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The best PS5 setup starts with a choice: prioritize smoother motion or higher image quality. Set the console’s game preset, then check the individual game’s graphics menu because each title decides which modes, resolutions and display features it supports. Use Automatic resolution, enable VRR and 120 Hz only when both the display and game support them, and calibrate HDR for your particular screen rather than copying a universal number.
Start with the trade-off that matters: motion or image quality
PS5 open-world games do not share one universal “best” setting. The practical choice is usually between a mode that makes movement look smoother and a mode that gives the scene higher graphic quality. Sony describes the console presets this way: Performance Mode is intended to make motion smoother, while Resolution Mode is intended to provide higher graphic quality. That description is guidance, not a promise of one frame rate or resolution for every game.
An open-world title may offer its own names for these choices, add extra graphics options, or omit one of them entirely. A system preset cannot create a mode the game does not support. Treat the preset as a default preference, then inspect the game’s current display or graphics menu after launching it.
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| Priority | First setting to try | What it favors | What is not guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoother movement | Performance Mode | Motion that appears smoother during camera pans, driving and traversal | A universal frame rate, resolution or visual feature set |
| Higher image quality | Resolution Mode | Higher graphic quality and potentially greater visible detail | A universal native resolution, frame rate or ray-tracing configuration |
| Adaptive refresh | VRR, when supported by the display and game | Refresh timing that follows the console’s graphical output | Fixed performance or an improvement in every title |
| High-refresh output | 120 Hz Output, when compatible | 120 Hz video output for games that support a 120 Hz frame rate | 120 frames per second in every game |
If you are unsure, begin with Performance Mode, play long enough to notice camera movement and traversal, and then compare Resolution Mode in the same area. If fine detail, distant objects or the overall presentation matter more than motion, choose Resolution Mode instead. The right choice is the one that suits your display, the title and your sensitivity to motion—not a setting that is universally superior.
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Set the PS5 game preset
The console-level preset gives supported PS5 games a default preference before you enter their menus. It is useful when you play several titles and do not want to make the same choice repeatedly.
- From the PS5 home screen, open Settings.
- Select Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Open Game Presets.
- Choose Performance Mode for smoother motion or Resolution Mode for higher graphic quality.
These presets apply only to PS5 games that support the corresponding modes. A game can ignore the preference, expose different options, or use its own terminology. After setting the preference, launch the game and look for a menu labelled Graphics, Display, Video, Visuals or a similar title. If the game offers a mode selector, make the final choice there.
Change the preset whenever your priority changes. A game that is comfortable in Resolution Mode while exploring may feel better in Performance Mode during fast traversal or combat. You do not need to change the console’s output resolution to make that choice.
Use the game’s own graphics menu as the final authority
The title in question does not identify one specific open-world game, so no single frame rate, resolution, menu path or ray-tracing option can be stated for every example. The in-game menu is where the game tells you what its current software version actually supports.
What to record before choosing
- Which visual modes are available and what each mode’s description says.
- Whether the game provides separate toggles for visual effects, ray tracing, motion blur or other presentation choices.
- Whether VRR or 120 Hz support is mentioned in the game’s display settings.
- Whether a change requires restarting the game or loading a different save.
- Whether a recent patch changed the available modes or their descriptions.
Compare modes in the same location rather than relying on a menu label alone. Look at camera pans, driving, climbing, dense crowds, distant scenery and fine edges such as fences or foliage. Then decide whether smoother movement or additional image detail is more noticeable to you. Do not infer a universal target from another game’s settings: support and results vary by title.
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Leave resolution on Automatic unless you have a specific reason not to
For most setups, Automatic is the sensible starting point. Sony says that when Resolution is set to Automatic, the PS5 detects the connected television or monitor’s capabilities and selects the highest supported resolution. This lets the console and display negotiate an output without requiring you to guess which format the HDMI connection can handle.
- Open Settings on the PS5.
- Select Screen and Video.
- Open Video Output.
- Review the reported HDMI device capabilities and leave Resolution set to Automatic unless you have a display-specific reason to select another supported value.
The capabilities shown on that screen are more useful than a specification printed on an old box or remembered from a previous television. If you replace the display, change HDMI inputs or use an audio/video device between the PS5 and screen, revisit this page and confirm what the console detects.
Automatic resolution does not decide whether a game uses Performance Mode or Resolution Mode. It controls the console’s output format; the game’s own rendering mode remains a separate decision.
