A graphics comparison takes a closer look at Lords of the Fallen on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, but despite patches there are still problems.
Digital Foundry tested the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions of Lords of the Fallen. Even after the patches, the Xbox consoles are struggling with frame rate drops down to the single digits.
The Xbox Series S Performance Mode has a 720p dynamic resolution between 768×432 – 1280×720. The frame rate in this mode usually fluctuates between 60 and 40 FPS. You experience a serious drop in resolution and FPS in the boss fight against Pieta. Here the resolution drops to the minimum of 432p while only 21 – 25 frames per second are achieved. In this case, the image quality during movement is often poor.
In smaller, closed dungeons, the Xbox Series S can reach 60 FPS. One problem is the frame time “delivery”, which can lead to sudden drops below 10 FPS. Another patch is needed here.
The Xbox Series In the tutorial and the first areas, the console maintains 60 FPS almost continuously, the Pieta boss fight and also the Skyrest Hub push the performance into the 40 FPS range.
While overall performance is better than that of the Xbox Series S, there are still stutters and loss of performance. After about two hours of play, a bug occurred with a performance drop of up to 1 FPS, which could be resolved by restarting the game.
The PlayStation 5, like the Xbox Series The quality is comparable to the Xbox Series X version. The PlayStation 5 scores points in that no bugs with a drop in performance into the single-digit FPS range were observed in the test, resulting in a more stable overall experience.
In addition to the performance mode, there is a 30 FPS quality mode to choose from on every console. Both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 can recreate a more convincing 4K image here, while the Xbox Series S improves with a 972p image. Shadows and reflections also have better quality. While Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have little difference in image quality, Xbox Series S has to accept significant compromises. Here Digital Foundry writes from the “muddiest image quality“ that you have ever seen on the Xbox Series S console.
The conclusion is that the patches so far have not been able to sufficiently address the technical difficulties of Lords of the Fallen.
New storage solutions should make it possible to use even more electricity from the balcony power plant itself. We tested three storage systems for balcony power plants in a practical test.
Who a Balcony power plant sooner or later the question will probably arise: Can I add storage to my system? Using balcony solar systems is the easiest way to generate electricity yourself, but they have a weakness: often only a small part of the energy is used at the time they produce it – the rest goes to the network operator as a gift . And in the evening, when the television is on, the system does not generate any electricity.
Bigger Solar systems, which aim for high self-consumption, ultimately solve the dilemma with an electricity storage system that holds the energy for later use. But this was not previously planned for balcony solar systems with their maximum output of 600 watts. Their simple microinverters usually don’t even have a second connection for electricity storage – unlike hybrid inverters. Some manufacturers have now developed storage solutions specifically for balcony power plants. The three battery systems differ. Anker and Zendure can be mounted on an existing balcony power plant. EcoFlow, on the other hand, builds the concept around the in-house power stations.
Practical test winner Zendure SolarFlow
Like Anker, Zendure’s SolarFlow system belongs between the solar modules and the inverter. SolarFlow but consists of two parts. A box, the so-called PV hub, forms the control center. It is connected on one side to the solar modules of the existing balcony power plant, and on the other to the Zendure AB1000 storage unit (839 euros including PV hub) with 0.96 kWh and the inverter of the balcony power plant. Four batteries can be combined (600 euros each). The practical test showed that the system is set up quickly. All cables are included in the package but must be hidden on the balcony. The app offers many functions. Everything can be set by hand. Their consumption can also be prioritized using an additional Zendure socket. The exciting function of first charging the storage until it is full and then feeding the solar power completely into the house was also available after an update.
All in one device: Anker Solix solar bank E1600
The Anker solution is based on a new in-house electricity storage system for balcony power plants called Solar bench E1600 (999 euros) with 1.6 kilowatt hours (kWh), the capacity of which can be increased with a second solar bank. It is plugged between the solar modules and the inverter of the balcony power plant. If you already have a balcony power plant, you can easily expand it with a battery using the Anker Solix solar bank E1600. This allows excess solar power to be used when the sun is not shining. Ideally, the storage is sufficient to cover the basic load of half a day in the household without complex controls. Installation is easy, the battery can also be left outside on the balcony (in the shade).
All about the power station: EcoFlow PowerStream
Anyone who already has a mobile EcoFlow electricity storage system can convert it into a storage system for a balcony power station. This essentially requires EcoFlow’s new PowerStream inverter (276 euros), which is connected to compatible solar modules, an EcoFlow power station and the power grid. In theory, the EcoFlow app promises great control, but in practice it is not yet fully developed because the system does not always carry out the settings in practice, but rather thinks about protecting the battery.
This is how the controls work
The structure of the three systems may be different at the hardware level, but in all cases they are controlled via an app on the smartphone. When setting up the system for the first time, the manufacturers guide the apps automatically; the three testers managed it very easily. Another similarity: The systems communicate via Bluetooth and 2.4 gigahertz WLAN. The respective app displays the flow of electricity and enables the energy to be controlled. The following guardrails can be set for all three systems:
Power requirements: How much energy does the household need permanently? Unlike a large photovoltaic system including smart meter data, the tested balcony power storage systems do not communicate with the electricity meter in the house and do not know what is actually being consumed. Instead, users themselves determine what power the house network should maintain at a constant rate, although with Zendure control is only possible in 100 watt increments, while with the other two systems it is possible to control it in 10 watt increments.
