Platform comparison

Mass Effect Legendary Edition: which platform plays it best?

What changes between PC, PS5, Xbox, PS4: resolution, FPS per mode, what each official store publishes and the FPS we measured on PC.

  • 4platforms compared
  • 4,99 €cheapest key, on Xbox
  • 2video comparisons

Quick verdict

Check videos →

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is at its best on Xbox Series X, with PS5 right alongside it in quality mode.

Best graphics experience Xbox Series X stable 4K in quality mode and a 120 FPS test PS5 does not have
Best console experience Xbox Series X 2560x1440 as the common figure in performance mode
Best for the money Xbox One one purchase covers Xbox One and Xbox Series, with cloud saves

Why Series X wins

In quality mode it runs at 3840x2160 and rarely drops below, exactly like PS5. The tiebreak is the 120 FPS test in the video, which PS5 does not get, plus a performance mode that holds 2560x1440 most of the time.

PS5 is level

In Favor Quality, PS5 and Series X are even: the same 4K ceiling and the same occasional dips in cutscenes. Its Favor Framerate mode, at 1440p and 60 FPS, also performs better than quality mode. Worth noting: all three consoles run the game through backwards compatibility.

Last gen

Xbox One X and PS4 Pro get surprisingly close: both reach 4K in quality mode and 1440p in performance, though One X holds its numbers better. Xbox One S sits between 1080p and 1440x810 in both modes, and PS4 locks quality mode to 1080p.

There is no technical analysis of the PC version: no measured resolutions and no performance data.

Updated 24 May 2021

Price on each platform

The best live offer for each version, every price with its format.

See every price for Mass Effect Legendary Edition on all platforms →

Mass Effect Legendary Edition on PS5 versus Xbox Series X and S

  • The versions tested were 1.0.162.766 on Xbox Series and 1.01 on PS5, and all three consoles run the game through backwards compatibility.
  • Only Mass Effect 1 was tested.
  • In Favor Quality mode, PS5 and both Xbox Series consoles use a dynamic resolution peaking at 3840x2160, dropping to around 3456x1944 in gameplay and around 3107x1748 in cutscenes.
  • PS5 and Series X rarely drop below 3840x2160 in quality mode.
  • In Favor Framerate mode, both Series consoles sit between 2560x1440 and around 1920x1080, with 1728x972 in cutscenes; on Series X, 2560x1440 is the common figure.
  • PS5 also has a Favor Framerate mode, at 1440p and 60 FPS, and it performs better than quality mode.
  • The video also includes a Series X test at 120 FPS and a Series S test at 30 FPS.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition on PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One S and One X

  • The versions tested were 1.0.162.1068 on Xbox One and 1.02 on the PS4 consoles.
  • Xbox One X in Favor Framerate uses a dynamic resolution peaking at 2560x1440, dropping to around 2368x1332 in gameplay and around 1728x972 in cutscenes, and it rarely falls below 1440p.
  • Xbox One X in Favor Quality reaches 3840x2160, with a gameplay floor of around 3456x1944 and around 3108x1748 in cutscenes, rarely dropping below 4K.
  • PS4 Pro in Favor Framerate runs between 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, with 1728x972 in cutscenes, and usually sits at or near 1440p.
  • PS4 Pro in Favor Quality moves between 3840x2160 and 2560x1440, and usually sits at or near 4K.
  • PS4 in Favor Quality is locked to 1920x1080, and in Favor Framerate it drops no further than around 1653x930.
  • Xbox One S uses a dynamic resolution between 1920x1080 and 1440x810 in both modes.

Full platform comparison

Resolution, modes and FPS come from the video analyses above. The rest is published by each platform's official store and by the game's technical sheet on PC. Where nobody publishes the figure we put a dash, not a guess.

Feature PC PS5 Xbox PS4
Graphics modes Free settingsTwo: favour quality and favour frame rateTwo: favour quality and favour frame rateTwo: favour quality and favour frame rate
Resolution in quality mode Unlocked3840x2160, and it rarely drops below3840x2160 on the Series consoles and One X · 1920x1080 on One S1920x1080 on PS4 · up to 3840x2160 on PS4 Pro
Resolution in performance mode Unlocked2560x1440Up to 2560x1440 on the Series consoles and One X · up to 1920x1080 on One SUp to 1920x1080 on PS4 · up to 2560x1440 on PS4 Pro
Lowest resolution in gameplay —Around 3456x1944 in quality modeAround 3456x1944 in quality mode on the Series consoles · around 2368x1332 in performance mode on One X1920x1080 in quality mode on PS4 Pro · around 1653x930 in performance mode on PS4
Resolution in cutscenes —Drops to around 3107x1748Drops to around 3108x1748 on One X and around 1728x972 in performance modeDrops to around 1728x972 in performance mode
120 FPS ——Series X was also tested at 120 FPS—
Backwards compatibility —Runs the PS4 buildThe Series consoles run the Xbox One build—
Maximum resolution Unlocked4K4K4K on PS4 Pro
HDR ——Yes—
Spatial audio ——Yes—
Cloud saves ——Yes—
One purchase across both generations ——Yes—
Optimised for the current generation ——Yes—

Xbox is the Series X column unless Series S is stated. Resolution, modes, FPS, VRR and download size come from the videos; HDR, ray tracing and PC features from the technical sheet and the official Xbox catalogue.

Frequently asked questions about Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Which platform does Mass Effect Legendary Edition look best on?

Of what has been measured, Xbox Series X: 3840x2160 in quality mode that rarely drops, plus an extra test at 120 FPS. PS5 is level in quality mode. There is no technical analysis of the PC version.

What graphics modes does it have?

Two on every console: favour quality and favour frame rate. The first targets 4K and the second 1440p. On PS5, the favour frame rate mode runs at 1440p and 60 FPS and performs better than quality mode.

Is there a difference between PS5 and Xbox Series X?

In quality mode, almost none: both run at 3840x2160 and rarely drop. The difference is that the video includes a Series X test at 120 FPS, and that Series X holds 2560x1440 as its common figure in performance mode.

How does it run on Xbox Series S?

In quality mode it shares the same 3840x2160 ceiling as the other two, and in favour frame rate it moves between 2560x1440 and around 1920x1080. The video also tests it at 30 FPS.

Is it worth playing on last-gen consoles?

It holds up well. Xbox One X reaches 3840x2160 in quality mode and rarely drops, and PS4 Pro moves between 4K and 1440p. Xbox One S is the most limited, between 1920x1080 and 1440x810 in both modes.

Does it run natively on current-gen consoles?

No. On PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S you play the last-gen build through backwards compatibility. On Xbox, at least, one purchase covers both Xbox One and Xbox Series.

Video analysis by El Analista de Bits. The videos play from their own channel. PC data according to PCGamingWiki and our own FPS measurements; Xbox features according to the official Microsoft catalogue.