Enable VRR only when the complete chain supports it
Variable refresh rate, or VRR, lets a compatible display synchronize its refresh timing with the PS5’s graphical output. Sony describes PS5 VRR as working with HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible televisions and monitors. When supported, it can reduce or eliminate visual artifacts such as tearing and frame-pacing problems. It does not force a game to render at a particular speed.
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- The display must support VRR through the HDMI connection you are using.
- The PS5 must detect the display’s capability.
- The game must support VRR, or you must deliberately test the console’s option for unsupported games.
- The selected visual mode still affects how the game performs.
How to test VRR
- Connect the PS5 to a display that supports HDMI 2.1 VRR, using the display input specified for that feature.
- On the PS5, open Settings and then Screen and Video.
- Choose Video Output and locate the VRR setting.
- Enable VRR when the display and the game support it.
- Launch the game in your preferred visual mode and compare movement, camera pans and difficult scenes.
Results vary with the display, game and selected visual mode. If applying VRR to unsupported games produces unexpected behavior, turn that option off rather than assuming the display is defective. A stable image without VRR is preferable to a feature that introduces a problem in a title that was not designed to use it.
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The PS5’s 120 Hz Output setting enables 120 Hz video output for a compatible display and games that support a 120 Hz frame rate. It is a compatibility setting, not a universal performance switch. Turning it on will not make every open-world game render at 120 frames per second.
When to turn it on
- Your television or monitor supports 120 Hz through the connected HDMI path.
- The game explicitly supports a 120 Hz frame-rate option.
- The PS5’s Video Output screen reports the required display capability.
Enable the setting through Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, then test the game’s own 120 Hz option if one exists. Keep the game’s mode and its description in view: a title can support 120 Hz output while still offering multiple visual choices, and support can vary by mode.
If the display loses the picture, flickers or develops another output problem after enabling 120 Hz, Sony advises turning the setting off. Return to the normal output mode, confirm that the display is connected to the correct HDMI input, and use 120 Hz only after the hardware and game combination is known to support it.
Configure HDR for supported content, then calibrate it to your screen
HDR can improve the range between dark and bright parts of supported games, but the result depends on the display, its picture mode and the room. There is no universal brightness value that can be recommended for every television or monitor.
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On an HDR-capable display, set HDR to On When Supported. Sony says this leaves non-HDR games and applications in SDR instead of forcing HDR processing onto content that does not support it. In the same Video Output area, use Adjust HDR to follow the PS5’s calibration screens.
- Open Settings.
- Select Screen and Video, then Video Output.
- Set HDR to On When Supported if your display supports HDR.
- Select Adjust HDR and make the brightness adjustments shown by the console.
- Use the display maker’s recommended HDR picture mode and recheck the game’s own brightness or HDR adjustment if it provides one.
Calibrate while viewing the screen in the room where you normally play. A setting that looks correct in a bright showroom can look too dark at night, and a display’s own HDR modes can change the result. If an SDR game or app looks wrong after changing HDR, confirm that On When Supported is selected and that the display has returned to its normal SDR mode.
Consider 1440p only as a display-specific experiment
The PS5 can output 1440p to compatible displays. Sony notes that a game with a higher native resolution, such as 4K, may benefit from improved anti-aliasing through supersampling when the output is 1440p. That is a possible benefit, not a guarantee that 1440p will look better on every television or monitor.
1440p is most relevant when you use a compatible 1440p monitor or when your display handles that signal particularly well. Test it rather than choosing it because the number appears between 1080p and 4K.
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- Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Choose the 1440p output option or the console’s 1440p test function, where available.
- Confirm that the display accepts the signal and that the PS5 reports the expected capabilities.
- Play the same game area at Automatic output and 1440p, comparing edge smoothness, text clarity and overall image stability.
If the display does not support 1440p correctly, return to Automatic. The game’s rendering mode and the display’s final scaling behavior still determine what you see.
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A complete setup sequence for a new game
Use this order whenever you install an open-world PS5 game or change displays. It separates console output decisions from choices made by the game.
- Check the display connection. Turn on the television or monitor, select the HDMI input used by the PS5 and verify that the console detects the device under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Choose a default priority. Set Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets to Performance Mode for smoother motion or Resolution Mode for higher graphic quality.
- Keep resolution neutral. Leave Resolution on Automatic unless you have a specific, tested reason to use another supported output.
- Configure HDR conditionally. On an HDR display, choose On When Supported and run Adjust HDR. On a display without HDR support, do not expect HDR options to improve the picture.
- Test VRR. Enable it only when the display and game support it, then compare the game in the mode you intend to use.