The energy flow can also be controlled by all three schedules Mistake. EcoFlow and Zendure also offer smart sockets. These are used to determine the needs of the devices connected to them and to add this power requirement to the amount of energy to be fed in. So if you hang the smart socket(s) in your home office, for example, you increase the amount of electricity you need by its requirement value. The EcoFlow Smart Plugs beeped a bit in the test, but the manufacturer sent us a newer batch that only made a barely audible beep. Good: With Zendure, Shelly accessories (previously the 3EM current sensor and the Plug S smart socket) can also be integrated into the app. This is intended to enable smart energy control that is based on the actual total consumption in the household.
Prioritization: Does the home network or storage have priority? This can be determined more or less for all three systems. At Anker the principle applies: as simple as possible. Everything here is done by entering the required house electricity, the rest goes into the storage. Anyone who changes the setting needed a little patience during our test under beta software. EcoFlow takes a granular approach: You determine whether the storage or home network has priority, but at the time of testing the focus was on the charging and discharging status of the battery. Users determine the limits within which the storage state should be. The EcoFlow control system was sometimes stubborn and did not accept the setting. With Zendure there is also the option to set the storage status and assign priorities: for the battery or the smart socket.
Full memory: With EcoFlow, anyone who has completely filled up their electricity storage on a sunny day will be surprised at what happens next. In the practical test, EcoFlow capped the power and only continued to feed in as much power as previously set. Zendure initially had the same problem, but after an update the “battery priority mode” worked as intended and allowed the solar harvest to flow directly into the house when the battery was full. Anker supplies surpluses up to the 600 watt limit applicable to balcony power plants completely to the house network.
Control on the go: For all three systems, the data can be displayed on the go using an app. Anker and Zendure can also be controlled remotely. With EcoFlow it’s not that easy. Who one FritzBox uses a trick – using the WireGuard protocol to remotely control smart home devices. You can find out how to set up the necessary VPN connection to access PowerStream remotely in our counselor.
Working without mains power
Many people are interested in a (balcony) solar system because they want to continue to be supplied with electricity in the event of a power outage. But the small power plants per se are not intended to bridge this emergency. The inverters need the grid frequency to work. Exception: The EcoFlow storage solution makes it possible to power important devices even in the event of a power outage. The in-house ones Power stations supply external devices via their sockets and USB ports – even without a network.
The Anker solar bank Solix E1600 does not have such connections. But at least there is a way to charge some anchor power stations smartly using a balcony power station. According to the manufacturer, this has so far been possible with the Anker Solix F1200 (around 1900 euros). This works via app control and by users simply connecting the power station to a socket in the house.
Save more money with storage?
One goal of operating a balcony power plant is to reduce the electricity bill. After a few years, the purchase of a plug-in solar system (around 400 to 1200 euros) will usually pay for itself. In order to clarify the question of whether a balcony power storage system potentially increases savings, as the manufacturers promise, the following must be considered:
Counter type: Anyone who has an old Ferrari electricity meter will lower their electricity bill when the meter turns backwards because the balcony solar system generates more electricity than the household uses. This practice is illegal, but widespread and lucrative. Mathematically, no storage is worthwhile for illegal operation. Modern electricity meters should be installed in households across the board by 2032 at the latest – and then what already applies to legally registered power plants will apply to all balcony power plant operators: in order to benefit from self-generated electricity, a high level of self-use is important. You can find out more about electricity meters for balcony power plants in the relevant section counselor.
Usage behavior: If the sun is shining and the washing machine, dishwasher and home office use electricity at the same time, a household uses a high proportion of the balcony power plant electricity even without storage. If little electricity is used during the day and the balcony power plant is properly connected to an electricity meter with a backstop, a storage system helps to increase your own consumption. But: It is at least as expensive to purchase as the balcony power plant itself. Therefore, those interested should analyze their own consumption behavior and think carefully about whether it is worth buying it.
Lifespan of the balcony power plant storage
In addition to the purchase price of the storage unit, you should also include its expected price in the calculation lifespan. Anker and Zendure promise a 15-year lifespan and 6,000 charging cycles and give a ten-year guarantee. With EcoFlow, the promised service life depends on the power station model you choose. The Delta 2 series comes with a five-year guarantee and 3000 charging cycles.
Conclusion
The idea of a storage system for balcony power plants immediately makes sense: Thanks to it, self-produced electricity can be used regardless of the sun – whether in the evening or on a rainy day. However, such storage makes installation more expensive. And in practice, energy control doesn’t always work optimally – even if the apps are beautifully designed and they constantly receive updates. No system has yet taken total consumption into account, but EcoFlow and Zendure do take some consumption data into account. Zendure impresses with the best-functioning control system and, like Anker’s storage system, can be hung on an existing balcony power plant. The EcoFlow inverter is worthwhile for owners of their own power stations.
