Xbox Full Screen Experience Comes to Every Windows PC

[erek]

"Once inside Xbox FSE, gamers can easily access Xbox, Game Pass, Xbox Play Anywhere, and other storefronts from the app, making it simple to find any game. The update is being rolled out in phases, so not every Insider will receive it immediately. To gain early access to the new features on a Windows 11 PC, you can enroll in the Xbox Insiders Program and enable the PC Gaming preview via the Xbox Insiders Hub. Microsoft will continue to add more Insiders to the rollout over time."

Source: https://www.techpowerup.com/343165/xbox-full-screen-experience-comes-to-every-windows-pc

 

[SeymourGore]

That's pretty cool, glad to see Windows seems to be pushing this update out fairly quickly.

I had also seen a 3rd party program (iirc, "Any FSE") that allows you to use Playnite or Steam Big Screen Picture as your selected 'Full Screen Experience'.

 

[DukenukemX]

I assume you can boot Windows into this XBox Full Screen?

 

[SeymourGore]

I assume you can boot Windows into this XBox Full Screen?

Yup, you can boot directly into Xbox FSE (pretty sure it was by default) and switch over to a Windows desktop when you want to. At least it was like this when I was playing around with it on my ROG Ally.

I was pretty impressed by it, though did switch back to Bazzite for the suspend/resume feature. I'll likely try it again on my Ally or test it out on my desktop down the road.

 

[Lakados]

I am cautiously optimistic about this build…
So far it’s being reported to use less memory which likely means there is less stuff going on in the background which can only be good…
Unless it isn’t.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Look. I don't mind this being an option, but forcing it on EVERY Windows machine?

It makes me roll my eyes all the way back into my skull.

9 of 10 of my PC's will never run a game. It's really frustrating that I am forced to have all the Xbox bullshit on these machines.

I do not want it at all. No Xbox app, no game bar, and no Xbox full screen experience.

Honestly I would be pissed off even if these things were installed by default but were uninstallable. They should be something that is not included at all, but can optionally be installed only if you want them.

...as should all of the other nuisance ecosystem apps Microsoft tries to force on us.

God this pisses me off.

Don't mix the professional with the juvenile.

 

[haste]

I just want to use my mouse to launch and browse games. Controller for in-game only. I despise having the Xbox controller tied into windows. Steam gives me shit, Xbox gives me shit. My kids hitting buttons they don't know they are hitting and shit popping up in windows annoys the ever living shit out of me.

 

[Lakados]

Look. I don't mind this being an option, but forcing it on EVERY Windows machine?

It makes me roll my eyes all the way back into my skull.

9 of 10 of my PC's will never run a game. It's really frustrating that I am forced to have all the Xbox bullshit on these machines.

I do not want it at all. No Xbox app, no game bar, and no Xbox full screen experience.

Honestly I would be pissed off even if these things were installed by default but were uninstallable. They should be something that is not included at all, but can optionally be installed only if you want them.

...as should all of the other nuisance ecosystem apps Microsoft tries to force on us.

God this pisses me off.

Don't mix the professional with the juvenile.

I get your point but it’s the opposite of how Microsoft does things now, and I wish it weren’t the case.

Microsoft’s default is “install absolutely everything and make some of it removable”

I’d much rather prefer, “Install the bare minimum and let the user decide from there”

But Microsoft at this time isn’t about that, maybe one day soon that changes.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I’d much rather prefer, “Install the bare minimum and let the user decide from there”

This ought to be common sense, how absolutely every operating system works.

Install only a barebones system. The only applications that should be installed out of the box are things like a file browser, a basic photo viewer (like the old Windows Photo Viewer) the settings apps, and a terminal / command prompt

For everything else, the user should decide and install it themselves. I wouldn't even include a browser (though maybe have an icon for an auto-install of Edge for those who don't have pre-downloaded copy of their favorite web browser, so they can actually access and download stuff.

Anything else is just bloat. I mean, some people may actually want it, but for those who don't it is just bloat.

I don't want calendar apps, clock apps, email apps, SMS apps, phone apps, gaming apps, anything like that installed by default. And if I change my mind and do want them, I can install them.

