We previously introduced Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) on select Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, to make games look sharper and play smoother. Today, we're excited to give Xbox Insiders the opportunity to help us test and refine this feature on the ROG Xbox Ally X for docked play, where balancing framerate (FPS) and image quality can be especially challenging.Imagine this... You've just had a great gaming session on your ROG Xbox Ally X on the go. Everything looks incredibly sharp and plays smoothly on your 7-inch screen. You dock it, lean back, and look up at your TV to keep playing, but now, stretching across a much larger screen, the image looks softer. You push the resolution and graphics settings higher to bring back detail, and FPS drops. You dial it back to keep things smooth, but you lose detail again. You're left choosing between visuals and FPS, but you want both!That’s where Auto SR comes in. By upscaling frames rendered at lower resolutions, Auto SR can help deliver smooth gameplay without losing sharpness. On the ROG Xbox Ally X, that means 1440p-like visuals and higher FPS on larger screens, where this balance matters most.Take a look at Auto SR in action. Below are two frames from Forza Horizon 5: one rendered natively at 1440p, and the other enhanced with Auto SR. Look closely — can you tell the difference?Not easy, right? Auto SR is the frame on the right, delivering 1440p-like visuals with more than a 30% FPS boost. What matters most: with Auto SR you get both.Key Highlights Auto SR is now available in preview to Xbox Insiders on the ROG Xbox Ally X for docked play, where players will see the most value from super resolution. Auto SR brings high-quality super resolution to games that don't have it, and for some games that already do, it can deliver even higher image quality and FPS. Players can find the Auto SR status and controls in Game Bar, where you can see if Auto SR is supported, find guidance for enabling, and turn on the feature. Guidance on which super resolution technology to use and when, to get the most out of your ROG Xbox Ally X. Instructions on how Xbox Insiders can get started with the Auto SR Preview and recommended games, to help us shape what comes next.Why We’re Starting with Docked PlayDocked play means larger screens and higher resolutions, where drops in image quality are more noticeable or where some games struggle to maintain smooth FPS. That’s exactly the problem Auto SR was designed to solve, so we’re starting the preview with docked mode where we expect players will see the most value.Super Resolution TodaySuper resolution works by rendering at a lower resolution to boost FPS, then upscales the frames to restore detail. It is often a core part of how many modern games render, and players expect it.Previously, super resolution came in two forms: Game-integrated super resolution (e.g. AMD FSR Upscaling, Intel® XeSuper Sampling and NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution is directly integrated into individual games and delivers the highest image quality by using in-game data, like motion vectors, sub-pixel jittered rendering, and mip bias. Driver-level super resolution (e.g., AMD Radeon™ Super Resolution (RSR) and NVIDIA Image Scaling and Sharpening (NIS)) runs outside the game at the GPU driver level, working across nearly any game but without access to in-game data—so visual improvements are more limited.Why Auto SR Matters on the ROG Xbox Ally XFor super resolution to deliver the most value, it needs to provide both high image quality and FPS gains at once. Game-integrated super resolution does an excellent job delivering that balance, but gaps remain, most notably on gaming handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally X.Windows integration expands high-quality super resolution coverage: Not every game ships with game-integrated super resolution. Because Auto SR is built into Windows, it can broadly apply high-quality super resolution to existing games, especially those without game-integrated super resolution.Larger super resolution models avoid memory bandwidth bottlenecks that can limit FPS: Super resolution means fewer pixels for the GPU to render, which traditionally means higher FPS. But game-integrated super resolution still relies on the game to produce more detailed surface textures than a lower resolution render would normally need. Otherwise, the upscaled image looks soft, like zooming in on a low-quality photo. All that texture data must move through memory every frame. On handheld PCs, where memory bandwidth is constrained, this directly limits the FPS gains super resolution is designed to deliver. Until now, the only option has been reducing texture quality at the cost of visual quality. Auto SR takes a different approach to super resolution, and uses larger models that can reconstruct texture detail rather than relying on the game to provide it, avoiding the bandwidth demands that limit FPS on these devices.NPU enables higher quality and higher FPS super resolution: The longer it takes to render a frame, the lower your FPS. When super resolution runs on the