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For the smoothest open-world play, use the console’s automatic 4K output, enable VRR and 120Hz where your display and game support them, turn on HDR only when supported, and put the TV in Game mode. Connect the console directly to a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable and the display’s HDMI 2.1/4K 120Hz input. A 4K/60Hz television can still look excellent; 4K/120Hz is an optional ceiling, not a requirement.
Start with the four settings that matter
Open-world games constantly change their rendering workload. Traversing a dense city, entering a busy settlement, or turning toward a large vista can make frame delivery uneven even when the average frame rate looks high. The most useful display controls address different parts of that experience:
| Goal | Setting or hardware | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothness | VRR and, when supported, 120Hz output | Matches display refresh behavior to the console’s changing frame output and gives compatible games a higher refresh ceiling. |
| Detail and contrast | 4K output and HDR | Provides the game’s supported 2160p image and expanded brightness and color information. |
| Low control delay | TV Game mode or ALLM | Turns off much of the television’s extra picture processing. |
| Compatibility | Correct HDMI 2.1 port, certified cable, current firmware | Allows the console and display to negotiate the required bandwidth and features. |
Enable only features your display actually supports. A console cannot create 120 frames per second, HDR, or VRR when the game, television, cable path, or selected picture mode does not support it.
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On the PS5, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. The console reads the capabilities reported by the television or monitor and can select the highest supported resolution automatically.
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Resolution
Set Resolution to Automatic on a compatible 4K display. Automatic is the normal choice because the PS5 selects the best available mode reported by the display. If you are diagnosing a handshake or mode-selection problem, temporarily select 2160p instead so that the console is explicitly requesting 4K.
PS5 supports 4K (2160p) output and 4K at 120Hz when the display, connection, and game mode support them. A 120Hz-capable display does not force every game to render at 120 frames per second; the title must provide a 120Hz or performance mode.
VRR
Set VRR to Automatic. Sony describes VRR as dynamically synchronizing the display’s refresh rate with the PS5’s graphical output. In an open-world scene with fluctuating rendering load, that synchronization can reduce visible tearing and frame-pacing judder.
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120 Hz Output
Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic. Compatible games can then request a 120Hz mode. This setting does not convert a 30- or 60-frame-per-second game into a 120-frame-per-second game; it only permits the higher output mode when the title and display both support it.
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ALLM and Game mode
Leave ALLM enabled when the television supports it. Auto Low Latency Mode allows the display to switch to its low-latency picture mode when the console is active. Sony also notes that when VRR output is active, the PS5 can still trigger low-latency behavior even if ALLM is set to Off.
If the television does not implement ALLM, select its Game mode manually. Disable motion interpolation, cinema processing, and similar smoothing controls for console play unless you deliberately prefer their appearance and accept the additional processing delay they can introduce.
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HDR
Choose HDR: On When Supported, then run Adjust HDR for the specific display. HDR is not a universal brightness preset: the result depends on the panel’s peak brightness, local-dimming behavior, tone mapping, and the game’s own HDR implementation. Calibration is therefore more reliable than copying a single slider value from another television.
Video Transfer Rate
Keep Video Transfer Rate on Automatic during normal use. If the picture flickers or the HDMI link repeatedly drops out, try -1 and then -2 as diagnostic limits. These modes reduce the available 4K/120Hz bandwidth and can restrict full-bandwidth color formats, so they are troubleshooting settings rather than an upgrade.
1440p displays
For a supported 1440p monitor, use Test 1440p Output in the PS5 video-output settings. The test confirms which combinations of resolution, refresh rate, HDR, and VRR the display reports. Check the current console software because supported resolutions and VRR behavior can change with system updates.
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Best Xbox Series X|S display settings
On Xbox Series X or Series S, open Settings > General > TV & Display Options. Start with 4K TV details; this screen shows the capabilities the display reports to the console.
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Select the display’s maximum supported resolution and refresh rate. On a 4K/120Hz television with the correct HDMI connection, that normally means 4K resolution and 120Hz. On a 4K/60Hz set, select 4K and 60Hz; forcing 120Hz on hardware that cannot sustain it can create an unnecessary compatibility problem.
