Avowed has three reported graphics modes on Xbox Series X—Quality, Performance and Balanced—and two reported modes on Series S: Quality and Balanced. Launch-era coverage puts Series X Quality at 30 fps and Performance at up to 60 fps, with Balanced between them for a 120Hz display. A Windows Central guide describes Series S Quality at 30 fps and Balanced at 40 fps, also requiring suitable 120Hz display settings. These are reported targets and setup details, not guarantees of locked frame rates.
Avowed graphics modes on Xbox at a glance
| Console | Mode | Reported target or description | Display condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X | Quality | 30 fps, as reported by Pure Xbox on February 10, 2025 | No special refresh-rate requirement stated in the report |
| Xbox Series X | Performance | Up to 60 fps, as reported by Pure Xbox on February 10, 2025 | Described for standard 60Hz displays |
| Xbox Series X | Balanced | Between Quality and Performance, according to game director Carrie Patel in the February 10, 2025 report | Intended for players with a 120Hz TV |
| Xbox Series S | Quality | 30 fps, according to Windows Central’s Series S guide | No special refresh-rate requirement stated in the guide |
| Xbox Series S | Balanced | 40 fps, with lower visual fidelity than Quality, according to Windows Central | The guide says 120Hz display settings are needed to access the option |
The Series X figures and mode description come from Pure Xbox’s February 10, 2025 report, which quoted game director Carrie Patel. The Series S figures and setup guidance are from Windows Central’s secondary guide. Neither source establishes exact resolutions or guarantees that a target is maintained in every scene.
What each mode changes
Quality
Quality prioritizes visual fidelity over a higher frame-rate target. The cited Xbox coverage reports a 30 fps target on both Series X and Series S. Windows Central says Series S Balanced reduces some details, including shadows and foliage, relative to Quality.
Performance
Series X Performance is the option for players prioritizing smoother motion on a conventional 60Hz display. Pure Xbox reported an up-to-60-fps target at launch; “up to” is not a promise of a locked 60 fps. The cited mode reporting does not establish a corresponding Performance mode for Series S.
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Balanced
Balanced sits between Quality and Performance on Series X, Patel told Pure Xbox. The same report associated it with a 120Hz TV. For Series S, Windows Central describes Balanced as a 40 fps option with reduced fidelity and says the display must be set up for 120Hz to access it. These platform-specific descriptions should not be conflated: the reported Series S figure is not a Series X specification.
Which mode should you choose?
- Choose Quality if you prefer the reported visual-fidelity priority and are comfortable with a 30 fps target.
- Choose Performance on Series X if smoother motion matters most and you want the mode reported for up to 60 fps on a standard 60Hz display.
- Consider Balanced if your display supports 120Hz and you want an intermediate option. On Series S, the cited guide reports 40 fps and lower visual detail than Quality.
A 120Hz-capable TV or monitor is relevant only if you want to use the cited Balanced-mode setup. It is not required to play Avowed or to use the other reported modes.
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What later patch notes do—and do not—confirm
Obsidian’s March 25, 2026 Patch 2.1 notes mention a fix for a XeSS Frame Generation issue and an improvement to conversation-animation presentation in Xbox Series X Performance mode. They do not restate the graphics modes’ frame-rate targets or provide revised resolution specifications. The patch therefore confirms later performance-related changes, not a new complete technical breakdown.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Resolution and platform scope
The sources cited here do not authoritatively establish exact resolutions for these current-build Xbox modes, so specific resolution figures should not be inferred from their frame-rate descriptions. The comparison above is limited to Xbox Series X and Series S; it does not establish graphics-mode targets for PC. Xbox Wire’s February 18, 2025 launch announcement listed Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud and Game Pass as launch platforms and services; that historical launch list is not confirmation of current catalog or subscription availability.
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- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
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