GPU, it counts towards frame time. To avoid impacting FPS, models are limited to a minuscule 1–2ms, constraining their size and quality. Game-integrated super resolution fits in this window and still delivers quality by relying on the game to provide more detailed texture data. Auto SR sidesteps this limit by running larger models on the NPU in parallel with the GPU. This gives Auto SR an entire extra frame of time to run the model — critical for devices like the ROG Xbox Ally X, that couldn't otherwise run these models without significantly impacting FPS. This also lets the GPU move straight to the next frame, so there is essentially no frame time overhead, giving Auto SR the potential to deliver high-quality super resolution at the theoretical maximum FPS in exchange for a frame of latency. GPU-based super resolution can't do this.What does this add up to? Texture-heavy games at higher resolutions and graphics settings are where super resolution is needed the most, but on gaming handhelds, that's also where super resolution is hardest to deliver. Game-integrated super resolution remains the preferred choice. Auto SR steps in where game-integrated super resolution isn't available or when hardware constraints prevent it from simultaneously delivering quality and FPS.Choosing the Right Super Resolution Option On My ROG Xbox Ally XAlongside Auto SR, the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor also supports AMD FSR Upscaling, RSR, AMD FSR Frame Generation, and AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF). Here's a quick guide developed in collaboration with AMD to help you choose the best option based on your play goals.ScenarioPlayer GuidanceGames run below 60 FPSEnable Super Resolution Both Auto SR and AMD FSR Upscaling deliver substantial gains across a wide range of games. Choose the upscaling that best fits your image quality and FPS needs.If neither is available, use RSR.Games run below 60 FPS with super resolution enabledEnable Auto SR + AFMFDisable other super resolution and frame generation options when using this combination. ExamplesNow, let's see some more examples! Forza Horizon 5 runs smoothly on the ROG Xbox Ally X's internal screen, hitting 60 FPS at 1080p using "High" settings. Dock to a larger screen, Auto SR helps deliver higher visual detail by enabling the game's "Ultra" settings with a 30% FPS boost over native 1440p at similar visual quality.When compared to 720p, the visual improvement is striking, as shown below. Auto SR brings back much of the texture and detail you'd expect from higher resolutions, turning what would be a soft 720p image into something far sharper and more detailed. Auto SR delivers 1440P level image quality at framerates typically equivalent to if the game rendered natively at 720P, though framerates may run slightly below under heavy power loads.Getting Started Enroll in Xbox Insider on PC to get started with Auto SR on your ROG Xbox Ally X. Confirm Auto SR is available: Open Xbox Game Bar (press the Xbox button) Navigate to the Display Widget and look for the Auto SR tab Make sure your device is up to date. If the Auto SR tab isn't showing, the rollout may still be reaching your device. Game Bar: Exit Xbox mode (Game Bar > Settings > Exit Xbox mode), then check Microsoft Store > Downloads for updates. Auto SR package: Install the latest from the Microsoft Store.[alert type="info" heading="Need Step-by-Step Instructions to Enable Auto SR?"]Visit the Auto SR support page[/alert] Preview Notes and FeedbackAs a preview feature, Auto SR is still evolving. Every PC game behaves a little differently, and there's no one-size-fits-all setup. You may need to follow different steps depending on the game, and you might notice minor quirks along the way. Keep an eye on Game Bar status for guidance, and refer back to the support page if needed.[alert type="important" heading="Help shape Auto SR"]How is it working in your games? How does the setup and control feel?→ Tell us at autosr@microsoft.com[/alert]Games to Try Auto SR OnAuto SR is most useful for titles running below 60 FPS. If your game is already running smoothly, Auto SR lets you turn up the resolution or graphics settings to get even better visuals while keeping FPS smooth.[alert type="tip" heading="Suggested Games"]Once you are set up, try Auto SR with your favorite DirectX games (DX10 or later) or one of these: Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Assetto Corsa, Avowed, Control, Dead Island: Definitive Edition, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Far Cry 6, Frostpunk 2, Grounded 2, Psychonauts 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider, The Outer Worlds 2, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 and War Thunder.[/alert]What's NextAuto SR improves visual quality and framerates across supported games today. With this preview, Auto SR becomes a tool that puts players in control, letting them enable it based on their preference. Your feedback will help us make that control easier to discover and use. We're also exploring expanding the scenarios Auto SR supports and continuing to improve quality and performance. Stay tuned for more.