Genshin Impact’s Latest Update Unlocks 120FPS Mode For iPhone 13 Pro, iPad Pro

Last Updated on October 17, 2021 by Asif Iqbal Shaik

Genshin Impact is an anime-style role-playing game was developed by a Shanghai-based game developing company miHoYo. The company was founded in 2012 by three students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The game is known to be one of the most graphic-intensive RPG games out there and became very popular among gamers since its launch in 2020. Now, it has received a new 2.2 update enabling 120fps support for iOS users who have compatible iPhones and iPads. It was previously capped at 60 fps, but now iOS devices with ProMotion display tech with support for a 120Hz refresh rate like the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the iPad Pro (2nd Gen onwards) will be able to play the game at the max 120 frame rates.

iOS and iPadOS are the first platforms ever to get this mode as the game is capped at 60fps for Android, Playstation, and PC as of now. The update also brings new events, new monsters, new weapons, a new character, and newer stories.

How To enable 120 FPS In Genshin Impact On iOS Devices

If you are new to the game, you will have to agonizingly free-roam in the game for about 15-20 minutes understanding the basics, before the graphic settings are unlocked. Users can then enable the 120fps mode by following the steps mentioned below- 

1. Access the Paimon Menu from the top left corner of the screen.
2. Open Settings.
3. In Settings, select the Graphics option.
4. Navigate to the FPS tab, select 120fps option.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Review: Close To Perfection At A Steep Price

How Does The Game Fare In 120fps Mode On iOS Devices

YouTuber Golden Reviewer, tried playing the game on the iPhone 13 Pro Max in 120fps. He used a third-party FPS meter to display the live data as he plays the game. He first sets its graphics to the maximum quality available. The live FPS data shows ‘120fps’ after selecting the mode, but as soon as he starts playing it, it drops to 60fps. Dejected, he lowers the graphic quality to the lowest settings, then tries to play it at 120fps. For the first few minutes, it runs between 110 -120 fps, but soon the device heats up and throttles its performance, dropping the frame rates to 60fps again.

Attaching an external cooling fan to the device also doesn’t seem to improve its performance. Suffices to say, that the iPhone 13 Pro & Pro Max is incapable of running the game at 120fps for now.

Next, the reviewer tries playing the game on an iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021), which comes with a very potent Apple’s Eight-core M1 processor. He tries to run the game on the lowest graphics at 120fps. The game runs smoothly maintaining about 100-120 fps for some time. Later when the thermal throttling kicks in, we could see the frame rate fluctuating between 70 to 100 fps.

Also, going by the power usage data in the video, playing the game at 120fps on the iPad Pro may suck all the juice of its 7,600mAh battery within 2 hours of gameplay. You would get just about 1 hour of game time on the iPhone Pro Max, even lesser on the iPhone 13 Pro, which comes with a smaller battery in comparison.

To conclude, you’d be better off by playing the game at 30fps or 60 fps on the iPhone/iPad Pro if you wish to game for long hours. It remains to be seen if Apple or the game developer optimizes it to perform better.