrat]

I can't even begin to imagine how bad that is. I am playing outlaws in the 40hz mode on PS5 as performance might which drops to 720p at times is just too low for me. I am desperate for the PS5 pro to drop so that I can play fidelity modes at either 40 or 60hz. 432p just be ridiculous

 

[Heisenberg007]

Below PS1

 

[adamsapple]

Why are Playstation resolution modes so weird?

I mean, whats the point of Ridge Racer being rendered as 320x480 (not 480x320). There are some games that use ultra-wide resolutions (to be vertically stretched) or this kind of ultra-narrow resolutions (to be horizontally stretched). And other question. Is (:-P) Squaresoft's iS...

forum.beyond3d.com

Tobal from 1996 has higher resolution than starfield in 2024

I mean .. still wrong but funny tho.

 

[Three]

"Players who are ok with a little bit of unstability should be happy with the frame rate modes"

Drops all the way down to 30fps in performance mode even at 430p isn't what I would call a little bit of unstability [sic]. Thats what they would have called a pixel soup mess normally.

 

[clintar]

- Performance mode: 432p reconstructed to 1080p
- Performance mode struggles to resolve finer details

odd

 

[cireza]

432p reconstructed to 1080p

Time to buy a SCART cable !

 

[adamsapple]

Time to buy a SCART cable !

They took the NASA era inspiration literally.

 

[cireza]

They took the NASA era inspiration literally.

Well actually, the "retro" aesthetic of the game would by right at home on a CRT.

 

[newtypepilot]

found the perfect tv to play starfield

432p to 1080p is downright hilarious. That's less pixels than standard definition. This just shows you how bad the shitbox is and how unoptimized the game is.

 

[Physiognomonics]

Why are Playstation resolution modes so weird?

I mean, whats the point of Ridge Racer being rendered as 320x480 (not 480x320). There are some games that use ultra-wide resolutions (to be vertically stretched) or this kind of ultra-narrow resolutions (to be horizontally stretched). And other question. Is (:-P) Squaresoft's iS...

forum.beyond3d.com

Tobal from 1996 has higher resolution than starfield in 2024

Pedantly no because back then games were 4:3. So here it's 640x480 (307200 px) vs 770x432 (332640 px)

 

[kevboard]

Why are Playstation resolution modes so weird?

I mean, whats the point of Ridge Racer being rendered as 320x480 (not 480x320). There are some games that use ultra-wide resolutions (to be vertically stretched) or this kind of ultra-narrow resolutions (to be horizontally stretched). And other question. Is (:-P) Squaresoft's iS...

forum.beyond3d.com

Tobal from 1996 has higher resolution than starfield in 2024

still no. it's interlaced. which is comparable to checkerboarding, as in it is half the resolution alternating lines between frames.

checkerboarding uses lines at a 45° angle to alternate between, while interlacing uses horizontal lines to alternate between. but it's basically the same concept

 

[Bojji]

still no. it's interlaced. which is comparable to checkerboarding, as in it is half the resolution alternating lines between frames.

checkerboarding uses lines at a 45° angle to alternate between, while interlacing uses horizontal lines to alternate between. but it's basically the same concept

Isn't this only about video output so 480i vs. 480p? This wouldn't change internal res but I'm not sure.

 

[kevboard]

Isn't this only about video output so 480i vs. 480p? This wouldn't change internal res but I'm not sure.

depends on the game. as far as I am aware, PS1 games should basically all render interlaced tho. I know the menus in Silent Hill render interlaced 480

240p games almost always render the full 240 vertical lines however

 

[Bernoulli]

Obligatory.

TRUE FULL RDNA 2

 

[Heisenberg007]

"Players who are ok with a little bit of unstability should be happy with the frame rate modes"

Drops all the way down to 30fps in performance mode even at 430p isn't what I would call a little bit of unstability [sic]. Thats what they would have called a pixel soup mess normally.

Black Myth Wukong briefly drops to 45 FPS on PS5 = "Too Many Issues"

Starfield drops to 30 FPS at 430p on Series S = "A little bit of instability"

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

MS really shit the bed with xss.

 

[salva]

Budget console provides budget graphical performance. Up next, water is wet.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Budget console provides budget graphical performance. Up next, water is wet.

It wasn't marketed as such.

 

[Duchess]

water is wet

[Citation needed]