'Fortnite' on the new iPod touch is playable, but with limits

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited May 2019
Popular battle royale title "Fortnite" isn't able to run on the sixth-generation iPod touch -- but how well does it perform on the new iPod touch with A10 processor?

Fortnite on the new 2019 iPod touch
Fortnite on the new 2019 iPod touch


The latest generation iPod touch is powered by the same processor in the iPhone 7, and has 2GB of RAM all pushing a four-inch Retina display. But, as we discovered, the A10 in the iPod Touch doesn't deliver the same performance as it does in the iPhone 7.

Once we booted up the game and logged in, we headed to the settings. On this device, you are limited to "low" quality. "Medium" through "epic" are unavailable to choose. We were also limited to either 20FPS or 30FPS for frame rate -- no 60FPS here.






You see the impact of the "low" setting even on the main screen. Upon close examination, you can see the jagged edges that surround all of the graphics. This isn't due to the display, simply because of that quality setting.

We then jump into a match and are pleasantly surprised by the performance. Everything felt very smooth with only the occasional dropped frame at the 30 FPS setting.

Fortnite graphics on the 2019 iPod touch
Fortnite graphics on the 2019 iPod touch


More surprisingly, we didn't mind the four-inch display. We had become so accustomed to the larger screens on our iPhones and iPads we weren't used to it but the device is so small and light it was quite nice to play on. It was even better when we connected our SteelSeries Nimbus controller to have even more room on the display.

There were on-screen assets that were almost too small, but for the most part, we made everything out and played several successful rounds without being adversely impacted by the size.

There is no getting around the fact this is still a small device with an older processor, but it does manage to play the most popular battle royale game and that is something to be excited about. We will be even more excited this fall when Apple launches Apple Arcade that will bring many exclusive titles to iOS devices.

Where to buy

Both B&H Photo and Amazon are currently accepting preorders for the seventh-generation iPod touch in a variety of colors and storage capacities.

32GB iPod touch (2019) 128GB iPod touch (2019) 256GB iPod touch (2019)

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    jeromecjeromec Posts: 191member
    I'd be surprised if there was not very soon a Fortnite update allowing higher quality settings on the new iPod touch. 
    After all it's the first 4" screen iOS device with an A10 processor. 
    racerhomie3
  • Reply 2 of 7
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    jeromec said:
    I'd be surprised if there was not very soon a Fortnite update allowing higher quality settings on the new iPod touch. 
    After all it's the first 4" screen iOS device with an A10 processor. 
    It's also a slow A10 processor, with performance closer to the A9 iPhone SE than the A10 iPhone 7.
    racerhomie3
  • Reply 3 of 7
    techsavytechsavy Posts: 34member
    jeromec said:
    I'd be surprised if there was not very soon a Fortnite update allowing higher quality settings on the new iPod touch. 
    After all it's the first 4" screen iOS device with an A10 processor. 
    The very fact that the frame rate was dipping at all is indicative that the ipod can not handle higher quality gameplay. Which is why I imagine epic games removed the option in the first place.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    techsavy said:
    jeromec said:
    I'd be surprised if there was not very soon a Fortnite update allowing higher quality settings on the new iPod touch. 
    After all it's the first 4" screen iOS device with an A10 processor. 
    The very fact that the frame rate was dipping at all is indicative that the ipod can not handle higher quality gameplay. Which is why I imagine epic games removed the option in the first place.


    I think this confirms that the iPod Touch update was strictly to support Enterprise, and not the average consumer. If gaming performance is held back on a brand new product, then what will it be like by the time the Apple Care + warranty expires? Clearly that's not the intended market for this device given the importance of Apple's new gaming subscription service, not to mention the importance of subscription services to the future of Apple.
    edited May 2019
  • Reply 5 of 7
    ZRyserZRyser Posts: 40member
    That's a deal breaker, then. LOL Joking aside, I don't really understand what's supposed to be the target group for this device.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    ZRyser said:
    That's a deal breaker, then. LOL Joking aside, I don't really understand what's supposed to be the target group for this device.
    https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/05/29/editorial-if-you-cant-see-a-market-for-the-new-ipod-touch-you-arent-looking-very-hard

    Keep in mind that the iPod touch is faster from a processing standpoint than the Pixel 3a.
    edited May 2019 chasm
  • Reply 7 of 7
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,294member
    It sounds like they did not put the same graphics processor/coproc in the iPod Touch as they did the iPhone 7, which is a bit disasspointing. However, it's been my experience that the iPod Touch is popular with people who don't (for whatever reason) want a smartphone, or don't want to fill up their iPhone with "casual" apps like games and such, alongside kids too young to have an iPhone and so on. The processor being literally DOUBLE the scores of the previous model is a nice touch, and those who want one will find it worth the money on the low end. The top tier is a bit harder to justify given the prices now of the iPhone 7, but I'm glad Apple still sells an "iPod."
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