Xbox Series X: 20 FPS Boost Games With Lackluster Upgrades

FPS Boost's arrival on Xbox Series consoles has brought positive press to Microsoft. Less than four months since its introduction, the system-level feature supports 97 games. Unfortunately, FPS Boost has hard limits because no game code is being touched. If a game doesn't run at a stable performance level, the Microsoft backwards-compatibility team can't adjust game settings or resolution to best reach the target frame rate. It's all or nothing; One X and base Xbox One code paths are the only options. While there is a list of excellent FPS Boost titles that retain their Xbox One X enhancements on Series X, such as Shadow of The Tomb Raider and Prey, 20 of the 97 games revert from Xbox One X to Xbox One code with FPS Boost enabled. This article compiles each game's performance/rendering profile, making it easy for gamers to understand what they're sacrificing at a glance rather than scouring the internet on an individual basis. 

Note: While this list compiles information as accurately as possible, some assumptions will be made about dynamic resolution. It is assumed that with the sheer horsepower thrown at base Xbox One code, the dynamic resolution scaler will always hit its peak even with the boosted frame rate. If a bullet-point is book-ended by saying DRS can't be discounted, it's because we didn't have enough information to make a safe claim. 

Anthem

• The Xbox One X version runs a dynamic 4K hovering around 3071x1728 under most circumstances with a 30fps target. Under normal backwards compatibility, Series X doesn't drop a frame while maintaining the DRS window's upper bounds. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X runs at 60fps at the original Xbox One's 900p dynamic resolution peak. Xbox One ran with a 720p-900p DRS range.

Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered 

• Xbox One X runs at a fixed 1800p at 30fps. Series X clears up the infrequent frame-rate drops. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X drops to Xbox One's 900p for 60fps playback.

Battlefield 1

• Xbox One X uses a dynamic resolution window ranging from 3072x1728 to 3840x2160 at 60fps. Series X should run at 4K in most, if not all, scenarios while maintaining performance. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Battlefield 1 runs at a locked 120fps at 972p. Xbox One uses a DRS range from 720p-972p.
  • Players also miss out on Xbox One X's enhanced textures, particle effects, and terrain detail, which are matched by the PS4 Pro, albeit at lower rendering resolutions.
• Some evidence suggests it may be using checkerboard rendering to reach the stated pixel counts. 

Battlefield 5

• Xbox One X uses a dynamic resolution window ranging from 2844x1600 to 4K at 60fps. Series X renders at 4K at all times according to VG Tech. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Battlefield 5 runs at a locked 120fps at 1080p. Xbox One uses a DRS range from 720p-1080p.
• VG Tech's analysis suggests the game uses checkerboard rendering in standard backwards compatibility and with FPS Boost on to reach the stated pixel counts. 

Dishonored: Death of The Outsider

• Xbox One X targets 30fps using a dynamic resolution with an unspecified range. Given the "4K Ultra HD" logo on the box art and official Xbox One X enhanced list, we can assume it tops out at 4K. Series X would drop resolution less often with a locked frame rate, given One X's stable performance.
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X drops to 900p for 60fps playback. Xbox One uses a DRS range of 1280x900-1600x900. Without more concrete info, we can't rule out DRS on Series X, though it is unlikely. Players also miss out on the following Xbox One X enhancements:
  • Improved shadow quality
  • Higher resolution textures
  • Higher level of detail

Fallout 4

• Xbox One X runs with an unstable 30fps target with a dynamic resolution scaler rendering at 4K most of the time with Digital Foundry's lowest recorded resolution being 3264x2160 (Native 4K framebuffer would be 3840x2160). Frame-rate drops are cleared up on Series X.
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X runs at a near-faultless 60fps at 1080p. Xbox One ran at native 1080p. Players also miss out on One X's enhanced graphics settings:
  • Level of detail
    • Results in better draw distances and more high quality geometry rendered on-screen at near to far distances
  • God ray quality
    • Reduces pixelization on the edges of light shafts, especially where they overlap with geometry
    • Both settings are a step above PS4 Pro's existing improvements to base consoles

Fallout 76

• Xbox One X runs with an unstable 30fps target at native 4K. Series X locks to this target. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X runs at a practically locked 60fps at 1080p. Xbox One uses a DRS range from 1440x1080-1920x1080.

Far Cry 5

• Xbox One X targets a stable 30fps using a dynamic resolution window between 3136x1724 and native 4K. The system already stuck close to the upper bounds, leading to locked 30fps playback at 4K without deviations on Series X. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X is locked to 60fps at 1440x1080. Xbox one uses a DRS range from 960x1080-1440x1080.

Far Cry New Dawn

• Xbox One X targets 30fps with a similar 4K dynamic resolution window to Far Cry 5. Expect Series X to lock to 30fps at native 4K like its predecessor.
• With FPS Boost enabled, it runs at a presumably locked 60fps at a similar resolution to Far Cry 5.

