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Choose Performance when smoother motion and responsiveness matter more to you and the game offers a higher-frame-rate option. Choose Quality or Resolution when you prefer the game’s higher-resolution or more detailed presentation and accept the frame-rate trade-off. These labels are not console-wide standards: each game defines what its modes change, so check the current description for the specific title.
What changes between Performance and Quality modes?
Performance modes generally prioritize frame rate and responsiveness, sometimes by reducing resolution or visual settings. Quality or Resolution modes generally prioritize image detail, resolution, or effects, sometimes at a lower frame rate. These are broad tendencies, not guaranteed specifications. A mode’s actual resolution, frame-rate target, graphics settings, and effects depend on the game and can change with updates.
| What matters most to you | Mode to try first | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Motion and responsiveness, especially in fast action | Performance | Whether the game offers a higher frame-rate target, and whether your display can show the output |
| Resolution, detail, or visual effects | Quality or Resolution | The game’s stated trade-off and whether its lower frame rate feels acceptable to you |
| A balance between the two | Try both | Compare the same scene or gameplay and choose based on your preference |
Slower-paced or visually focused play may make image fidelity more appealing; fast action or competitive play may make responsiveness more important. Neither preference is objectively correct, and the mode name alone does not tell you exactly what you will get.
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Developers decide what Performance and Quality mean for their own games. For example, Ubisoft’s July 20, 2023 announcement for For Honor said its PS5 and Xbox Series X Quality Mode targets 4K at 60 FPS with high graphics. Its Performance Mode uses 1080p and an unlocked frame rate with reduced graphics; Ubisoft described medium graphics on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Ubisoft recommended a 120 Hz-capable display for Performance Mode and warned that players could experience tearing otherwise. These are that game’s settings as announced for its July 27, 2023 update, not specifications for other PS5 or Xbox games. Ubisoft’s For Honor Performance Mode announcement
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Look at the game’s own mode description and current official notes. If they do not state a specific resolution, frame rate, or graphics setting, do not infer it from the label.
What you need for higher-refresh-rate play
A 120 Hz display does not make every game run at 120 FPS. The game must offer a compatible high-frame-rate mode, and the console’s output settings, display, and connection must support it. The display’s capabilities can also vary by HDMI input, so check the manual for the port you use.
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- Game: Confirm that the specific title supports the frame rate or mode you want.
- Console: Enable the relevant refresh-rate or game setting where required.
- Display and input: Confirm support for the intended resolution and refresh rate on the HDMI input connected to the console.
- Connection: Use a cable suitable for the desired signal. Xbox Series X includes an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable; an additional cable is not a routine requirement.
Xbox says Series X|S support refresh rates up to 120 Hz, along with VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Xbox’s November 6, 2020 guidance notes that the most advanced Series X features require HDMI 2.1 and that only some TV ports may support them. Use the TV manual and Xbox’s 4K TV Details to verify your particular setup. Xbox Wire’s display guidance
How VRR fits into the choice
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) dynamically adjusts a compatible display’s refresh rate to the console’s output. Sony says PS5 VRR can minimize or eliminate artifacts such as screen tearing and frame-pacing issues on compatible HDMI 2.1 displays, but results vary with the TV, game, and selected visual mode. PS5 can also apply VRR to games without native support as an option; Sony cautions that this may cause unexpected visual effects. PlayStation’s VRR announcement
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VRR can help with variable output, but it does not guarantee that every frame-rate dip disappears or that Performance benefits more than Quality in every game. Support and results depend on the game and display. For example, Insomniac Games Support said on November 19, 2025 that its PS5 titles support VRR with the latest game and system updates. With a VRR-capable TV that also accepts 120 Hz high-frame-rate input, and 120 Hz Display Mode active with VRR, its games can produce a variable, uncapped rate that exceeds a graphics mode’s 30 or 60 FPS target by 50% or more depending on gameplay. That statement applies to Insomniac titles under those conditions, not to PS5 games generally. Insomniac Games Support’s VRR explanation
Example: enable 120 FPS in Fortnite
Epic Games documents separate setup steps for Fortnite. These are game-specific instructions, not a universal menu path for other titles. Epic notes that a TV or AV setup without 4K at 120 Hz support might affect the game’s output resolution. If the 120 FPS option does not appear, Epic says it is unavailable for that setup. Enabling Fortnite Performance mode also makes Save the World unavailable. Epic Games’ Fortnite 120 FPS support instructions
Rank #4
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Xbox Series X|S
- On the console, open Settings > General > TV & Display Options and enable 120 Hz.
- In Fortnite, open the Video menu and enable the 120 FPS setting.
PS5
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets and select Performance Mode.
- In Fortnite, enable the 120 FPS setting in the game’s Video menu.
Should you buy a 120 Hz display?
Consider a display upgrade only if your current screen lacks a capability required by a game mode you specifically want to use. A 4K 120 Hz display with suitable HDMI inputs and VRR may enable more of the available features, but buying one does not guarantee a particular game resolution or frame rate. Verify the exact display model, input, and current console compatibility before purchasing. ASUS’s support page, last updated August 5, 2026, lists selected monitor models and refresh-rate combinations for PS5 and Xbox Series X; it also says 4K at 120 Hz requires a cable compliant with HDMI 2.1 specifications and that the game itself must support 120 Hz. ASUS’s monitor compatibility guidance
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Quick Recap
Best Value
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A quick way to decide
- Read the current mode descriptions for the game you want to play.
- Pick Performance if its stated frame-rate benefit matters more to you than any image-quality trade-off; pick Quality or Resolution if you prefer its stated visual benefits.
- If you want a higher refresh rate, confirm the game, console output, display input, and connection all support it.
- Try both modes in the same gameplay and keep the one you prefer.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