Video modes
Under Advanced > Video modes, enable HDR10, Auto HDR, and Variable Refresh Rate only when the display supports them. Auto HDR is an Xbox processing feature for selected non-HDR games; it is separate from a game’s native HDR implementation.
Use Calibrate TV for the basic picture setup and Calibrate HDR for Games for HDR clipping and shadow detail. Recalibrate after changing the television’s picture mode, HDR mode, or tone-mapping behavior.
When Xbox reports a problem
Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance documents disabling VRR or HDR as diagnostic steps when artifacts or compatibility issues appear. It also documents changing the refresh rate to 60Hz when you prefer a stable VRR configuration over a problematic 120Hz link. Change one item at a time, retest the same game or scene, and restore the feature that is not causing the fault.
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Connect the console so the settings can work
- Use the correct input. Plug the console into the television or monitor input labeled 4K 120Hz, HDMI 2.1, or VRR. Manufacturers do not label ports consistently, and some displays provide HDMI 2.1 features on only one or two inputs.
- Enable the display’s enhanced HDMI mode. On Sony televisions this is called Enhanced format (Advanced) for a 4K/120Hz console. Other manufacturers use names such as HDMI UHD Color or an enhanced HDMI setting. Without that mode, the input may remain limited to an older bandwidth profile.
- Use an appropriate cable. Use the cable supplied with the console or a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120Hz. Xbox Wire specifically recommends the included Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for the full benefits of HDMI 2.1.
- Bypass intermediaries while testing. Connect the console directly to the TV or monitor. An AV receiver or soundbar can interfere with bandwidth or the HDMI handshake even when every individual device claims support.
- Update firmware. Install current firmware on the display and any receiver before changing advanced picture settings. HDMI 2.1 compatibility and VRR behavior have been improved through firmware on many products.
- Enable low-latency mode. Turn on Game mode or ALLM, and disable motion interpolation and cinema processing for the lowest processing delay.
Why VRR helps in open-world games
A fixed-refresh display updates on a schedule, while a game engine may deliver frames at changing intervals. When those schedules diverge, a frame can be shown late, repeated, or split across a refresh. VRR dynamically adjusts the display’s refresh timing to the console’s current output, reducing or eliminating tearing and some frame-pacing problems.
That benefit is particularly relevant to open-world games because their rendering load changes with view distance, crowds, weather, lighting, streaming assets, and combat effects. VRR does not raise the game’s frame rate or repair a title’s engine-level stutter. Its behavior still varies by game, display, firmware, and selected visual mode.
Choose between image quality and responsiveness in the game
Console video settings are only half of the decision. Many games offer a quality, fidelity, or resolution mode and a performance or frame-rate mode. The names and targets differ by title, but the practical choice is consistent:
- Quality/fidelity mode: favors higher rendering detail, effects, or resolution and may target a lower frame rate.
- Performance mode: favors a faster and more consistent frame rate, often at reduced resolution or effects.
- 120Hz mode: appears only in games that explicitly support it and may make additional visual compromises.
Use VRR with either mode when supported, but do not assume that a 120Hz console setting means the game is running at 120 frames per second. The title’s own mode selection determines its rendering target.
Diagnose flicker, black screens, and dropouts
PS5 picture flickers or the signal cuts out
- Confirm that the console is in the display’s 4K/120Hz or HDMI 2.1 input.
- Replace the cable with the supplied cable or a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable.
- Connect the PS5 directly to the display, bypassing a receiver or soundbar.
- Update the display and receiver firmware.
- Leave Video Transfer Rate on Automatic; if the fault persists, test -1 and then -2.
- If the problem disappears only at the reduced transfer rate, accept the resulting loss of some 4K/120Hz and full-bandwidth color options or run the display at 60Hz.
Xbox artifacts or an unstable signal
- Open Settings > General > TV & Display Options > 4K TV details and verify the reported capabilities.
- Check the correct enhanced HDMI input, cable, direct connection, and firmware.
- In Advanced > Video modes, temporarily turn off VRR, then HDR, testing after each change.
