‘Red Dead Redemption‘ Mobile Port Shows Promise, Best Performance on iPhone 15 Pro
Cupertino, CA - rockstar Games’ long-awaited mobile port of Red Dead Redemption is now available on iOS, and early performance tests reveal a varied experience across Apple devices. According to a new analysis by YouTuber MrMacRight, the iPhone 15 Pro currently delivers the optimal experience, though performance is capped at 30 frames per second due to its GPU core count despite utilizing the same A17 Pro chip as the iPhone 15 Pro.
The port’s performance is heavily dependent on the device’s processing power and display resolution. Older hardware yields mixed results: the M1 iPad Pro and the M3 iPad Air both run at 30 FPS without utilizing potential performance toggles.While the M1 iPad Pro occasionally achieves GPU frame times suggesting the possibility of 40 or 60 FPS modes in future updates, the higher resolution display of the M3 iPad Air presents more challenges.
The iPhone 12 Pro maintains a consistent 30 FPS, but at a reduced internal resolution of approximately 864p, resulting in noticeable aliasing and reduced foliage density. This is comparable to the original Nintendo Switch version, which also renders at 1080p and 30 FPS, and relies on FXAA for anti-aliasing.
However, some devices struggle substantially. The iPhone XR and iPad Pro with A12Z chips are currently plagued by severe rendering bugs, rendering the game unplayable.
Notably absent from the mobile release are features like HDR, controller rumble, and optional keyboard and mouse support on iPad. A Mac version is also currently unavailable, with players limited to options like the CrossOver translation layer or cloud streaming services to play Red dead Redemption on macOS.Apple TV support, utilizing the A15 chip, is identified as a potential future platform.
MrMacRight’s full video provides a detailed comparison of gameplay and image quality between the PS5 and iPad versions of the game.