Gears of War 4

• FPS Boost only applies to Series S, which gets to play at 1080p 60fps. This mode already exists in the Xbox One X version, which translates to Series X.
• The Xbox One X also had a graphics mode running at native 4K 30fps. This mode does NOT get boosted. This means players lose out on the higher resolution along with increased settings, which include:
  • Textures set to PC ultra quality preset
  • Enhanced light shafts
  • Higher number of dynamic shadows
  • Improved draw distances
  • Higher precision reflections

Homefront: The Revolution

• The Xbox One X version runs at 1800p with a 30fps target. Series X runs this at a perfectly locked frame rate.
  • One X also had an improved texture streaming pool, allowing more high-resolution textures to be loaded in memory at one time.
  • The Timesplitters port within renders at native 4K. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Homefront reverts to the original Xbox One's 900p at 60fps.

Hyperscape

• Xbox One X uses a dynamic resolution window from 2293x1290 to 2666x1500 at 60fps. This is then reconstructed up to 3072x1728. Series X runs at or near the native 1500p peak more often.
  • Xbox One X added screen space reflections, which are not used on Xbox One
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X targets 120fps at Xbox One's 1440x810 resolution ceiling, which is reconstructed to 900p. Xbox One uses an 1194x672-1440x810 DRS range pre-reconstruction. Dynamic resolution scaling can't be ruled out on Series X.

Monster Energy Supercross 3

• Xbox One X runs with an unlocked frame rate hovering around the 40's if the first Monster Energy Supercross is any indication. Coupled with the confirmed 30fps cap on Switch, the One X's only enhancement over the original console may have been removing the frame rate cap. Series X should reach the target 60fps under standard backwards compatibility
• FPS Boost only benefits Series S in this case.

Plants Vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville

• Xbox One X runs a stable 60fps with a dynamic resolution window between 3142x1767 and native 4K, with 4K being the most commonly recorded figure. Series X should lock to 4K at 60fps. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X targets 120fps at Xbox One's 1080p ceiling. Xbox One uses a DRS range of 1408x792-1080p. Dynamic resolution on Series X can't be discounted.

Smite

• Xbox One X targets 60fps with 4K dynamic resolution scaling. We have no indications of how low this drops. Series X should be at or near 4K at 60fps. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X targets 120fps at Xbox One's 1080p ceiling. Xbox One uses a DRS range of 720p to 1080p. Don't discount the possibility of DRS on Series X. 

Star Wars Battlefront 2

• Xbox One X targets 60fps with a dynamic resolution window between 2791x1570 to native 4K. Expect Series X to run at the upper bounds, 1800p and up, while maintaining performance. 
• With FPS Boost enabled Series X targets 120fps at Xbox One's 1080p peak. Xbox One uses a DRS range of 720p to 1080p. Don't discount the possibility of DRS on Series X.

Titanfall 2

• Xbox One X uses a dynamic resolution window from 1440p to 6K at 60fps. 1800p is the typical peak during regular encounters. Series X runs closer to this 1800p to 6K window. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X runs at a locked 120fps at 810p. Xbox One uses a DRS range from ~720p to ~828p.
  • Players also miss out on Xbox One X's enhanced geometry, which matched PC's highest preset

Unravel 2

• Xbox One X locks to 60fps at a fixed 1080p. Series X sees next to no benefits running under backwards compatibility.
  • According to an Unravel 2 engine and graphics programmer, Xbox One X has a base and lighting pass rendered at 4K that is then supersampled down to 1080p. 
  • Xbox One X also features higher-resolution shadows
• With FPS Boost, enabled, Series X targets 120fps at 1080p without the aforementioned supersampling pass.

Wasteland 3

• Xbox One X targets 30fps with noticeable performance issues. With little concrete info on console setup, the best we have is Microsoft's "4K Ultra HD" logo on the official site and box art. This could mean either a fixed 4K, dynamic 4K, or reconstructed 4K. Regardless of the exact resolution, expect a more stable target on Series X. 
• With FPS Boost enabled, Series X targets 60fps at Xbox One settings and resolution.  
• Making informed assumptions based on Wasteland 2's rendering set-up, Wasteland 3 likely uses dynamic resolution on Xbox One with a 1080p ceiling as more and more games toward the end of the generation adopted DRS. This is what you might expect with Series X FPS Boost. 

The Evil Within 2

• Xbox One X runs at a fixed 1800p with a poor 30fps target by default. It also has the option to uncap frame rates.
  • Series X locks to 30fps, with the uncapped option leading to a variable 50-60fps with possible drops beneath 50fps in stress areas.
• Similar to Gears of War 4, this FPS Boost only benefit Series S, which was previously beholden to the original Xbox One's hard 30fps cap. 

FPS Boost is a marvelous feature when it works as intended. Playing Xbox One X enhanced versions of games, such as Prey and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, at double the frame rate is transformative. However, with such a large list of games that were never patched for Microsoft's mid-gen refresh or that lose those enhancements, FPS Boost's use case is more limited than many might have hoped for.