Microsoft Edge update brings Xbox streaming 'Clarity Boost' to everyone

Microsoft is hoping to make Edge the browser of choice for gamers. The company is rolling out a host of gaming-related updates to most users, including perks for game streaming. A new (if long in development) Clarity Boost feature improves the visual quality of console titles when you're using Xbox Cloud Gaming on a Windows 10 or 11 PC. The spatial upscaling technology won't make you forget that it's a stream, but the sample Microsoft offered suggests it will reduce the muddy look that sometimes plagues remote games.

You won't need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for the other improvements. Windows 10 and 11 users will also see a toggle in Efficiency mode that automatically reduces Edge's resource use when you start a PC game. You might not have to close your browser to wring every last drop of performance out of your system.

Regardless of platform, there's an optional gaming-oriented homepage that points you to news, livestreams, new releases and quick access to the Xbox Cloud Gaming catalog. You can also visit a dedicated games menu that offers free-to-play arcade and casual titles to keep you entertained during uneventful meetings.

This isn't the first browser built for gamers. Opera GX launched three years ago with similar features, such as lower resource usage and quick access to livestreams. Microsoft features like Clarity Boost might be more appealing in some cases, though, and Edge's ubiquity on Windows systems gives it better odds of widespread adoption.