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Windows Central
Windows Central
Technology
Adam Hales

“More handheld gains”: Xbox boosts performance for over two dozen titles on Xbox Ally with new default profiles

Xbox Ally X on green background with smiley face on screen.

Once again, Default Game Profiles are expanding, adding another two dozen titles to the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. That means more games now benefit from improved performance (and better battery life) when the hardware is updated out of the box.

For those unfamiliar, these are per-game settings tailored to each device. They adjust tweaks like power usage, TDP, and frame rate targets to help games run smoother while also lasting longer on battery, going beyond what in-game settings alone offer.

There are a few limitations to keep in mind. Right now, Default Game Profiles only work with games played through the Xbox app on both the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, and when the feature first launched in November, it supported around 40 titles.

Now, that number is growing in a meaningful way, so expect more handheld gains. Xbox has confirmed another two dozen games are joining the list, and there are some solid additions here, so let’s take a look at what’s been added. I’ll keep it simple and run through the full list:

Expand to see more ↴

Game Title

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X

ARK: Survival Ascended

Absolum

Borderlands 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

Clover Pit

Construction Simulator

Fallout 4

Fallout 76

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Forza Horizon 6

GTA V

Grounded 2

Hades 2

Halo: Spartan Assault

High on Life 2

Invincible VS

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Minishoot' Adventures

Mortal Kombat 11

Ninja Gaiden 4

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Silent Hill F

Skyrim

Stardew Valley

Starfield

The Outer Worlds 2

Now, you’ll notice that not every game supports both the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Titles like Invincible VS and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II don’t currently have Default Game Profiles for the base ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, which is a shame.

That said, there are still some standout additions here. We’re getting a Default Game Profile for Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its release, and perhaps most interesting to me is Halo: Spartan Assault, a game I was convinced Xbox had forgotten about, and one I actually enjoyed back in the day on Windows Phone.

How do you feel about Default Game Profiles so far? Are they a worthwhile addition, or do they not really affect the games you play?

Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

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