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[Vasto]

Today, we are excited to invite you to experience Clarity Boost, one of the latest cloud gaming optimizations available on Microsoft Edge Canary. This feature uses a set of client-side scaling improvements to improve the visual quality of the video stream. Download Microsoft Edge Canary today to try out these features! Clarity Boost will be available to all Microsoft Edge users by next year.

How to Try it:

1. Download Microsoft Edge Canary
2. To confirm you are in Microsoft Edge Canary, navigate to edge://settings/help to make sure you are on version 96.0.1033.0 or later.

1. To enable Clarity Boost, go to www.xbox.com/play, login and start a game

1. Open the more actions (…) menu

1. Select Enable Clarity Boost option.

Available Now: Experience Clarity Boost with Xbox Cloud Gaming on Microsoft Edge browser - Xbox Wire

 

[Kuranghi]

"Look like you're really excited to play it"

This guy isn't getting hired again. He looks like he's looking at old home made porn.

 

[Nikana]

That's neat. Will wait for comparisons.

 

[ZlleH]

Are they saying that if you use Edge Canary you will get a clarity boost compared to using the normal Edge browser?

Or is it a clarity boost compared to using the xbox app in the windows store?

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

 

[Dr Bass]

Are they just turning on a sharpness feature, i.e. edge enhancement? That's what it looks like to me.

 

[SoloKingRobert]

Are they saying that if you use Edge Canary you will get a clarity boost compared to using the normal Edge browser?

Or is it a clarity boost compared to using the xbox app in the windows store?

No. Microsoft Edge Canary is just the beta version that receives updates every day. It will eventually release on Microsoft Edge.

 

[tommib]

Well played, Microsoft. You made me download Edge on my MacBook Pro. Works suprising well and the boost in image quality is totally worth it.

 

[onesvenus]

Are they just turning on a sharpness feature, i.e. edge enhancement? That's what it looks like to me.

Looks like it.
It's crazy they are limiting this to Edge though, being Chromium based, it makes no sense from a tech standpoint

 

[reksveks]

Looks like it.
It's crazy they are limiting this to Edge though, being Chromium based, it makes no sense from a tech standpoint

Might require a chromium update which doesn't happen as quick as they can do it for Edge Canary but that's the non-cynically view of things.

 

[SZips]

When stationary, it kind of looks not great. Looks just like a sharpening filter and maybe a touch of contrast adjustment?

In motion with a touch of motion blur, it does seem like a decent improvement over the default. But yeah, I'm not really seeing any sort of super impressive tech here.

 

[reksveks]

Update for the other browsers

 

[CrustyBritches]

FH5 Comparison:

Clarity On:

Clarity Off:

 

[DenchDeckard]

Nice sharpening feature that looks to improve the overall softness of a streamed video.

 

[THE DUCK]

I have only watched the video and compared the pics, to my eyes this is a big improvement. The soft mushy look was one of my complaints and it helps address this.....

 

[Shmunter]

Why is the guy squinting then eh?

 

[tronied]

Just downloaded it on my MBP 16" and unfortunately there's both good and bad. The good (if not great) is that is really does improve the image quality. Whereas before it looked blurry and like it's running 720p stretched up to my monitor resolution, with it enabled it really boosts clarity and like it's running 1440p. Here's some comparisons in Fallout 4:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Textures look a lot clearer, no artefacts that I can see typically associated with sharpening.

Now to the downside, maybe it's just on my machine (MBP) but it cut the performance dramatically. Whereas before it looked like I was averaging 30+fps. With it enabled, it struggled to maintain 15fps and the input lag increased a lot. Keeping in mind that this isn't a powerful PC, it does seem to put a heavy load on the system it's running on. Given the fact that this is a streaming platform supposed to run on many things, it sort of begs the questions why have such a feature if it's only applicable to high end PC's which can run these games natively. Then again, maybe it's just an issue with Mac's and they'll optimise it in the future. Got my fingers crossed as from an image quality perspective, it's amazing.

 

[Vasto]

Tried it on a couple games and it works really well.

 

[M1chl]

Well played, Microsoft. You made me download Edge on my MacBook Pro. Works suprising well and the boost in image quality is totally worth it.

