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For 4K at 120Hz and VRR to work, connect the console or PC to the Samsung TV’s HDMI input marked for 4K/120Hz, use a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable rated for 48Gbps, turn on Input Signal Plus for that input, enable Game Mode, and select 4K/120Hz plus VRR on the source.
What you need before changing any settings
Samsung TVs do not all have the same HDMI layout or feature set. Before troubleshooting, check the television’s model number and its current e-manual or specification page. The number of HDMI inputs that accept 4K at 120Hz, the highest supported refresh rate, the available VRR range, and the names or locations of menu items can differ by model and software version.
- A Samsung TV model that supports the desired 4K/120Hz and VRR features.
- A console or PC that can output 3840×2160 at 120Hz. The game itself must also offer a 120Hz mode if you want that refresh rate while playing.
- An HDMI cable suitable for the bandwidth. Samsung recommends an HDMI 2.1 cable for 4K at 120Hz; look for the wording certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable (48Gbps).
- If you use a soundbar, AV receiver, capture device, or HDMI switch, each device in the path must pass the same resolution, refresh rate, HDR format, and VRR signal.
A cable, game, or intermediary device that is limited to 4K at 60Hz cannot be made into a 4K/120Hz link by changing a TV setting. Likewise, the TV cannot create VRR when the source does not send a variable-refresh signal.
What HDMI 2.1, 4K 120Hz, VRR, and Game Mode do
HDMI 2.1
HDMI 2.1 is the connection standard used by compatible TVs and sources for higher-bandwidth functions. Samsung identifies capabilities such as Fixed Rate Link (FRL), Display Stream Compression (DSC), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) among HDMI 2.1 features, subject to the television model and connected equipment. A TV may have several HDMI inputs but only one or some of them may support the full HDMI 2.1 feature set.
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4K at 120Hz
4K at 120Hz is a 3840×2160 signal refreshed up to 120 times per second. The television, selected HDMI input, source hardware, cable, and game or application all have to support the mode. A 120Hz-capable TV will still display 60Hz if any link in the chain negotiates only 60Hz.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh behavior with the changing frame output from a console or graphics card. This reduces tearing and can make gameplay look smoother when frame delivery fluctuates. The exact VRR range and supported formats depend on the Samsung model and the source; do not assume that every TV accepts the same minimum and maximum refresh rates.
Game Mode
Game Mode is Samsung’s low-latency picture mode for gaming. A console may trigger it automatically when the TV detects the source, while a PC connection generally requires you to switch it on manually. Automatic detection is not proof that every HDMI 2.1 option is active, so verify the input and signal separately.
Step-by-step setup
1. Find the TV’s 4K/120Hz HDMI input
Inspect the labels next to the HDMI sockets and the model’s e-manual. Samsung commonly marks a 4K/120Hz-capable input with a gaming-controller icon, although the marking varies. Some models provide more than one input that supports 4K at 120Hz; others provide fewer. Do not assume that HDMI 1, HDMI 2, or the eARC socket has a particular capability merely from its number or position.
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Connect the console or PC directly to the input identified for 4K/120Hz. For the initial setup, bypass a receiver, soundbar, switch, or capture card so you can establish a direct TV-to-source connection.
2. Install an appropriate HDMI cable
Use a cable marketed as a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable (48Gbps). Samsung recommends an HDMI 2.1 cable for 4K at 120Hz. Certification language is more useful than a vague “8K” or “gaming” label because the cable must carry the bandwidth required by the negotiated signal. Choose a length that meets your installation needs without adding unnecessary distance, and make sure both connectors are fully seated in the TV and source.
Keep the cable connected directly while testing. If 4K/120Hz works with a direct connection but fails when a receiver or soundbar is reintroduced, the intermediary hardware or its cable is the likely bottleneck and must also support the target bandwidth and VRR signal.
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- On a console, select the HDMI input you are using and allow the TV to detect the source. Game Mode may activate automatically.
- On a PC, open the TV’s Quick Settings.
- Choose Game Mode and switch it on. The exact wording or location can vary with the model and software version.
Game Mode affects the TV’s processing path and latency; it does not by itself force the source to output 120Hz. You still need to select the resolution and refresh rate in the console or PC settings.
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4. Enable Input Signal Plus for the selected port
- Open Settings.
- Go to Connection.
- Open External Device Manager.
- Select Input Signal Plus.
- Turn it on for the exact HDMI input connected to the console or PC.
Samsung describes Input Signal Plus as expanding the HDMI input range and enabling HDMI 2.1 features on the connected device. The TV may briefly flicker when this setting is enabled or changed. That brief interruption is expected; wait for the picture to return before judging the result.
5. Select 4K, 120Hz, and VRR on the source
Open the console’s or PC’s display settings and choose 3840×2160 resolution and 120Hz when those options are offered. Then enable the source’s VRR option. The labels differ by platform, graphics driver, and software version, so use the platform’s display-information screen to confirm the negotiated mode rather than relying only on a game’s menu.
On a PC, set the display to 3840×2160 and 120Hz in the operating system or graphics driver, then enable the compatible VRR option in the driver when available. On a console, use its video-output settings and confirm that 120Hz and VRR are allowed. Individual games may have their own 120Hz performance option; a console can be configured for 120Hz while a particular title still renders at a lower rate.
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6. Verify the active signal
Launch the Samsung Game Bar if your model supports it. Samsung says supported Game Bar versions can report information such as FPS, HDR, and VRR. You can also use the source’s display-information screen. Confirm the values while the desired game or application is running:
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- Resolution: 3840×2160 (4K).
- Refresh rate: 120Hz, or the rate the source is currently delivering.
- VRR: shown as active when the source and game are using it.
- HDR: shown when the game, source, and TV have negotiated HDR.
