Summary
- Xbox Series S players can now enhance their
Starfield
experience with performance options in Update 1.13.61. - Options include Frame Rate Target, VSync, and a choice between prioritizing Visuals or Performance.
- Personal preference will determine whether players prioritize smooth gameplay or detailed visuals in
Starfield
.
As Starfield receives one of the community’s most-demanded features, Microsoft quietly improved the game for Xbox Series S players with a major new addition. Following a brief appearance at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, Starfield players are enjoying the benefits of having the Rev-8 Vehicle speed up planetside exploration, fixing what was widely considered one of the RPG’s weakest aspects. That’s already a major upgrade but the full patch notes specify that Xbox Series S users are in for some even larger benefits.
Per Bethesda Game Studios on X (formerly Twitter), Starfield Update 1.13.61 adds performance options for Xbox Series S.
This means that players on the smaller device can now set a Frame Rate Target, toggle VSync, and choose to prioritize Visuals and Performance, which is a major boon considering the console’s weaker hardware. Prioritizing Performance lowers the internal resolution and detail to ensure that the game reaches a standard 60FPS; Selecting Visuals activates more special effects while maintaining the highest possible resolution, resulting in possible frame loss.
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How To Get The Most Out Of Starfield
It’s All Down To Personal Preference
When it comes to optimizing Starfield, the only thing one has to ask is what aspect is more valued: A smooth and stable framerate at the cost of detail or a prettier, more visually expansive game that runs slower. It’s largely down to personal taste as some players prefer having a more fluid experience while others want to see every detail. As for VSync, activating the setting can result in reduced screen-tearing by tethering Starfield‘s frames to the refresh rate of the screen in use, but this usually results in frame drops in particularly dense areas.
While it’s not essentially to run Starfield at 60FPS, it certainly improves aspects like combat and traversal, especially when using the Rev-8. Sacrificing 30 frames for more detail can make for a prettier game but once one notices the difference, it’s difficult to continue playing at lower frame rates. The only time extra detail makes Starfield more rewarding is when walking around an uninhabited planet since many of the vistas are impressive in their scale; in populated areas, all the special effects can seriously impact how well the game runs.
Whatever one’s preference, it’s good that Starfield provides Xbox Series S players the opportunity to choose which they prefer. This, coupled with the addition of the Rev-8, makes Update 1.13.61 one of the game’s most exciting yet, and with Shattered Space just a few months away, there’s never been a better blast off. The galaxy has never looked better.
Source: Bethesda Games Studios/X
Starfield
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 6, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence