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For most players on a base PS5, start with Favor Performance if smoother combat and camera movement matter most. Choose Favor Quality instead if you prefer the image-quality features it prioritizes. Neither is universally best: the right choice depends on your display and what you notice while playing. On PS5 Pro, check whether your installed game offers Pro Enhanced; Santa Monica Studio documents a Quality-focused option with a 60-frames-per-second target for that version. For HDR, use the PS5’s Adjust HDR screens rather than copying someone else’s brightness numbers. For audio, first select the device that is actually playing sound, then decide whether to use its applicable 3D-audio option.
Which graphics setting should I use in God of War Ragnarök?
On a base PS5, choose Favor Performance for a smoother-feeling presentation, or Favor Quality if you prefer the image-quality features that mode emphasizes. Santa Monica Studio’s graphics information distinguishes these modes and describes additional behavior for high-frame-rate (HFR) and variable refresh rate (VRR) setups. Those options depend on your display and configuration; a mode label is not a promise that the game will render at one fixed frame rate in every situation.
| Setting or setup | Choose it when… | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Favor Performance | You value smoother motion and camera movement during exploration and combat. | It prioritizes performance-oriented behavior over the image-quality features emphasized by Favor Quality. |
| Favor Quality | You prefer the image presentation and visual features prioritized by this mode. | It is a preference trade-off, not an objectively incorrect choice. Motion may feel different from Favor Performance. |
| HFR or VRR options | Your display, selected input, console output settings, and HDMI connection support the relevant features. | A 120 Hz signal, an HFR game mode, and VRR are related but distinct. Enabling one does not guarantee a particular rendered frame rate. |
| PS5 Pro Enhanced mode | You have a PS5 Pro and the installed game version offers its Pro Enhanced option. | Santa Monica Studio documents a 60-fps target for the Pro Enhanced Quality-oriented mode. A target is not an independent measurement or a guarantee of a locked rate. |
To change the game’s graphics mode, open Settings from the game and look in its graphics options, typically under Graphics & Camera. Choose the mode label shown in your installed version. Menu wording and available toggles can vary with updates and hardware, so use the options your game actually presents rather than assuming every PS5 has identical choices.
If you are unsure, begin with Favor Performance and play a representative section that includes camera turns and combat. Then switch to Favor Quality and compare the same kinds of scenes on your own screen. This is a personal preference check, not a benchmark: it helps you decide whether smoother motion or the alternate image presentation matters more to you. You can change the setting later.
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What do HFR, 120 Hz, and VRR mean for this game?
120 Hz describes a display’s supported refresh rate or the signal it can accept; HFR is a game mode intended for a high-frame-rate display setup; and VRR lets a compatible display vary its refresh timing to align with supported game output. They are not interchangeable settings, and none alone proves that Ragnarök is rendering at 120 frames per second.
Before enabling an HFR or VRR option, check all three parts of the chain:
- The particular display and input: Confirm that the TV or monitor supports the feature on the HDMI port you are using. Some displays have different capabilities by input or require a particular input mode.
- PS5 video-output settings: Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and review the available output and VRR options. The console can only offer features supported by the connected display and signal path.
- The HDMI connection: Make sure the console is connected through a compatible port and connection path. If a receiver, soundbar, or HDMI switch sits between the PS5 and display, it may affect which capabilities are detected; temporarily connecting the console directly to the display can help isolate the issue.
Only after confirming that setup should you select the game’s HFR or VRR-related option, if one is available. A conventional 60 Hz display can still play the game normally; it simply cannot provide a 120 Hz presentation. If the PS5 does not show a feature as available, do not assume that toggling the game setting can add missing display support.
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Even with a compatible setup, avoid treating the display’s reported refresh rate as a direct reading of the game’s rendered frame rate. The console’s output mode, the game’s selected mode, and the display’s refresh behavior describe different parts of the presentation. Santa Monica Studio’s chart is the relevant guide to its mode behavior, but it does not justify promising one constant rate for every display and scene.
How should I set up HDR?
HDR should be calibrated for the screen you actually use. There is no universal brightness, black-level, or peak-nits value that can be copied across televisions and monitors, because displays differ in HDR behavior, picture modes, and viewing conditions. Use the PS5’s three-screen Adjust HDR procedure and follow its on-screen instructions.
- Confirm that the display supports HDR. Check the display’s own specifications and make sure the PS5 is connected to an input that supports HDR. If an intermediary device is in the signal path, it must also pass the required signal.
- Check the PS5 output setting. Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and review the HDR option. Choose the setting appropriate for your compatible display; if HDR is unavailable, troubleshoot the connection and display detection before changing game settings.
- Run Adjust HDR. From the same video-output area, select Adjust HDR. Follow each of the three screens and make the visual adjustment as directed by the console. Do not substitute a number from another television or a generic online preset.
- Judge the result in your room and display mode. HDR picture modes and room lighting can change how the image appears. If highlights look clipped, dark areas lose detail, or the picture seems washed out, recheck the TV’s selected picture mode and the PS5’s detected HDR output, then run the calibration again.
The PS5 calibration is a starting point for the console’s HDR output; it is not a universal measurement of the display or a guarantee that every television’s picture processing is configured ideally. Avoid changing several unrelated television controls at once: that makes it harder to identify whether the issue is caused by the console output, the selected TV mode, or the viewing environment. If your screen has a distinct HDR picture mode, make sure it is active when evaluating the result.
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Do not look for or copy a supposed best peak-nits number, game brightness value, or black-level setting unless it is explicitly intended for your exact display and configuration. The supplied evidence does not establish a universal in-game HDR slider value for Ragnarök. Use the game’s own available options as presented, but base console calibration on the screen instructions and the actual display.
