Graphically demanding titles to play in the browser? Xbox Cloud Gaming promises smooth gaming fun even on weaker systems. We tried out the service for you.
New gaming hardware is expensive. This is not only true for the PC, where RTX 4000 and co. are only available at moon prices, but also for the consoles, which are often described as cheaper alternatives. Because if you want to make the most of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and enjoy all the features, you also need a decent TV in addition to the devices – which drives up the price.
That”s why cloud gaming is more attractive than ever for many game fans. The promise is: uncomplicated, smooth and always responsive gaming enjoyment even on older devices, in the case of Xbox Cloud Gaming even directly via web browser. Low barriers to entry, which could perhaps have helped Google Stadia too!
But what does it look like in practice? We took a look at Microsoft”s Xbox Cloud Gaming and tested the browser version for you. The focus is on accessibility, offer and of course the technology. At the end of the day, we”ll give you our verdict. Cloud 7 or cloudburst? Let”s find out!
Table of Contents
Hardware requirements and costs
With Xbox Cloud Gaming, games are not charged locally on your system. Instead, the browser you use transmits your control inputs to Microsoft servers, where the games are run and the commands are implemented. The result then flows through your internet connection back to the screen.
What follows is no surprise: you need a good and, above all, stable internet connection. If you want to use cloud gaming on the road, you might have a hard time with the numerous wireless holes in Germany – but we”ll take a closer look at this topic in a dedicated follow-up article soon.
On the PC, a transmission rate of 10 Mbit/s should be sufficient, provided it is constant. You will also need:
- at least Windows 10
- a compatible input device, the obvious one would be the Xbox controller, which you connect to your computer via Bluetooth or cable.
- Google Chrome or the Microsoft Edge
Our test system: In order to set the hurdle for Xbox Cloud Gaming as high as possible, we do not use a powerful gaming system, but an aged Honor Matebook 14 of the year 2020. The installed internal GPU Radeon Vega 6 would not be able to conjure up any of the tested games on the screen in a convincing manner.
And what about the costs? Unsurprisingly, you”ll need an active subscription to the Xbox/PC Game Pass in the Ultimate version, which will cost 12.99 euros per month as of 2022.
Interface and game selection
So, let”s get down to business. First, we log in with our Microsoft account (on the official website) . The interface is very reminiscent of its counterpart on the Xbox console, i.e. we are shown all available games as a tile, sorted by category or according to which titles we have played most recently.
The operation is correspondingly simple. We select a game, then click on Play
and off we go. Loading times average between 10 and 15 seconds. Those who like can make further settings via a menu that can be called up at any time, such as activating a full-screen mode or sharpening the image via Clarity Boost
whereby the latter feature is currently only supported by the Edge Browser.
The game selection convinces us all along the line. A total of 380 games are waiting to be tried out by us. Those who are familiar with the rich Game Pass portfolio from the console will find their way around here perfectly. Among the titles are numerous top-class titles, from Doom Eternal to Deathloop and Marvel”s Guardians of the Galaxy to Assassin”s Creed Odyssey and… My Friend Peppa Wutz.
This is how games run via cloud
A word about the transmission quality in advance: Although the picture is always well recognisable in our test runs, the resolution is still visibly low. Officially, Xbox Cloud Gaming on the PC supports a transmission up to 1080p (1920×1080 pixels) at 60 frames per second. The frame rate is also consistently high in our self-experiment, but what we see does not come close to a native FullHD image output.
In addition, the effect called Clarity Boost
for a higher image sharpness cannot convince us. Instead of emphasising fine details and gently scaling up the image, the result is more reminiscent of a strongly over-regulated sharpness filter, as is also known from common image editing programmes. Despite the low resolution, we therefore recommend leaving the Clarity Boost deactivated in most cases.
Forza Horizon 5
Clearly, a racing game is something like the supreme discipline for cloud gaming. Anyone who struggles here with a low input delay will end up in the ditch at the first turn. That”s why we start with Microsoft”s showcase racer Forza Horizon 5 and race through the Mexican countryside at full speed.
