Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
If a PS5 Pro game looks soft, smears during movement, or shimmers around fine textures, the cause may be how that particular game and graphics mode reconstruct the image—not a fault with the console or TV. Compare the game’s supported modes with Sony’s optional Enhance PSSR Image Quality setting, and check for system and game updates. If the whole screen flickers or loses signal, troubleshoot the HDMI/display connection separately.
Why PSSR can look soft, smeary, or shimmery
PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) is Sony’s upscaling technology. Sony says it analyzes each frame pixel by pixel. The upgraded version is intended to reconstruct images more precisely and improve stability during motion, but the result depends on the supported game and its implementation. Sony explicitly cautions that results vary by title.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
PlayStation 5 Pro with 2TB SSD Storage, Console Only - PS5 Pro Gaming System, White (Renewed) | $1,499.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim) | $598.98 | Buy on Amazon |
These symptoms are not interchangeable. Softness or smearing that appears during movement, and shimmer in fine textures or edges, can be image-reconstruction artifacts within a particular game or mode. A whole-screen flicker, blanking, or signal loss is a different symptom and points you toward display-output troubleshooting rather than PSSR first.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Sony announced broad support for upgraded PSSR in a PS5 system software update on March 16, 2026, describing improved image stability, clarity in fine details, and performance consistency across supported titles. The announcement does not establish that every game or graphics mode uses the same reconstruction path, or that the update removes every artifact.
#1 Best Overall
- Ray Tracing - Immerse yourself in worlds with a new level of realism as rays of light are individually simulated, creating true-to-life shadows and reflections in supported PS5 games.
- Faster Loading - Fast-travel across the map and get back into the game almost instantly with the PlayStation 5 console’s ultra-high-speed SSD and fast load times.
- Stunning Visuals - Experience the vast world in stunning 4K and HDR at 120 FPS (with a 4K and HDR compatible TV or display)
- Breathtaking Immersion - Discover a deeper gaming experience with support for haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and 3D Audio technology.
- Backwards Compatibility - Play over 4,000 PS4 games on PS5. Enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in some of the PS4 console's greatest games.
What to try, in order
- Identify where the problem occurs. Check whether it happens only in one game, in particular scenes or during movement, or across the entire display—including menus or other games. A symptom limited to a game is a reason to start with that title’s settings; display-wide flicker or signal loss warrants checking the connection.
- Compare the optional PSSR setting. On PS5 Pro, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and compare the same game scene with Enhance PSSR Image Quality enabled and disabled. Change only this one setting at a time, and watch the same fine details during the same camera movement. Sony says the option applies to certain PSSR-compatible games and that results vary by title.
- Check the game’s graphics modes and support. Look at the game’s current patch notes and in-game graphics options. Compare available modes using the same scene, paying attention to fine-detail clarity, stability during motion, how the frame rate feels, and any title-specific glitches. A system-level option does not mean every game or mode will respond identically.
- Install available updates. Check for PS5 system software and game updates. Sony’s upgraded PSSR support spans system software and individual title support, so availability can depend on both. Do not assume an update will fix a specific blur or shimmer unless that game’s developer says it addresses the issue.
- If the entire display flickers or drops signal, check the signal path. Connect the PS5 Pro directly to the TV or display, try another HDMI port or cable, and check whether the display has a firmware update. Sony also says lowering Video Transfer Rate to -1 or -2 may improve picture quality when troubleshooting screen flicker. These are signal checks, not established fixes for PSSR reconstruction artifacts.
- Get support for persistent broad faults. If flicker, blanking, or signal loss continues outside one game after basic connection checks, follow PlayStation’s troubleshooting and support guidance. Sony’s cited guidance does not establish a console reset or new hardware purchase as a first-line remedy for PSSR shimmer.
Which games and modes can be affected?
PSSR behavior is title-dependent. Sony’s March 2026 announcement named Silent Hill f, Monster Hunter Wilds, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Crimson Desert among titles receiving upgraded PSSR support. That list is not a guarantee that every mode in those games uses the same image reconstruction, nor that the optional enhancement setting behaves the same in each one. Check the current game update notes and graphics menus for the title you are playing.
Sony says it expects “most new PS5 Pro titles” to support the upgraded PSSR, but that is a forward-looking qualitative statement, not a count or a promise about every release. Its official PS5 Pro product page likewise says, “Results will vary by title.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When HDMI troubleshooting is—and is not—the right move
If only fine textures or moving objects look unstable in one game, start with the game mode, PSSR option, and software updates. Sony’s recommendations to try a direct HDMI connection, another cable or port, display firmware, or a lower Video Transfer Rate address flicker and picture/signal troubleshooting; they do not show that an HDMI cable causes PSSR shimmer.
Rank #2
- Model Number CFI-2000
- Includes DualSense Wireless Controller, 1TB SSD, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC power cord, USB cable, printed materials, ASTRO’s PLAYROOM (Pre-installed game)
- Vertical Stand sold seperately
If the image flickers, blanks, or loses signal across games or outside gameplay, those connection checks are relevant. Keep the two cases separate so a signal change does not get mistaken for a proven fix to the game’s reconstruction.
How to compare settings fairly
Use a repeatable scene rather than switching several options and relying on memory. Compare the same camera angle and movement, and change one setting at a time. Note whether fine detail looks clearer, whether edges or textures shimmer less during motion, whether the image feels softer, and whether the game’s frame-rate feel or other title-specific behavior changes. There is no universally best PSSR setting: Sony says outcomes vary by title.
Quick Recap
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.