I use Edge on my MacBook as main browser, the tabs sleep function saves a lot of battery.

 

[T-Cake]

Might have to switch back to the Edge browser for this (away from Xbox app - I am 100% switched from Chrome to Edge now on Windows 11). How is it going to work with the Xbox app though.

 

[reksveks]

Might have to switch back to the Edge browser for this (away from Xbox app - I am 100% switched from Chrome to Edge now on Windows 11). How is it going to work with the Xbox app though.

It's a rainway sdk update, does anyone know what the xbox app actually is and specifically the streaming section.

If it's just basically a packaged Web app then it should be relatively easy to implement in the xbox app. If not, it's a total disconnect.

I personally am hoping to see more directml based ai upscaling but might be further down the road.

 

[T-Cake]

It's a rainway sdk update, does anyone know what the xbox app actually is and specifically the streaming section.

If it's just basically a packaged Web app then it should be relatively easy to implement in the xbox app. If not, it's a total disconnect.

I personally am hoping to see more directml based ai upscaling but might be further down the road.

It looks to me like Xbox app is using some different rendering method. e.g. When the connection breaks up, the screen redraws in a totally different way to what it does in Edge. I can't really explain it but it's like the Xbox app freezes the image momentarily whereas the browser version becomes blockier.

 

[Boss Mog]

That's nice I guess. I'm still never streaming games nor using Edge though.

 

[reksveks]

It looks to me like Xbox app is using some different rendering method. e.g. When the connection breaks up, the screen redraws in a totally different way to what it does in Edge. I can't really explain it but it's like the Xbox app freezes the image momentarily whereas the browser version becomes blockier.

It was previously Electron and now is a React Native UWP so think it's hitting different services to get the stream. I do hope that we get some improvements to the app's although I personally only use it on my phone so i can't really tell at that screen size.

 

[Shmunter]

Sounds interesting, is it doing some kind of uprez reconstruction locally?

Makes perfect sense to send a lower rez stream with less bandwidth requirement and let the local machine boost it up to a better quality.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Look at Microsoft, trying to make me use Edge...

I hope they tell us more details about how it works though.

 

[reksveks]

Sounds interesting, is it doing some kind of uprez reconstruction locally?

Makes perfect sense to send a lower rez stream with less bandwidth requirement and let the local machine boost it up to a better quality.

I want them to copy nvidia shield pro on this product. If they have an Xbox versions of that, I would definitely buy a dongle/stick for my parents and brother.

 

[Ozriel]

That's nice I guess. I'm still never streaming games nor using Edge though.

The title has ‘Cloud’ and ‘Edge’ in it. Yet you jumped in to make this comment to show your lack of interest.

Man…

 

[Aguero9320]

Edge has been my browser of choice for a while now, it’s really good, and comes with the bonus of completing the erasure of Google from my life.

 

[lh032]

If you want to attract me to the streaming ecoysstem, i would prefer improvement on input latency than clarity.

 

[Boss Mog]

The title has ‘Cloud’ and ‘Edge’ in it. Yet you jumped in to make this comment to show your lack of interest.

Man…

Just because I don't plan to use it doesn't mean I'm not interested in the technology. I don't plan to build a swimming pool with my bare hands either but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching those Primitive Survival tool videos.

 

[Schmick]

If you want to attract me to the streaming ecoysstem, i would prefer improvement on input latency than clarity.

This has got to be on an individual basis the degree of latency present when streaming.

For me latency is not noticeable on two games that I'm currently playing through. Forza Horizon 5 (on my OXBO via xCloud) and TLOU2 (on my PC via PS Now for PC). I literally forget I'm streaming when I'm playing FH5.

Both the devices are connected to a router via an ethernet cable and 300mb line.

That said I have showcased xCloud to my dad on his XSS which is connected via Wifi and that to, I didn't notice latency. I showed him Minecraft Dungeons.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

An all-new Clarity Boost option was added to Xbox Game Cloud Streaming "Cloud" using the Edge Canary Browser and in this video, we see how well it works. It's Easy to use Clarity Boost but does it make a difference? let's find out.