Free frames on Steam Deck: Plugin brings frame generation without Lossless Scaling

MAKO is a plugin available on GitHub for Steam Deck and Linux that can be managed through Decky Loader. It adds features such as frame generation, image scaling and shader effects to games. Until now, MAKO relied on the frame generation model from Lossless Scaling. Users therefore had to purchase and install the software separately to use the feature. With version 5.0, the plugin introduces MAKO FG – its own frame generation solution that works without Lossless Scaling.

Frame generation creates additional intermediate frames that are inserted between the frames actually rendered by the game to make motion appear smoother. However, these extra frames don't make the game itself run faster. Input responsiveness still depends on the frame rate the game actually achieves. At low or highly fluctuating frame rates, input lag and visual artifacts can occur. Users should therefore expect to spend some time fine-tuning the settings.

MAKO FG offers several modes, including Quality, Balanced and Performance. These determine how often motion in the image is fully analyzed and new frames are generated. Higher performance modes reduce processing overhead but may be more prone to visual artifacts during fast movement. It's still too early to say for certain how well MAKO's own frame generation works on the Steam Deck. However, initial benchmarks from the developer look promising.

Promising benchmarks, but mixed user experiences

According to the developer's measurements, MAKO FG required just 0.55 milliseconds per frame pair at 1280 × 800 with 2x frame generation on an AMD GPU comparable to the one used in the Steam Machine. However, some visual artifacts still appeared in a demanding staircase test. These results don't yet establish how well the plugin performs on the Steam Deck itself. Early impressions on Reddit are mixed: Some users report smoother visuals with minimal ghosting, while others complain about noticeable input lag or say that a displayed 60 FPS doesn't feel like a genuine 60 FPS.