- Pro: The frame rate is constant and the general graphics quality is also very convincing in terms of effects and detail. In addition, the input lag is pleasingly low. Yes, you feel a certain delay, and in competitive multiplayer matches you would certainly lose out. But winning a race in single-player mode? Absolutely possible!
- Contra: Although constant, the frame rate is unfortunately only 30 FPS, which might be borderline for many hobby racers in a racing game. In addition, Forza Horizon 5 is the game with the lowest resolution of all the games tested. The optional sharpness filter overshoots the mark here, and trees and bushes in particular look very overdrawn. In addition, the lighting quality seems to be turned down, as you can see in our image comparison.
Hollow Knight
Another game where precision is important. For numerous bosses and normal enemies are just waiting to stamp us into the ground at the slightest carelessness. After an extremely short loading time, we return to the beautiful corners of Saviour”s Nest and feel the Cloud variant on the nail.
- Pro: The image output is buttery smooth, as is the audio playback. The FPS is constantly at 60 FPS and – to our great surprise – inputs are implemented so quickly that you would think we were playing locally. What”s more, the low image sharpness is less noticeable here; the Clarity Boost provides a pleasant increase in detail in the backgrounds.
- Contra: Nothing! Hollow Knight plays so well over the cloud that we don”t have a criticism on our list.
Doom Eternal
Even as you read the game title, I”m sure the groovy soundtrack is ringing in the ears of many of you. Playing Doom Eternal early in the morning is like drinking four espressos straight, but nothing is too good for you. Does this exhilarating experience also work via the cloud? This game just had to be on our candidate list!
- Pro: Doom Eternal runs at a constant 60 frames per second even in the cloud version. And the controls work smoothly too, we did die, but not because of any noticeable input lag, but because of our lack of skill, ahem.
- Contra: Unfortunately, in the hellgaudi the low resolution most disturbs the spoiled gamer”s eye. The shooter”s magnificent graphics hardly come into their own due to the compression, and the Clarity Boost, as with Forza Horizon 5, tends to make the image look overdrawn.
Assassin”s Creed Odyssey
Kaliméra! Welcome to the final destination of our grand cloud experience tour. In sunny Greece, we join Kassandra on a walk across her home island of Kephallenia, petting wild boars and running from wolves. Oh yes, and of course there”s climbing too! But how well does that work over the cloud?
- Pro: The trend from the previous test games continues unabated in Odyssey. The frame rate is pleasingly constant and lies at a smooth 60 FPS. The control inputs are implemented without any noticeable delay and there is also nothing to complain about in terms of sound quality. So everything is fine? Not at all, because…
- Contra: …the image resolution in Odyssey is so low that we often feel reminded of an eye test at the optician, especially in areas with a lot of vegetation. Here, switching on Clarity Boost leads to a clear improvement, even if small image artefacts can then be made out in the fine foliage and leaves.
Our conclusion
Time to formulate a conclusion. Is the browser variant of Xbox Cloud Gaming a recommendable replacement for classic gaming on the home computer? Yes and no – as so often, it depends on your preferences. And the reason why you choose the cloud version also plays a role.
If you”re thinking of only gaming at home via the browser, we wouldn”t advise it in its current state. The image resolution is still too low for this, which is detrimental to the atmosphere in many games. And the Clarity Boost touted by Microsoft is not convincing in many cases either, because it over-shartens the picture.
The situation is different, however, if you are on the road and absolutely want to gamble – provided you have a good internet connection. On the train, in a hotel or in other places far away from home, you are much more willing to accept a loss of visual quality. After all, in these cases you don”t want to play for hours, but only for a short while.
And this is where Xbox Cloud Gaming can show its strengths to the full: Quickly log in, choose a game, start playing. The input lag is lower than with any other cloud service I have tried, the sound is also good and the game selection – thanks to Game Pass – is first class. Even if your system is already a few years old, it”s definitely worth giving the service a chance!
Have you already had your own experience with Xbox Cloud Gaming? If so, were you convinced by the picture quality and the offer or rather less? Feel free to write us your opinion on this topic in the comments!