How do I choose the right audio settings?
Start by routing sound to the device you intend to use. The PS5 can configure 3D audio for headphones and for TV speakers, but the relevant setup depends on the actual output path. A 3D-audio option is a listening choice, not a requirement, and there is no universally superior presentation for every listener or room.
If you use headphones
- Connect or select the headphones you plan to listen through.
- Open Settings > Sound > Audio Output and confirm the PS5’s output device is the headphones, not the TV or another connected device.
- Open the PS5’s headphone 3D-audio configuration if you want to try that presentation. Follow the console’s on-screen setup and compare it with the conventional presentation at a comfortable listening level.
- Check the game’s audio and accessibility options for features that suit your needs. Keep useful cues or descriptions enabled if they help you follow play.
You do not need to buy a new headset to follow this guide: use a compatible device you already have. A headset’s connection method and supported features can affect which console audio options are available, so select the actual device shown in the PS5 menu rather than assuming every headset exposes the same controls.
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If you use TV speakers
- Set the PS5 output device to the TV or the audio system that is actually playing the game.
- In the PS5 sound settings, configure the TV-speaker 3D-audio option if you want to try it and it is available for your setup.
- Compare that option with your regular TV-speaker presentation from your usual seat and at a comfortable volume.
Room layout, speaker placement, television processing, and personal preference all affect what sounds clear or convincing. If dialogue or effects are difficult to follow, first verify that the correct device is selected and review the game’s available audio and accessibility options. Avoid copying an EQ curve or declaring a particular mix best without evidence for your own equipment and listening conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which accessibility options should I keep on?
Keep the audio, subtitle, and other accessibility features that help you play comfortably. They are not mistakes or inferior settings; a preset designed for someone else may remove useful cues for you. God of War Ragnarök documents audio and subtitle-related accessibility options, so check the in-game accessibility menu and choose settings based on what improves clarity and comfort.
If you rely on subtitles, descriptive audio cues, or other assistance, do not disable them just to match a graphics or audio recommendation. Graphics mode, HDR calibration, audio routing, and accessibility options solve different problems and can be set independently. Revisit accessibility options if a change makes dialogue, environmental information, or navigation harder to follow.
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What should I check if a setting is missing or looks wrong?
| Symptom | Checks to make |
|---|---|
| 120 Hz or HFR is unavailable | Confirm the display and the specific HDMI input support 120 Hz; review PS5 video-output settings; check the HDMI path, including any receiver or switch; then revisit the game’s graphics menu. |
| VRR is unavailable | Verify that the display supports VRR on the connected input and that the console detects the capability. Check the video-output settings and any intermediary HDMI equipment before assuming the game has a fault. |
| HDR is missing | Check HDR support and the selected display input, then inspect PS5 Video Output settings. If you use an intermediary device, test whether it is preventing the console from detecting HDR. |
| HDR looks washed out or loses detail | Confirm the display is in its HDR picture mode and the PS5 is outputting HDR as expected. Run the three Adjust HDR screens again and evaluate the result on the actual display. |
| Sound comes from the wrong device | Open PS5 Audio Output settings and select the device that is physically playing sound. Recheck the connection and the selected device before changing game audio options. |
| Audio cues or subtitles are difficult to follow | Review the game’s audio and accessibility menus and enable the options that help you. Do not remove useful cues merely to imitate another player’s preset. |
Make one change at a time, then check the result. If a feature disappears after changing a cable route or device, return the PS5 to a direct connection to the display as a diagnostic step. That can identify whether an intermediary is involved; it does not mean you must buy new equipment. If the display or PS5 still does not expose a capability, use the features your current setup supports rather than treating an unavailable toggle as a required fix.
A practical starting setup
- Base PS5, standard display: Start with Favor Performance for smoother motion or Favor Quality for the image presentation you prefer. Use the display’s supported output and skip HFR or VRR if your setup does not support them.
- Base PS5, compatible high-refresh display: Verify the input, PS5 output settings, and HDMI path first. Then try the game’s applicable HFR or VRR option and judge the presentation for yourself.
- PS5 Pro: Check the installed game for its Pro Enhanced option. Santa Monica Studio documents a Quality-oriented Pro Enhanced mode with a 60-frames-per-second target; this is a developer target, not an independently verified locked rate.
- Any setup with HDR: Confirm the signal is active and run the PS5’s three-screen Adjust HDR procedure on the display you use to play.
- Any audio setup: Select the actual output device, try its applicable 3D-audio setting only if desired, and retain accessibility options that improve your experience.
These are starting points, not a single hidden “best” preset. Your display’s capabilities determine which output options are possible; your preference determines which graphics mode and audio presentation you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the graphics mode after starting the game?
Yes. You can revisit the game’s graphics options and switch modes; you do not need to restart your PS5 to make the preference change. If a specific option is unavailable, check whether the installed version and connected display support it.
Does a 120 Hz TV mean God of War Ragnarök runs at 120 fps?
No. A 120 Hz display can accept or refresh a 120 Hz signal, but that alone does not establish the game’s rendered frame rate. The selected game mode and the full console-to-display setup matter.
Do I need a special headset for 3D audio on PS5?
No new headset is required just to configure audio. Availability depends on the device and output path you use, so check the PS5’s Audio Output menu for the options presented for your connected equipment.
Should I use HDR if my TV offers it?
Use HDR if your display supports it and the resulting picture looks right to you after calibration. If the image appears incorrect, first check that the PS5 detects HDR and that the display is in an appropriate HDR picture mode.
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