We've all seen the negativity around the PC version of Borderlands 4 since it launched, so I'm not dwelling on it any further. I also didn't play it at launch, so I've nothing to compare recent patches to.
What I am interested in is the Xbox Ally X, though. Borderlands 4 might be one of the toughest challenges for the new Microsoft-branded handheld right out of the gate.
I don't have an Xbox Ally X, to be clear. I don't have any units under an embargo, nor was I one of the lucky few to have one shipped early. I probably won't even be getting one. But I'm still here with a message of hope.
What I do have in my possession is a mini PC with an AMD chip inside that's somewhat similar to the Z2 Extreme that the Xbox Ally X will use. The Ryzen AI 9 HX370 isn't the same, but it does have the Radeon 890M, which is what folks will be getting with the Z2 Extreme.
To be clear, I'm not saying for sure that you'll be able to play Borderlands 4 on the Xbox Ally X. I'm saying that you might. I've played about 4 hours now on the Ryzen AI 9 HX370, and I'm actually surprised how playable it is — especially after all the doom and gloom.
Some key differences to remember
There are some key differences to point out before I get into it further. While the GPU on the HX370 is the same as on the Z2 Extreme, the CPU portion is not. The HX370 has 12 cores to the 8 on the Z2 Extreme, with one more Zen 5 and three more Zen 5c. The HX370 also has more cache.
While the GPU is the same, on the Z2 Extreme, you're looking at topping out at 35W based on what we know so far. The HX370 is configured for 54W in my PC.
I'm also suggesting that any positive results playing Borderlands 4 on the Xbox Ally X, at least right now, would be while it's plugged in, and you're running the handheld at its highest possible performance.
Borderlands 4 is surprisingly playable on integrated graphics
There's still further optimization work that needs to be done; that much seems clear. But I'm surprised at how playable Borderlands 4 has been using a Radeon 890M.
There are some tools at your disposal that should help it feel a little smoother, but in my experience so far, they're a mixed bag. The built-in frame gen does smooth things out, but it's been quite unstable, with AMD errors presenting fairly regularly. But when it works, it feels really good.
In the end, the best time I've had has simply been rendering the game at 720p, using low settings, FSR set to performance, and then using AMD Radeon Super Resolution to upscale it on my desktop monitor so it looks a little sharper.
Does Borderlands 4 look its best this way? Absolutely not. But it's playable. I'm only four hours in so far, and frame rates are usually between 40 FPS and 50 FPS, which, for a game like this, isn't too bad. 40 FPS I've found as a sweet spot for a lot of games on my Steam Deck. Borderlands 4 limited to 40 FPS feels fine.
Some locations perform worse than others, notably when heading into areas of Kairos with lots of trees, but even when there is an absolute army of bad guys shooting at me, it holds pretty steady.
The only time the frame rate ever dips below 40 FPS is when using the Digi Runner, in all honesty.
Does it look great? It looks like Borderlands 4 on low settings. The graphical style of the game does lend itself fairly well to playing on low settings without wanting to totally claw your eyes out.
Plus, when you're playing on a smaller display, it will automatically look better than blown up on my desktop monitor.
With some work, Borderlands 4 could have a future on handhelds
There are two things that suggest to me Borderlands 4 wouldn't play this well on the Xbox Ally X, but equally, I do think it'll be possible and could be better in the future.
For one, it looks like CPU usage is on the higher side. I've not seen it much over 70%, but naturally, the Z2 Extreme has fewer cores to use.
The second is the difference in TDP between the Z2 Extreme and the HX370. The GPU is running maxed out, all the time, and on my Geekom A9 Max, the APU has more headroom compared to what we'll expect from the handheld.
But I'm hopeful. I wouldn't say you should buy Borderlands 4 specifically for the Xbox Ally X, at least not until we see how it actually runs. I wouldn't even attempt it on the regular Xbox Ally, though.
But there's a chance. And with some more work, it could be genuinely quite good.
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