- If 120Hz is unstable, set the refresh rate to 60Hz and retest. Microsoft documents this as a compatibility diagnostic, not as a universal best setting.
Why reducing features can identify the fault
4K, 120Hz, HDR, and VRR each add requirements to the HDMI link. Turning off one feature at a time shows whether the problem is caused by the display’s mode, the cable path, a firmware handshake, or a particular combination of features. Restore the other settings after the test so you do not permanently give up supported capability.
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Diagnose a choppy-looking open world
- Check the game’s mode first. Select its performance mode if your priority is responsiveness and consistent motion.
- Confirm VRR is actually active. The console setting alone cannot override a display, cable, firmware, or game that does not support VRR.
- Use Game mode. Motion smoothing can make camera movement look artificial and adds processing delay.
- Do not confuse 120Hz with 120 frames per second. Verify that the specific title offers a 120Hz mode.
- Test at 60Hz. If 60Hz looks stable while 120Hz does not, the issue is likely compatibility or bandwidth rather than the open-world scene itself.
HDR and 4K: what you can realistically expect
4K output provides a 2160p signal, but the game’s internal resolution may vary by mode and scene. HDR can expand highlights and color volume, yet the visible improvement depends on panel brightness, local dimming, tone mapping, and the game’s implementation. Run the PS5 Adjust HDR or Xbox Calibrate HDR for Games tools rather than copying settings from a different display.
A 4K/60Hz TV remains a sound choice for open-world gaming. It can deliver 4K detail, HDR where supported, Game mode, and VRR when the set implements it. A 4K/120Hz display adds headroom for compatible performance modes and can make supported games feel more responsive, but it requires a suitable HDMI 2.1 input, cable, firmware, and game mode.
Special cases and limits
Unsupported-game VRR on PS5
Apply to Unsupported Games may improve some titles, but Sony warns that behavior varies. If you see flicker, image instability, or no benefit in a particular game, disable the option for that title’s testing session.
1440p monitors
Use the PS5’s Test 1440p Output to verify the monitor’s supported combinations. Do not assume that a monitor’s computer specification guarantees the same VRR or HDR behavior from a console.
PS5 Pro and 8K
Sony’s current guide gives 8K output on PS5 Pro separate requirements and notes that VRR is disabled during 8K output. That mode is outside a smooth 4K open-world setup; use the 4K settings above when VRR and consistent motion are the priority.
Quick Recap
Recommended baseline configurations
| Display situation | PS5 baseline | Xbox Series baseline |
|---|---|---|
| 4K/120Hz VRR television | Resolution Automatic; VRR Automatic; Apply to Unsupported Games only as a test; 120 Hz Output Automatic; HDR On When Supported; Video Transfer Rate Automatic; TV Game mode or ALLM. | Maximum supported resolution and 120Hz; VRR, HDR10, and Auto HDR enabled when supported; TV Game mode or ALLM; calibrate TV and HDR. |
| 4K/60Hz television | Resolution Automatic; VRR Automatic if the set supports it; 120 Hz Output Automatic; HDR On When Supported; Game mode. | 4K resolution and 60Hz; enable VRR and HDR features only when the set supports them; Game mode. |
| 4K/120Hz link that flickers | Direct connection, current firmware, correct HDMI 2.1 input, certified cable; test Video Transfer Rate -1 and -2. | Direct connection, current firmware, correct HDMI 2.1 input, certified cable; test VRR or HDR off, then 60Hz. |
| 1440p monitor | Run Test 1440p Output and use the combinations the monitor reports. | Use the maximum resolution and refresh rate shown in 4K TV details and supported by the monitor. |
Final checklist
- Console connected directly to the display while troubleshooting.
- Correct 4K/120Hz, HDMI 2.1, or VRR input selected.
- Supplied or certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable installed.
- Display and receiver firmware current.
- Game mode or ALLM enabled; motion interpolation disabled.
- VRR enabled only when the display supports it.
- HDR calibrated for the specific display.
- 120Hz selected only when the game and display support it.
- 60Hz, VRR-off, HDR-off, or reduced transfer-rate tests used to isolate faults rather than treated as permanent upgrades.
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