I also don't want any automation or cloud connections by default. Sure, add options somewhere in the settings for me to optionally turn them on if I want them, but out of the box, the OS should make no noise on either the LAN or WAN unless I actively tell it to.

And under no circumstances should an Operating System developer be allowed to use their power by having their OS to push their stores or cloud services on you. That's illegal anti-competitive behavior in my book.

I think we need a Volcker rule of sorts for computers/phones/tablets and the software that runs on them.

1.) Hardware/Firmware
2.) Operating System
3.) Software applications
4.) Online services (like cloud, etc.)
5.) Software/Game/etc. digital store

Pick one. You can only be in the business of operating one of the above. If you do two or more you have too much power.

I would use the DOJ to forcefully break up Apple, Google, Microsoft and any others along these lines.

 

[Sycraft]

This ought to be common sense, how absolutely every operating system works.

That's not what most users want though. I can see making it an option for geeks, but most users want a more full featured experience. They don't want to buy a system and then when they have to do anything get told "There's not a program for that, you have to install one." You see this in the Linux world too. Install a default Ubutnu install and it comes with quite a bit on it. They try to have all the programs and tools that your average user might want so that you aren't immediately forced to go searching for software.

It would be even worse if the rule was as you suggest and not allowing software repositories. That would mean that you couldn't launch the Software Center or even use apt by default, you'd have to know how to get and configure those to even be able to start to get more software.

It's fine if you'd like that for OSes, and you can go searching, you might find some custom Linux distros that operate like you want, though the "no network activity at all" rule is going to be REAL hard to find. For what you want you probably need to move to an embedded OS like QNX or vxWorks (or maybe Wind River Linux). Those tend to be set up so you can configure everything that is installed, which can include nothing, not even basic tools.

However understand that this is NOT what most users want, they'd be furious to get what was in their view a completely broken device that they had to hire an expert to set up and make work. They want it to have the shit they use already installed, and to be easy to get more shit if they need it.

 

[Lakados]

Zarathustra[H] , Sycraft .
I see both sides, but if Microsoft was simply to add a box during the install that said “Advanced”, that let you toggle between “Full Install (Default) and Minimal Install, it would offer the best of both worlds.

Hell they could lock the Advanced install to Windows Pro and up and it would still be a huge deal.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

That's not what most users want though. I can see making it an option for geeks, but most users want a more full featured experience. They don't want to buy a system and then when they have to do anything get told "There's not a program for that, you have to install one."

I see that as a problem for system integrators to solve. Heck, even checking a box during setup that says "I want the standard suite of software" could go a long ways to giving us the best of both worlds.

It would be even worse if the rule was as you suggest and not allowing software repositories. That would mean that you couldn't launch the Software Center or even use apt by default, you'd have to know how to get and configure those to even be able to start to get more software.

A repository is not a store. It doesn't sell yachting. If there are no fees, or no exchange of money at all, then it is not a problem.

However understand that this is NOT what most users want, they'd be furious to get what was in their view a completely broken device that they had to hire an expert to set up and make work. They want it to have the shit they use already installed, and to be easy to get more shit if they need it.

Since when is installing software something an expert needs to do?

The status quo is like buying a CD player and having the standard mix CD of today's pop hits forced on you, even if you hate that kind of music, because it is "too complicated" for someone to insert their own CD :/

Oh, and as a bonus, half the tracks on the standard mix CD can't be removed, so when you are listening to your favorite death metal, you occasionally are forced to listen to Taylor swift, and it is non-skippable.

I would argue that if installing the software of their choice is tooo complicated or cumbersome for someone, maybe having or even ever using a computer is just not for them.

Zarathustra[H] , Sycraft .
I see both sides, but if Microsoft was simply to add a box during the install that said “Advanced”, that let you toggle between “Full Install (Default) and Minimal Install, it would offer the best of both worlds.

Hell they could lock the Advanced install to Windows Pro and up and it would still be a huge deal.

Indeed. There are a lot of things they could do, but they want to use every lever in their tool kit to make it even a fraction of a percent more likely to funnel you into their ecosystem of services, and that is the problem.

