Microsoft recently unveiled Auto SR, a new upscaling technology for Windows, promising a boost in performance for PC gaming. Initial excitement quickly faded, however, as the reality of its current implementation proved far more limited and problematic than anticipated.
The rollout has been remarkably restricted. After a brief appearance on the Asus ROG Ally X – specifically, the black model – Auto SR has largely vanished. It doesn’t function on the standard Ally, requiring a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that’s absent in other versions. Even on the supported device, a significant constraint exists: it only operates while docked, rendering it useless in handheld mode.
Rigorous testing revealed a performance increase that barely justifies the compromises. Using Borderlands 3 as a benchmark, Auto SR managed a 62 FPS average at 720p, a mere ten percent improvement over native 1080p. Surprisingly, it even fell behind the performance of running the game unenhanced at the same 720p resolution.
The numbers, however, paint an incomplete picture. The visual quality of Auto SR is demonstrably worse than native rendering, appearing “muddy” and “swimmy” according to testers. Activating the feature isn’t a simple toggle; it requires troubleshooting and, occasionally, restarting the game to function correctly.
Despite official support being limited, Auto SR is theoretically compatible with any game utilizing DirectX 10 or later. Further tests with Shadow of the Tomb Raider showed Auto SR outperforming Intel’s XeSS, landing between native 720p and 1080p performance, but again, the visual degradation remained a significant drawback.
Cyberpunk 2077, a demanding and visually rich title, provided a crucial test against competing technologies. Auto SR’s performance mirrored AMD’s FSR, falling between native 720p and 1080p. Yet, the clarity of native graphics, even at lower resolutions, consistently proved superior.
Beyond performance and visuals, Auto SR introduces frustrating usability issues. Disconnecting the dock caused scaling problems, necessitating a system reboot, which then triggered further display errors. The entire process proved cumbersome and unreliable.
Microsoft acknowledges the technology is currently a “Preview,” and the results clearly indicate a substantial amount of refinement is needed. Auto SR, in its present state, struggles to compete with established upscaling solutions and presents more problems than it solves.