A menu that merely offers “120Hz” is not the same as a live 120Hz connection. Check the active signal after the cable, port, Input Signal Plus, Game Mode, and source settings are all configured.
Console and PC setup compared
| Item | Console connection | PC connection |
|---|---|---|
| TV input | Use the HDMI input identified by Samsung for 4K/120Hz, often marked with a gaming-controller icon. | Use the same model-specific 4K/120Hz input; do not select a different socket simply because it is numbered first. |
| Cable | Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable (48Gbps) recommended for 4K/120Hz. | Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable (48Gbps) recommended for 4K/120Hz; the PC’s output port must also support the required mode. |
| Game Mode | May turn on automatically when the TV detects the console. | Samsung instructs users to open Quick Settings and turn Game Mode on manually. |
| Input Signal Plus | Turn it on for the HDMI input used by the console. | Turn it on for the HDMI input used by the PC. |
| Source setting | Select 3840×2160 and 120Hz in the console’s video-output settings, then enable VRR where available. A game may need its own 120Hz mode. | Select 3840×2160 and 120Hz in the operating system or graphics driver, then enable the available VRR option. |
| Automatic activation | Game Mode may activate automatically; Input Signal Plus still needs to be checked for the selected port. | Game Mode generally requires manual activation; Input Signal Plus still needs to be checked for the selected port. |
| Port count, maximum refresh rate, and VRR range | Not stated universally; these values vary by Samsung model and software version. | Not stated universally; these values vary by Samsung model and software version. |
The table describes the setup behavior Samsung documents in general. Your model’s e-manual remains authoritative for the number of 4K/120Hz inputs, maximum refresh rate, VRR formats, and menu labels.
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The TV stays at 60Hz
- Move the cable to the input specifically marked or documented for 4K/120Hz.
- Replace an uncertified or suspect cable with a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable rated for 48Gbps.
- Open Settings → Connection → External Device Manager → Input Signal Plus and enable the exact port in use.
- Confirm that the source is set to 3840×2160 at 120Hz and that the game supports a 120Hz mode.
- Turn Input Signal Plus off and on for that port, then restart both the TV and source if the mode still does not appear. Samsung notes that enabling the setting can cause a short flicker.
VRR is unavailable or greyed out
- Verify that the connected console, PC graphics output, and game support VRR.
- Enable VRR in the source’s display or graphics settings.
- Check that Input Signal Plus is active on the selected HDMI input.
- Confirm that the Samsung model supports VRR for that input and signal format. The supported range is model-specific.
- Test a direct source-to-TV connection. A receiver, soundbar, switch, or capture device that does not pass VRR can remove the option or force a fixed refresh rate.
Game Mode does not appear to be active
For a console, change to the correct HDMI input and allow source detection to complete. For a PC, open Quick Settings and switch Game Mode on manually. If the menu label differs, consult the model’s e-manual because Samsung changes menu organization between models and software versions. Game Mode improves the TV’s gaming response path, but it does not substitute for selecting 120Hz or VRR on the source.
The picture flickers or drops out after changing settings
A short flicker when enabling Input Signal Plus is noted by Samsung. If the picture does not return, power off the TV and source, reseat both HDMI connectors, and start the TV before the source. Remove intermediary HDMI hardware during the test. Persistent dropouts point to an incompatible cable, a device in the signal path that cannot pass the bandwidth, or a mode outside the TV’s model-specific limits.
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The correct mode worked, then stopped after an update or configuration change
Check for TV software updates; Samsung says an available update may resolve Smart TV problems. After updating, recheck Game Mode and Input Signal Plus because menu behavior and supported combinations can vary by software version. Reconfirm the source’s active display information rather than assuming the previous mode is still negotiated.
Adding a soundbar, receiver, or switch safely
Establish 4K/120Hz and VRR with a direct HDMI connection first. Then reconnect the intermediary device and test again. Every link must pass the same target signal: the source output, the intermediary’s HDMI inputs and outputs, the cables on both sides, and the TV input. If the direct connection reports 4K/120Hz and VRR but the routed connection falls to 60Hz or loses VRR, leave the source connected directly to the TV and use the TV’s audio-return connection for sound when your equipment supports that arrangement.
Do not use the eARC label alone as proof that an input supports 4K/120Hz. eARC describes an audio-return function; the model’s specifications determine the video capabilities of each HDMI socket.
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- Identify the exact model code, not just the television series name.
- Read the current e-manual or specification page for the number of HDMI inputs that support 4K/120Hz.
- Check the documented maximum refresh rate and VRR range for the resolution you intend to use.
- Compare the menu labels shown in your software version with the generic paths in this guide; Samsung states that screenshots and menus can vary by model and software version.
- Confirm whether your model reports VRR, HDR, and FPS in Game Bar, since Game Bar information is available only on supported models.
A final pre-play checklist
- The source is connected directly to a Samsung HDMI input documented for 4K/120Hz.
- The cable is a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable rated for 48Gbps.
- Game Mode is on; for a PC, it was enabled manually through Quick Settings.
- Input Signal Plus is on at Settings → Connection → External Device Manager → Input Signal Plus for the port in use.
- The source is set to 3840×2160 at 120Hz, and the game supports that mode.
- VRR is enabled on the source and supported by the TV, source, and game.
- Samsung Game Bar or the source’s information screen confirms the live resolution, refresh rate, and VRR status.
- Any soundbar, receiver, switch, capture device, and additional HDMI cable has been tested for the same bandwidth and VRR requirements.
When all of these conditions are met, the Samsung TV can negotiate the HDMI 2.1 signal that the connected hardware is capable of delivering. If one item is absent, the TV will normally fall back to a lower refresh rate or a fixed-refresh signal rather than creating 4K/120Hz or VRR on its own.
Quick Recap
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