 

[Sycraft]

A repository is not a store. It doesn't sell yachting. If there are no fees, or no exchange of money at all, then it is not a problem.

You are going to have trouble with that distinction. I guess you can say "no money can be charged" but then you run in to all the free to play stuff. Realistically if you ban stores, you are going to have to ban repos too.

Since when is installing software something an expert needs to do?

Since when you have an OS that has no network stack, or browser, or store, by default. If users have to go to another system to download the packages for that shit and manually transfer it over to make it work, that is more complex than most people are willing to do. I've worked on systems like that, it sucks. I want something that installs with all the basic shit I need, gets online, updates itself, and is ready to fetch things from the Internet from the word go.

I would argue that if installing the software of their choice is tooo complicated or cumbersome for someone, maybe having or even ever using a computer is just not for them.

And that viewpoint is why your ideas aren't something that'll even be mainstream. You can't look down your nose at the basic users and say "If you can't learn this then it isn't FOR you. You have to be willing to jump through the hoops *I* deem necessary to be able to use it." Most people want simplicity from their devices, and that's what companies work to provide. If you don't, that's fine, go get one that doesn't have it. Like I said, Wind River Linux will probably give you what you want in that you can build an install of it that has nothing at all if you really want. Computers are meant to be accessible though, not a rite of passage, particularly in the modern world.

 

[erek]

"All MSI Claws Now Support Microsoft Xbox Full Screen Experience​

Press Release by Nomad76 Today, 06:31 Discuss (1 Comment)
MSI is excited to announce that all its gaming handhelds, MSI Claws, now support Microsoft Xbox Full Screen Experience, providing a console-like interface for an intuitive gaming experience. Users can download and activate the Xbox Full Screen Experience through Microsoft's system and Xbox updates on all MSI handheld devices. The Xbox Full Screen Experience offers an immersive handheld gaming experience and numerous enhancements, including:

Unified Game Library: All games from various platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Battle.net, Epic Games, and other game launchers, are now consolidated into a single, easily accessible location. Users no longer need to switch between multiple platforms to launch their favorite games."

 

[erek]

"Xbox Full-Screen Experience Uses 9% Less RAM Than Standard Windows 11 Mode​

by AleksandarK Today, 12:15 Discuss (38 Comments)
The Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) is a new system performance enhancement to use less system RAM than the standard Windows 11 desktop mode, as confirmed by MSI. Recently, Microsoft introduced this feature to regular Windows PCs, allowing them to play games using Xbox FSE mode. MSI has now confirmed that its handhelds running Windows 11 can significantly benefit from this feature. When the system operates in standard Windows 11 desktop mode, it consumes 8.6 GB of RAM. However, with Xbox FSE enabled, RAM usage drops to 7.6 GB, a 9.3% reduction. MSI describes this as a 5% difference based on the total system capacity of 16 GB, rather than the difference between the two usage figures.

Users with the Xbox app installed can access Xbox FSE by navigating to Game Bar > Settings or pressing Win + F11. This feature can take over the screen at startup, hiding the desktop and minimizing background tasks, creating a console-like experience. The interface is minimalistic, with game tiles filling the entire display. Navigation is controlled by a game controller, and typical Windows elements are hidden to maintain focus on the game. Microsoft states that this mode also pauses maintenance activities and mutes notifications to ensure consistent frame delivery. This is demonstrated with Cyberpunk 2077, which can achieve up to 8.6% higher FPS. All of this occurs with 9.3% less RAM usage, meaning Xbox FSE reduces background load, allowing the handheld to achieve better performance."

 

[Sycraft]

What uses so much RAM on the MSI system? Looking at my system right now I'm at 6.7GB of usage in desktop mode and that's with all my background shit (ESET, Steam, RME Totalmix, nVidia, etc) running and Edge open. Drops to 6.0GB when Edge is closed. Using almost 2GB more than that seems real odd for a portable. It isn't like Iv'e tried to optimize memory usage on my desktop, I run whatever I want in the background, what with having 64GB in the system.