The Clarity Boost feature for Xbox Remote Play and xCloud has successfully completed its Beta phase and is now fully released in all the XBPlay apps (excluding the TV versions). Now that Clarity Boost is out of beta, let's explore how to use it effectively in the xbPlay app.
Enabling Clarity Boost
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There are two types of clarity boost options available: Upscalers and Sharpeners. As of this writing, there are 2 upscalers and 3 sharpeners available. Try them out and enable the one that looks best to you. You can use the sliders to adjust the strength of the clarity boost. Please note that only one sharpener or upscaler can be used at a time.
Choosing the Best Settings
The "optimal" clarity boost technique relies on factors such as your device's performance, power consumption, display capabilities, and personal preference. There's no definitive right or wrong choice here; select what feels best to you. You might find that a clarity boost algorithm that looks great in one game doesn't have the same effect in another, so adjusting the strength or trying different options might be necessary. It's essential to consider the following:
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Upscalers are best suited for high-definition screens but consume more resources compared to sharpeners.
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Applying any clarity boost setting may negatively impact FPS and introduce delay. If you notice frame skips or lag, your device might not have the power needed for clarity boost.
Clarity Boost Algorithms
The best way to pick a clarity boost algorithm is to try them out and see which one looks the best on your device. However, I will give some high-level pros/cons of each algorithm here:
Known Bugs:
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Android: Enabling and disabling the clarity boost feature while using the "GeckoView" render engine may produce a black screen. Restarting the remote play session will solve the issue and it will startup with clarity boost enabled.
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iOS: Enabling clarity boost while in picture-in-picture mode doesn't work right.
More? If you notice any clarity boost bugs, please let me know so I can fix them. Thanks! :)