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Xbox Series S currently has a single 864p graphics mode for Control Resonant targeting 30 frames per second. You cannot switch that build to 60fps through the console’s refresh-rate setting, an HDMI cable, or a television option. The Xbox Series X version is different: comparison footage and measurements report separate 60fps and 30fps modes.
What the Series S version actually offers
A 19 September 2026 comparison by Pure Xbox, summarizing Digital Foundry footage and measurements, reports one Series S mode at 864p and 30fps. It is described as largely stable, and its settings appear comparable to the Series X performance mode while still targeting 30fps.
| Console | Graphics modes reported | Resolution figures | Frame-rate target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series S | One mode | 864p | 30fps, largely stable |
| Xbox Series X | Performance and quality modes | Native 864p and 1260p across the two modes | 60fps and 30fps targets |
That difference explains why a Series S owner may see a consistent 30fps result even after changing display settings. A stable cap is normally the supplied game configuration, not evidence that the console is failing to render frames.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhy 120Hz does not unlock 60fps
Refresh rate and frame rate describe separate parts of the signal chain. A display set to 120Hz can refresh its panel up to 120 times per second; frame rate is how many images the game engine renders. The Xbox setting prepares a compatible connection, but it cannot create a graphics mode absent from the game.
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Remedy’s 2026 support guidance states: “A higher display refresh rate can provide smoother output, but it does not force CONTROL Resonant to render at the same number of frames per second or create a graphics mode that the game does not provide.” Selecting 120Hz therefore does not confirm 120fps, and it does not turn the Series S 30fps mode into 60fps.
Check whether a display-path problem is hiding the correct signal
These checks can fix an incorrect signal, missing HDR, an unstable image, or a TV connection that is not negotiating its advertised features. They cannot remove the game’s 30fps cap.
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- What's in the box: Xbox Series S 512GB console, 1 Xbox Wireless Controller, High Speed HDMI cable.
- CPU: 8X Cores @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU; GPU: 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU; SOC Die Size: 197.05 mm2.
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2GB @ 56 GB/s.; Internal Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FP.
- HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
- Install every available Control Resonant update, then install any pending Xbox system update.
- Fully quit the game. If it appears in Quick Resume, remove it from Quick Resume and launch it again.
- Open the game’s display or graphics menu, restore defaults, and test another mode only if the Series S build actually lists one.
- Go to Xbox Settings > General > TV & display options. Check resolution, refresh rate, 4K TV details, HDR, and VRR one at a time so you can identify which setting changes the signal.
- Connect the Xbox directly to the television or monitor for one test, bypassing an AV receiver, splitter, or capture device.
- Try the supplied or certified HDMI cable, another compatible HDMI input, and the display’s enhanced-HDMI or gaming mode.
- Update the television or monitor firmware, then power-cycle both the display and the Xbox.
If the game still reports or visibly delivers 30fps after those steps, that is consistent with the documented Series S mode rather than a cable fault.
How to compare the Xbox editions
Frame rate is only one part of the difference. When choosing between Series S and Series X, evaluate the following factors together:
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- Mode availability: Series X offers separate 60fps and 30fps targets; the Series S comparison identifies one 30fps mode.
- Internal resolution: the measured Series S mode is 864p. Series X is reported at native 864p in one mode and 1260p in the other.
- Demanding scenes: the available comparison describes both Series X modes as largely smooth and the Series S mode as largely stable, but it does not establish identical frame pacing in every scene.
- Display capability: a 120Hz panel and VRR can make supported signals easier to display smoothly, but they do not add a game mode.
Do not infer a 60fps option from the product label “Xbox Series X|S.” That label identifies the console family; mode selection can still differ by hardware.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could a later patch add 60fps?
No official dated announcement establishing a Series S 60fps patch is identified in the available 2026 reporting. Treat the 30fps configuration as current unless Remedy publishes patch notes or a mode announcement that says otherwise. A future update could change the answer, but changing the Xbox refresh-rate setting is not a substitute for that update.
Rank #4
- What's in the box: Xbox Series S 512GB console, 1 Wireless Controller, High Speed HDMI cable.
- CPU: 8X Cores @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU; GPU: 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU; SOC Die Size: 197.05 mm2.
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2GB @ 56 GB/s.; Internal Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
What the purchase listings establish
A 15 October 2026 MeriStation report said physical editions were available for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, including standard and steelbook versions. It listed a Spanish retail price from €59.99 for the standard edition and €69.99 for the steelbook. Those are cited retail figures for that report and region, not a universal price or a guarantee of current availability.
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Bottom line for Series S owners
Control Resonant is currently a 30fps game on Xbox Series S because the available build supplies one 864p, 30fps-target mode. Set up 120Hz, VRR, a suitable HDMI connection, and the correct TV input for signal quality, but do not expect those settings to unlock 60fps. If 60fps mode selection is essential, the documented option is the Xbox Series X version; otherwise, wait for an explicit Remedy update announcing a Series S performance mode.
Quick Recap
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