Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsChoose Performance when smoother motion is your priority; choose Fidelity (also called Resolution in Sony’s system preset) when the game’s higher graphical quality matters more. Neither is universally best. The mode names describe a trade-off, and each game decides the actual frame rate, resolution, ray tracing and effects. Set a system preference, then read the individual game’s explanation and test both modes in the same scene when switching is available.
The short answer: pick the trade-off you notice most
Performance mode generally prioritizes smoother-looking motion. Camera pans, character movement and fast action can appear more fluid when a game targets a higher frame rate. Fidelity or Resolution mode generally prioritizes graphical quality, such as a sharper image or more advanced lighting, at the cost of the game’s own performance trade-off.
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This is a preference decision, not a console-wide benchmark. Sony’s support guidance uses qualitative terms—smoother motion for Performance and higher graphical quality for Resolution—rather than promising one frame rate or resolution for every PS5 game. A mode that targets 60 frames per second in one title may have a different target, feature set or compromise in another.
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- Start with Performance if you notice judder during camera movement, play fast action, or value a consistently fluid feel more than extra visual effects.
- Start with Fidelity/Resolution if you sit close to a large, sharp display, prefer the game’s best-looking presentation, and are comfortable with its motion trade-off.
- Read the game’s own description whenever it offers a third, Balanced, Pro or similarly named option. The implementation can differ substantially from the traditional two-mode choice.
The system preset affects only games that support these choices. It does not force every game to add a mode, and it does not make every title use identical settings.
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What Performance and Fidelity actually mean
Performance mode
Performance mode allocates more of the game’s rendering budget to motion. That can mean a higher frame-rate target, reduced resolution, fewer or simpler effects, shorter visual distances, or a combination chosen by the developer. The exact mix is title-specific, so the label alone cannot tell you whether a game runs at 60 frames per second, uses dynamic resolution, or changes ray tracing.
The benefit is easiest to see while turning the camera, tracking a moving target, driving, or navigating a busy scene. Smoother motion can also feel more responsive, but the official guidance establishes a visual and preference-based difference; it does not establish a universal input-lag reduction or a guaranteed competitive advantage.
Fidelity or Resolution mode
Fidelity mode, often labelled Resolution mode in Sony’s preset menu, gives the renderer more room for image quality. Depending on the game, that may preserve a higher-resolution image, denser detail, more demanding lighting, ray tracing or other effects. The game may use a lower frame-rate target or otherwise trade motion smoothness for those visual features.
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Do not assume that every Fidelity mode is native 4K, that every title runs at 30 frames per second, or that every Performance mode is exactly 60 frames per second. Those are common design choices, not PS5-wide rules. Use the title’s menu, patch notes or developer explanation for numerical claims.
Performance vs. Fidelity at a glance
| Choice | What Sony’s wording establishes | What can vary by game | Best starting point when you… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Smoother motion | Frame-rate target, resolution, ray tracing, effects and dynamic scaling | Notice camera judder or play fast-moving action |
| Fidelity/Resolution | Higher graphical quality | Resolution, lighting, ray tracing, detail and the resulting frame-rate trade-off | Prefer maximum visual detail and accept less fluid motion |
| Balanced, Pro or another additional mode | Nothing universal; the game defines it | How features from the traditional modes are combined | The game provides a clear explanation of the compromise |
The table describes the categories, not guaranteed specifications. No cross-game statistic establishes one universal frame-rate or resolution difference for the PS5 library.
Set the PS5’s default preference
Sony calls the console-wide preference “Performance Mode or Resolution Mode.” It is a default for supported games, not a replacement for each game’s own settings.
- Open Settings from the PS5 home screen.
- Select Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Open Game Presets.
- Choose Performance Mode or Resolution Mode.
- Select Performance Mode or Resolution Mode.
Afterward, launch a supported game and check its video, graphics or display menu. A title can expose its own selector, use a different label, offer additional modes, or ignore the preset because it has no equivalent choice. If the game’s menu conflicts with your default, the in-game setting is the one to follow for that title.
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The preset does not globally force a 60-frame-per-second setting, unlock a resolution option, enable ray tracing or override a game that has its own rules. It is best understood as a starting preference for compatible software. Games without selectable modes continue using their developer-defined presentation, and games with several choices may still require you to select the exact option in their own menu.
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A reliable way to choose for a particular game
1. Read the game’s explanation before judging the picture
Look for a description beside each option, not just the name. One game may state that Performance targets 60 frames per second while Fidelity adds ray tracing; another may describe a resolution range or a different target. Developer documentation is more informative than assuming that every “Fidelity” or “Performance” label means the same thing.
2. Compare the same scene
If the game allows instant or convenient switching, use the same location, camera angle and lighting conditions. Watch a slow camera pan, then move through a busy area and perform the kind of action you normally play. This makes motion differences easier to separate from changes in scenery.
3. Decide which compromise bothers you
- Choose Performance if reduced detail is less distracting than uneven or less-fluid motion.
- Choose Fidelity/Resolution if image softness or missing effects is more distracting than the lower motion target.
