Apex Legends cuts a strong figure on iOS and Android and even a lot better than on the switch

A few days before the Steam Deck has come, I looked at some switch games as a reference that are actually too demanding for Nintendo's handheld on paper but were still published for it.

• high frame rate and a sharp picture
• even better on the tablet
• exactly the right optimizations
• also works with controllers
• the best mobile version

Among this was Apex Legends; My undisputed favorite among the Battle Royale shooters. At least on the Xbox, the Switch version can be described as "Trüber Pixelmatsch" at best. I am all the more surprising from the mobile implementation that turns exactly the right adjustment screws.

Chris Werian

__@drchrisrespect

Chris spent over 400 hours in APEX Legends and even bought the brand new Xbox One X for the title - the frame rate was a my constant! So his claim to porting is quite high. What he has seen from the mobile version so far is extremely positive.

high frame rate and a sharp picture

Measurements that the YouTube channel of Elanalist StageBits has carried out, the mobile port attest a refresh rate that commutes between 35 and 45 fps. A commercially available Samsung Galaxy S21 was used, "Extremehd" was used as a graphic preset - the highest setting without frame studios.

However, since I tend to be a uniform frame rate of constant 30 fps, the mobile port does not stand out from the switch version at first. Then why am I so enthusiastic?

The big difference lies in the sharpness of the image: On the Nintendo console, a dynamic resolution of 512p is used on average in handheld mode, which makes APEX legends extremely blurred. Elanalist strap states that the full screen resolution of 2000 x 900 pixels was exhausted in the Samsung Galaxy S21, but the recorded material suggests down to 75% of the output value, which corresponds to a native resolution of 1520 x 684 pixels.

However, my interpretation should be enjoyed with caution, since YouTube videos are extremely bad for analyzes of native resolution. However, the gain gain could continue to be explained with the still double pixel amount compared to the Nintendo Switch.

even better on the tablet

The Tech-Youtuber ETA Prime also looked at Apex Legends Mobile, he picked up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 Ultra. He was able to observe even higher values in an area of 55 to 60 frames per second, mind you with the highest graphic preset.

In the video it can be seen very well how clear the image edition is on the 14.6-inch display. With a resolution of 2960 x 1848, the high-end tablet is only just below 4K, but I was able to count down the downscaling again in the video material, this time to 65% of the output value. At least the tablet would offer more than Full HD.

The low resolution, on the other hand, is the decisive factor for the switch version that prevented me from further matches. Opponents were difficult to see, I completely lost the overview in hectic battles. Based on the video material, I cannot determine a similar problem with the Android devices.

exactly the right optimizations

The mobile version also pays a price for this: Even with high settings, Apex Legends has to leave mobile feathers compared to the switch version. These include:

• A much lower degree of detail of the environment

• Lower textures
• Inaccurate shadow
• Hardly existing interior lighting
• No edge smoothing
• Lower complexity of buildings

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Degree of detail: Mobile Switch

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In the crucial points, however, the mobile version clearly cuts off better. We obtain:

• A higher foresight
• More complex character models
• A pale but more coherent lighting that provides more contrasts

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Landsight, lighting: Mobile Switch

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The optimizations are excellently chosen because opponents can be spot on the greatest distance. In the Switch version, on the other hand, I had the impression that it was tried to maintain as many graphics features as possible, even if the game looks like every frame was pulled by cloudy brackish water.

The responsible team of developers could not have started better with scissors. In addition, the download size of over 20 GB of the switch version shrinks to just 3.5 gigabytes, which is ideal for mobile devices with little memory.

also works with controllers

Basically, Apex Legends is optimized for touch inputs, but it is still possible to use a controller via Bluetooth. ETA Prime only notes here that the touchscreen in some menus is necessary.

the best mobile version

It is really impressive in which quality Apex Legends runs on mobile devices. Since the processors in smartphones and tablets are not allowed to generate much waste heat, they have to have a lot on the box to play smoothly playable with such a large multiplayer title with high resolution. The tested models obviously passed the fire sample with flying colors and the user feedback reads consistently positively.

The comparison to the switch version is a little nasty, after all, Nintendo's hybrid handheld has been around for five years, but this prior knowledge does not get my game fun. Instead, I would say that the signs of a moody multiplayer evening are pretty good on the smartphone or tablet. The entry -level hurdle is at least low because Apex Legends Mobile has been released free of charge in Apple and Google's stores.

Do you play Battle Royale shooters like Fortnite, PUBG or APEX Legends on your smartphone or tablet?