Microsoft is previewing default game profiles on its ROG Xbox Ally gaming handheld. The new profiles will automatically optimize frame rates and power consumption for 40 games, including Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Forza Horizon 5, Minecraft, and others, saving you from manually tweaking game settings.
The ROG Xbox Ally will automatically apply “per-game” profiles to supported titles when the handheld isn’t plugged in. Once a default profile is activated, the ROG Xbox Ally will boost frames per second (FPS) to help reach a specific target, “trading a bit of battery life for a smoother gameplay experience.” Conversely, the device will limit FPS to save power if the game is performing above the target level.
As an example, Microsoft says the default game profile for Hollow Knight: Silksong “can add nearly an hour of battery life compared to Performance mode,” all while running at 120 FPS. Default game profiles also apply to titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Sea of Thieves, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Microsoft plans on adding more to its list.
You can turn default gaming profiles off or on using the Armoury Crate Command Center. Microsoft is also launching a few other updates for the Xbox ROG Ally, including improvements to library loading speed, faster performance on its cloud gaming page, and better gamepad response after logging in.