Reported Xbox One Patch Expected to Improve Graphical Performance

Microsoft will purportedly reallocate GPU power from Kinect.

Microsoft is reportedly looking to improve the Xbox One's graphical performance in an upcoming patch. According to Hot Hardware, gaming insider Pete Doss has stated that Microsoft will relax GPU requirements for Kinect in order to achieve such results. As it is now, the Xbox One reserves 10 percent of its total GPU power for the Kinect, with 8 percent alone required for video processing. The alleged patch will purportedly free up that 8 percent for use in actual gameplay, leaving the remaining 2 percent for the peripheral's voice input processing.

The Xbox One's graphical capabilities recently underwent some scrutiny, with Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition performing better on the PlayStation 4. For a game like Tomb Raider, the reported patch could theoretically allow the Xbox One to produce a more steady frame rate around 30 FPS, instead of varying dramatically throughout gameplay.
The update, however, is not expected to bring Microsoft's console on par with the PlayStation 4, which can consistently display Lara Croft on her new adventure at 60 FPS. While there still may be a difference in overall performance, the human eye is more likely to be bothered by fluctuating frame rates than by a steady stream of fewer frames per second.

The Kinect for Xbox One has been a highly touted feature for the brand new console, although few high-profile games have taken full advantage of the hardware. If Microsoft rolls out the reported patch, developers could utilize more of the console's GPU power, instead of leaving resources for an attachment that they don't intend to use.