How to set up AFMF correctly on ROG Ally and ROG Ally X — These gaming handhelds play better with AMD Fluid Motion Frames enabled, but only if other settings are adjusted
Turns out, ROG Ally can run even worse with AFMF unless you turn off certain settings.
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-Does AFMF improve ROG Ally?- ⚠️Things to know about AFMF-How to enable HYPR-RX-How to enable AFMF-Compatible performance overlay-How to update ROG Ally
Thanks to a recent update, theROG Allynow has AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) support. I was very excited to check out this new feature as it generates additional frames to increase overall frames per second (fps) for smoother game performance.
When I first enabled AFMF, my games ran far worse on ROG Ally. It turns out that specific settings need to be turned off for AFMF to do its thing correctly. Don’t worry. I dove in and figured out exactly what features need to be turned off and which ones need to be enabled for AFMF to enhance frame rates on ROG Ally significantly. Follow my step-by-step instructions to set up yourgaming handheldwith this frame-boosting feature.
Does AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) really improve ROG Ally performance?
Yes, when the correct settings are in place, AFMF allows ROG Ally to run games significantly more smoothly. In my experience, frame rates tended to double with AFMF enabled, basically. As such, I’ll be keeping AFMF on when playing AAA games in the future.
To get a more quantitative read on how AFMF improves ROG Ally performance, I ran a fewCyberpunk 2077benchmark tests atSteam Deck, Low, and Ultra quick preset graphics settings. Then, I noted the average fps when AFMF was enabled versus when it was disabled. As you can see in the chart above, Cyberpunk 2077 reported the average fps, but what I saw in the AMD performance overlay was very different.
Theoretically, what is going on here is Cyberpunk 2077 is showing what it sees as the actual fps, but then AFMF is roughly doubling that number by sliding generated frames between the original ones. For instance, Cyberpunk 2077 said the average was 38.12 fps while at Steam Deck graphics settings with AFMF enabled, but the AMD overlay usually stayed between 62 fps and 83 fps during that same benchmark. At any rate, I did notice a significant increase in motion clarity in person when AFMF was on, so I highly recommend using it.
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⚠️ Things to know about AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) on ROG Ally
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How to enable AMD HYPER-RX
AFMF is a feature of AMD HYPER-RX. So, if you want to use AMD’s frame-boosting tool, you need to make sure HYPER-RX is enabled on the gaming handheld. Here’s how to do that.
At this point, HYPER-RX is enabled, which means you also have the option to enable AFMF. Continue to the next section to learn how to enable AFMF. You can learn more about this feature at theAMD HYPER-RX webpageif you’re curious.
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How to enable AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) on ROG Ally
AFMF increases the frame rate for smoother game performance. Here’s how to turn it on for ROG Ally.
The general AFMF feature has now been enabled for your ROG Ally. However, you should also go into specific settings for each game to make sure the feature is turned on. I’ll explain how to do that within AMD Software in the next section.
How to enable AFMF for specific games
Some games won’t take advantage of AFMF unless you specifically go into the game profile within AMD Software and enable the feature. Here’s how to do that.
With AFMF specifically enabled for individual games, you can rest assured knowing that the AMD side of this feature is taken care of. You’ll also want tocheck within each game’s settingsto see if an AFMF setting needs to be adjusted.
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How to enable performance overlay in AMD Software
Third-party performance overlays can disrupt AFMF, so if you want to see FPS and other metrics, you’ll want to use AMD’s overlay. Here’s how to turn the AMD performance overlay on.
Once you’ve enabled those last two options, an AMD performance overlay will appear on the right side of the screen so you can see the specific fps that your games are running at.
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How to update ROG Ally for AFMF
If you aren’t seeing AFMF or HYPR-RX listed as an option for your ROG Ally, then it might mean your gaming handheld needs to be updated. It’s a bit of a pain, but to get your ROG Ally updated and ready for AFMF, you need to make sure that all of the following are on the latest versions and that a specific Windows game optimization button is turned on:
*Note:Armoury Crate SE can be finicky with updates. You might need to restart your ROG Ally each time you install an update for the update to take even if the system doesn’t tell you that it needs to restart.
It might take a bit of work, but AFMF does make ROG Ally run games better
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I’ve used my ROG Ally almost daily since it first launched. It’s a fantastic little gaming handheld that improves with each new update. The thing is, you often have to do a bit of troubleshooting before you can see the benefits of a new feature.
For instance, enabling AFMF support does provide a frame boost to enhance the visual playing experience of your games. However, ROG Ally doesn’t do the best job telling you that you must ensure that specific programs are also turned on and that other programs are turned off so that AFMF can work correctly. But you don’t have to since I went through the trouble of figuring it out.
Have fun playing your ROG Ally with AFMF support. Hopefully, you will see a marked improvement in the motion clarity of your games.
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Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
