In this week’s DF Direct, I spend a bit of time looking into the Starfield modding scene – more specifically checking out mods that aim to bring a performance mode to the Xbox Series S version of the game. As we’ve already covered, Bethesda did a creditable job in bringing performance options to the Xbox Series X rendition of the game, but the junior Xbox didn’t get the same treatment. We pointed out that this was a shame at the time, and the mods appear to suggest that Series S could have benefited likewise.
Going back to the ‘stock’ game, it’s essentially a match for the Series X version, albeit with very slight cuts to visual features. The big difference comes from the resolution. It runs at a reconstructed 1440p, using 900p as the base internal resolution. Bethesda maintains consistency by running at a capped 30 frames per second, the game rarely dipping beneath. The first mod for Series S I tried simply turns off v-sync, which also removes that frame-rate limit. So in essence, we’re looking at something similar to Series X’s 60fps mode running in the visuals preset (the difference being you’ll need to put up with eye-rending screen-tearing on a non-VRR display).
It’s quite interesting to see that – similar to Series X – this mode sees the game careen between GPU and CPU limits. Dense cityscapes with plenty of NPCs are where the CPU is the limit – and a run around Jemison or especially Akila will see the CPU limit brought to the fore. However, in most of the other game content, it’s the GPU that is the primary factor in limiting performance and here, the limits can change dramatically – anything from the mid 30s to the high 50s in my testing. It may actually go higher than that in some content: if you set the console to 120Hz output, a 60fps cap is no issue – the console will happily move beyond that.
0:00:31 Introduction0:01:53 News 01: Starfield Series S high frame-rate mods tested!0:09:57 News 02: PS2 and PSP emulation on PS5 analyzed0:25:29 News 03: Snapdragon X Elite gaming performance disappoints0:45:27 News 04: Still Wakes The Deep ships without FSR, DLSS, XeSS on Game Pass0:54:48 News 05: LRG3 showcase features re-releases, remasters1:05:35 Supporter Q1: How can I age as gracefully as the Switch?1:14:26 Supporter Q2: Would you still recommend the Steam Deck over the new ROG Ally X?1:17:15 Supporter Q3: Could the PS5 last 8 or 9 years as Sony’s flagship console platform?1:23:56 Supporter Q4: Do you think a 1080p screen could be too much for a next-gen Switch?1:29:15 Supporter Q5: Do you think any unannounced first party games will be released around launch for Switch 2?
The Series X version of Starfield has its visuals mode, but it also has a performance alternative. Here, Bethesda essentially pare back the resolution to Series S level: 900p native, reconstructing to 1440p. While this can’t address the CPU limitations in various cities, it does sort out the graphics limitations elsewhere – and it’s an excellent way to play the game on Microsoft’s premium console. So, the next order of business was to see if the same kind of reprioritisation is possible on Xbox Series S – and the ability to drop resolution to 1280×720 definitely does that – with dramatic effects.