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Console performance modes trade image detail and visual effects against frame rate, but their exact settings differ by game and console. Frame rate (fps) describes how many images a game produces each second; refresh rate (Hz) describes how often a display can draw a new image. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) lets a compatible display adjust its refresh timing to match changing game output, which can reduce tearing and uneven presentation. To benefit, the console, game, display, HDMI port, cable, and settings must all support the feature.
What do frame rate, refresh rate, and resolution mean?
Frame rate is the number of images a game outputs per second, measured in frames per second (fps). Refresh rate is how often a display can draw a new image, measured in hertz (Hz). For example, a 144 Hz display can refresh 144 times per second; that does not mean a game is necessarily producing 144 fps. Sony Support explains the distinction.
Resolution describes the image’s pixel dimensions. A game may render at one resolution and send a different output resolution to the TV, so do not assume the console’s displayed output resolution is the game’s internal rendering resolution. Use a game’s own technical details when available.
What do performance and fidelity modes change?
These are broad labels, not industry-wide presets. A performance mode commonly prioritizes frame rate; a fidelity or resolution mode commonly prioritizes image detail or visual features. A game may also change shadows, ray tracing, view distance, or other settings. The mode names alone do not guarantee a particular frame-rate target, resolution, or visual setting.
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Example: The Elder Scrolls Online
Bethesda’s 2021 Console Enhanced specifications illustrate why the console and game matter. These figures apply to this game’s named modes, not to all games running on these consoles.
| Console | Fidelity Mode | Performance Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X and PS5 | Native 4K at 30 FPS | Native 1440p at 60 FPS |
| Xbox Series S | Native 1440p at 30 FPS | Native 1080p at 60 FPS; Bethesda says some visual settings were lowered to sustain 60 FPS |
Bethesda’s Console Enhanced announcement describes Performance Mode as emphasizing frame rate and Fidelity Mode as focusing on visuals. The Series S figures differ from the Series X and PS5 figures, so do not transfer one console’s numbers to another.
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What does VRR do—and what doesn’t it do?
Games do not always deliver frames at perfectly even intervals. With a fixed display refresh schedule, the display and game can fall out of sync, contributing to tearing or uneven presentation. VRR allows a compatible display to vary its refresh timing in response to the game’s changing frame output. Sony describes VRR as a way to synchronize display refresh with the source and reduce visual artifacts; the result depends on the TV, game, and selected visual mode. PlayStation’s VRR announcement notes that outcomes vary.
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VRR does not create frames the game has not rendered, guarantee a locked frame rate, or automatically make a game run faster. It is a display synchronization feature, not a replacement for the game’s rendering settings. A title may separately offer an unlocked or higher-frame-rate mode that benefits from VRR, but that behavior is game-specific.
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When do 120 Hz and VRR make a difference?
A 120 Hz display can accept higher-refresh input, but the game must also provide a compatible output mode to make use of it. Some games may offer a mode intended for a 120 Hz display even when their frame rate is below 60 fps; availability and behavior are title-specific, not a universal feature or guaranteed 40 fps mode.
Insomniac’s support article, dated November 19, 2025, says its PS5 titles support VRR with the latest game and system updates. It explains that in its games, when a 120 Hz high-frame-rate input is supported and 120 Hz Display Mode is active with VRR, variable uncapped frame rate can exceed the chosen Graphics Mode’s 30 or 60 fps target by 50% or more depending on gameplay. This is a studio-specific description, not a general promise for other games. Read Insomniac’s VRR support details.
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What equipment and settings are required?
Compatibility depends on the complete signal path, not simply the TV’s headline resolution. Check the exact display model’s manual because supported features can differ by model, HDMI input, and region. Sony’s guidance for its TVs also notes that available HDMI signal formats vary by model and country. Sony’s TV setup guide recommends using a port labeled for 4K/120 Hz or VRR, selecting the compatible HDMI signal format, and using an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for 4K/120 Hz-capable consoles.
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- The display must support the relevant refresh rate and, for VRR, VRR itself.
- Use a display input port that supports the feature; ports on the same TV may have different capabilities.
- Enable the required HDMI signal format and VRR setting on the display and console, if applicable.
- Use a cable suited to the signal. The PS5 FAQ says the console includes an HDMI cable compatible with Ultra High Speed defined by HDMI v2.1, so check the supplied cable before buying another. PlayStation’s PS5 FAQ.
For PS5, Sony identifies HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TVs and monitors as the compatible display class in its VRR announcement. Follow the setup instructions for your exact console and display rather than assuming every 4K TV, HDMI port, or regional model supports 120 Hz and VRR.
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How to choose between a game’s modes
- Start with performance if smoother motion or responsiveness matters most to you, particularly in fast action. Check the game’s stated frame-rate target and what it sacrifices.
- Try fidelity if you prefer image detail or visual effects and accept the mode’s frame-rate behavior.
- Compare more than resolution. Look for changes to ray tracing, shadows, textures, view distance, and other visual settings, as well as frame-rate stability.
- Check display fit. A 120 Hz or VRR mode only helps when the game, console, display, input port, cable, and settings support the required signal.
- Use the game’s own documentation. A mode label is not a specification, and a published figure for one console or game should not be treated as a guarantee for another.
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