On PS5, Performance usually prioritizes smoother motion, while Resolution or Quality usually prioritizes image detail or visual effects. Those labels do not promise a fixed frame rate or render resolution: each game decides what its modes change. And a console sending a 4K signal does not necessarily mean the game rendered every frame at native 4K.
What Resolution and Performance modes change
PlayStation describes its game presets in broad terms: Performance Mode makes motion smoother, and Resolution Mode provides higher graphic quality. The labels express priorities, not universal technical specifications. A game may trade render resolution, frame rate, ray tracing, lighting, shadows, reflections, or other details differently from another game.
Some titles also offer a balanced, ray-tracing, or other mode instead of a simple two-way choice. To compare options in a particular game, check what its menu says and consider these factors:
- Frame rate and motion: Look for the mode’s target and whether it remains stable in demanding scenes.
- Rendering and reconstruction: A game may use fixed or dynamic render resolution, and may upscale the image before output.
- Visual features: Check which options change ray tracing, lighting, shadows, reflections, or detail.
- Your display: VRR and 120 Hz output matter only when the game and connected screen support them.
The PS5’s Game Presets setting lets you express a preference where a game supports it. A game’s own graphics menu may offer additional choices or controls.
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Output resolution is not the same as render resolution
Output resolution
Output resolution is the video signal the console sends to the TV or monitor. PlayStation says the PS5 detects the connected TV’s capabilities and can select the highest supported output resolution automatically. To output 4K, you need a compatible 4K display and the console set to Automatic or 2160p in Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. See PlayStation’s 4K resolution guide.
Render resolution
Render resolution is the resolution at which a game creates its image before any upscaling. A game can render below 4K and still send a 4K output signal to a 4K display. The output setting therefore does not tell you the game’s internal render resolution.
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What upscaling does—and what it can trade off
Upscaling takes a lower-resolution rendered image and reconstructs it for a higher-resolution output. It can help a game balance image quality and performance: rendering fewer pixels can ease the workload and support a higher or steadier frame rate. The trade-off can be reduced clarity or visible artifacts, depending on the game and the scene.
In its technical discussion of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft described PSSR, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, as an AI-driven upscaler and used an example of reconstructing a 1080p image for 2160p output. That is an illustration, not a standard render resolution for PS5 games. Ubisoft also explains that dynamic resolution scaling can vary a game’s render resolution with workload; in demanding scenes, it may lower the pre-upscale resolution to help balance performance and fidelity.
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PSSR and QSSR are game-specific technologies
PSSR on PS5 Pro
PSSR is an upscaling technology discussed for PS5 Pro. Support depends on the game and can change with software updates. In March 2026, Sony said an upgraded version was rolling out to named supported games. Tatu Aalto, Graphics Technical Director at Remedy Entertainment, said of the update: “The upgraded PSSR improves image upscaling quality and stability.” That statement describes the technology’s intended improvement, not a guarantee for every game or scene. Sony’s March 2026 announcement lists the relevant game support.
QSSR, announced in October 2026
On October 1, 2026, Sony announced Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR) as a performance tier of AI upscaling for PS5. Sony named Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei as the first games to use it and offer it as an additional graphics option. This is a title-specific development, not a setting available in every PS5 game. Sony’s QSSR announcement includes comments from the developers; Insomniac’s Mike Fitzgerald described added pixel-level clarity and stability in Marvel’s Wolverine.
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Example: Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 Pro
Cyberpunk 2077 illustrates why mode names alone are not enough to predict results. CD Projekt Red’s 2026 description gives different targets and visual priorities for its PS5 Pro modes:
| Mode | What CD Projekt Red says |
|---|---|
| Performance | Focuses on the highest possible frame rate and can reach up to 90 fps with VRR. |
| Ray Tracing | Includes selected ray-tracing enhancements and targets 60 fps. |
| Ray Tracing Pro | Activates all listed ray-tracing enhancements; targets 40 fps on high-frame-rate VRR displays or 30 fps otherwise. |
These figures are specific to this game’s PS5 Pro modes and display conditions; they are not general targets for PS5 Performance or Resolution modes. See CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 news.
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Choose based on the game and what you notice most. Try the available options in a demanding area as well as a quiet scene: frame pacing, detail, and reconstruction artifacts may look different as the workload changes.
- Choose Performance when smoother motion or a higher frame-rate target matters most to you.
- Choose Resolution, Quality, or Fidelity when the game’s added detail or visual effects matter more than its motion target.
- Try a balanced or ray-tracing option when the game offers one and its specific trade-off appeals to you.
- If your display supports VRR or 120 Hz, check that both the game and console are configured to use the feature; Sony notes VRR results vary by TV.
PlayStation’s PS5 video output support page explains 4K, VRR, and 120 Hz compatibility. The best-looking mode depends on the title’s implementation, your display, and your preference—not just the mode name.
Troubleshoot 4K 120 Hz output
If a compatible game and display are not producing 4K at 120 Hz, Sony recommends checking the display and connection setup before changing graphics modes:
- Confirm that the TV supports 4K 120 Hz and install any available TV firmware update.
- Connect the PS5 to the TV’s appropriate HDMI 2.1 port.
- Use the cable supplied with the console where possible, or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K 120 Hz.
- Check the console’s options under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
These steps address output compatibility. A cable cannot change a game’s internal render resolution or turn one graphics mode into another. See Sony’s 4K and 120 Hz setup guidance.
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