- Test 120 Hz if relevant. Turn on 120 Hz Output only for a compatible display and a game with 120 Hz support. If output problems appear, disable it.
- Evaluate 1440p only when appropriate. Test it on a compatible 1440p display and keep it only if the image is better for your setup.
- Open the game’s graphics menu. Confirm the actual modes and options offered by the title’s current version; make the final performance or quality choice there.
- Compare a repeatable scene. Use the same location and camera movement when judging changes so that you are comparing settings rather than different game situations.
How to choose between Performance and Resolution in practice
Choose Performance Mode when motion is distracting
Performance Mode is the logical first test if you notice judder during camera movement, driving, rapid traversal or combat. A smoother presentation can make aiming and navigation feel more consistent even when the image contains less detail than the quality-focused alternative. The console preset does not establish the exact result; only the game’s menu and your display show what that title delivers.
Choose Resolution Mode when detail is the priority
Resolution Mode is appropriate when you prefer a sharper or more detailed presentation and are comfortable with motion that may appear less smooth. Compare distant scenery, fine geometry, signs and menus from a normal viewing distance. Do not assume that every title uses the same resolution or effects in this mode.
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A still image cannot reveal how a mode handles camera movement. Conversely, a fast pan can hide the extra detail that matters to you during exploration. Spend time both moving through the world and stopping to inspect detail before deciding.
Troubleshoot common problems without changing everything at once
The game looks blurry or less detailed
- Open the game’s graphics menu and confirm whether Performance Mode is active.
- Compare it with Resolution Mode in the same location.
- Check Video Output to confirm what resolution the PS5 detects from the HDMI device.
- If you selected 1440p, return to Automatic and compare again.
Movement looks uneven or the screen tears
- Check whether the display supports VRR and whether the game supports it.
- Enable VRR and compare the same scene in the selected visual mode.
- If unsupported-game VRR causes unexpected behavior, disable that option.
- Try the game’s other visual mode; VRR does not remove differences caused by the mode itself.
The display goes blank after enabling 120 Hz
- Turn 120 Hz Output off, as Sony advises when output problems occur.
- Confirm that the display and HDMI input support 120 Hz.
- Check the Video Output capability report again.
- Use 120 Hz only if the specific game also supports a 120 Hz frame rate.
HDR looks washed out, too dark or unexpectedly bright
- Use HDR On When Supported rather than forcing HDR on unsupported content.
- Run Adjust HDR again on the PS5.
- Check the display’s HDR picture mode and its own instructions.
- Review the game’s HDR or brightness slider if it provides one, using the same room lighting in which you normally play.
The PS5 does not offer the expected option
Missing options usually indicate a capability or support difference rather than a hidden universal setting. Verify the display’s HDMI capabilities, the console’s detected output information and the game’s current graphics menu. A title may not support VRR, 120 Hz or a particular visual mode, and a display may report different capabilities through different HDMI inputs.
What you may need to buy—and what you do not
You do not need to purchase anything to switch Performance Mode, Resolution Mode, resolution, HDR or other supported PS5 settings. The console’s existing menus are enough to test the choices.
A display upgrade is relevant only when it supplies a feature your current setup lacks. VRR requires a compatible display and HDMI path; 120 Hz requires a display and game combination that supports 120 Hz output; HDR requires an HDR-capable display to show HDR content. Check your current television or monitor and the PS5’s reported HDMI capabilities before spending money. Because results vary by game, a new display is not a guarantee that every open-world title will look or run better.
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A compact decision guide
| If your priority is… | Use this starting point | Then verify |
|---|---|---|
| Smoother movement | Game Presets > Performance Mode | The game’s own performance option and how motion looks in play |
| Maximum available graphic quality | Game Presets > Resolution Mode | The title’s quality mode and its actual image at your viewing distance |
| Fewer tearing or pacing artifacts | VRR enabled | Display, HDMI 2.1 VRR support, game support and behavior in the selected mode |
| 120 Hz-capable play | 120 Hz Output enabled | Display compatibility and an in-game 120 Hz option |
| HDR on supported games | HDR set to On When Supported | Adjust HDR and the display maker’s HDR picture guidance |
| 1440p monitor use | Test 1440p Output | Whether your display accepts it and whether anti-aliasing or clarity actually improves |
The most reliable method is deliberately simple: choose one priority, change one setting, test the same game scene and keep the option that looks and feels best on your equipment. The PS5 can provide the necessary controls, but the game and display determine the final result.
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