- Choose a balanced or Pro option only after reading what that specific title combines.
4. Keep the setting that suits your normal play
You do not need one permanent answer for every game. A slow exploration game can favor Fidelity for you, while a racing, action or first-person title can favor Performance. Revisit the choice after a major game update because developers can add modes or change their rendering targets.
5. Judge movement, not just screenshots
Pause menus and photo modes can make Fidelity’s extra detail look impressive, but they do not show how a long camera sweep feels. Conversely, a still image may make Performance’s resolution compromise look more obvious than it is during play. Give each mode several minutes in a representative section, including traversal, combat and a darker or effects-heavy area when the game provides them.
Why the mode names are not enough
“Performance” and “Fidelity” are design categories, not industry-wide specifications. They do not by themselves identify a fixed frame rate, a fixed resolution, a specific ray-tracing level or a guaranteed visual difference. Some games use dynamic resolution or reconstruction, and some expose several variants. The only defensible numerical statement is the one made for the particular game by its developer or in the game’s own menu.
This also answers the common question, “Does Fidelity mode run at 30 fps?” Sometimes a game’s Fidelity mode does target 30 frames per second, but that is not a PS5 rule. Other titles use a different target, a variable range or a separate mode. Do not apply one game’s specification to another.
Why targets and results can differ
A target is not the same as a guarantee in every scene. Rendering load can change when the screen contains crowds, weather, explosions, reflections or a large view distance. A developer may also use dynamic scaling to keep a chosen target. If a game publishes a target, treat it as that title’s design goal and read any qualifiers in the description.
What changes on PS5 Pro
Some PS5 Pro games add modes that combine characteristics traditionally separated into Performance and Fidelity. Sony’s PS5 Pro information quotes Insomniac Games Core Technology Director Mike Fitzgerald describing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’s default Performance Pro mode as one that “marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.”
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The same description identifies a Fidelity Pro mode with additional ray-tracing-based rendering features. These are specifications for that game, not a promise that every PS5 Pro title will provide 4K, ray tracing and 60 frames per second together. Sony’s September 25, 2024 first-look report likewise said that many PS5 games let players choose Fidelity and Performance to suit their tastes, and that some PS5 Pro games appeared to combine benefits of both. Treat “Pro,” “Balanced” and similar labels as title-specific until the developer explains them.
If you own a PS5 Pro, check whether the title has a Pro-enhanced patch or a separate graphics menu. The console model alone does not tell you which modes are available. A game may retain its original choices, add a combined mode, or provide extra ray-tracing options, and those decisions belong to the developer.
Your TV or monitor can affect output features
The display does not decide which in-game mode is best, but it can determine whether an output feature is available. Sony says 120 Hz Output sends video at 120 Hz when both the connected TV and the game support that frame rate. A compatible high-refresh-rate display and the appropriate connection are therefore prerequisites for supported 120 Hz output; buying a new display is optional and is not required to choose Performance or Fidelity.
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If you are shopping specifically for supported high-refresh-rate output, a 4K 120 Hz television or gaming monitor with the required HDMI 2.1 input is the relevant product category. It is an optional display upgrade, not a prerequisite for using either mode, and compatibility should be checked for the exact console, input and game.
120 Hz is not the same as a 120-fps game mode
A 120 Hz signal describes the display output capability. The game still has to support a suitable frame-rate mode, and the console, display and connection must all be able to carry it. Enabling 120 Hz does not turn a 30- or 60-frame-per-second mode into 120 frames per second.
Variable Refresh Rate
Sony describes Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) as allowing a compatible display’s refresh rate to adjust in real time with compatible games. Results vary by TV, monitor and game. VRR can change how motion appears when the game’s frame rate fluctuates, but it does not guarantee a fixed frame rate, convert Fidelity into Performance, or resolve every performance issue.
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Start with Performance because smoother motion is usually the more noticeable priority during rapid camera movement and tracking. Keep it only if the game’s reduced detail or other compromise is acceptable to you. The recommendation is about visual preference, not a guaranteed improvement in outcomes or latency.
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You play a cinematic, slow-paced or exploration game
Start with Fidelity/Resolution if the title’s lighting, reflections, distance detail or image clarity is central to your enjoyment. Compare a moving scene before committing; a visually impressive still frame does not tell you how the mode feels during a long camera pan.
You sit close to a large 4K display
Fine image-quality differences may be easier for you to notice, making Fidelity worth trying. Viewing distance, screen size, eyesight and the game’s own implementation all affect whether the difference is meaningful.
You have an older 60 Hz TV
You can still choose either mode. A 120 Hz display is needed only for games and output features that support 120 Hz. The basic Performance-versus-Fidelity decision remains available on a standard compatible display.
You cannot see a difference
That is a valid result. The differences may be subtle in a particular scene, limited by your display, or outweighed by your viewing distance. Use the game’s documented behavior and your comfort during play rather than choosing a mode because its name sounds more advanced.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting mode and display problems
The game always starts in the wrong mode
- Check the PS5 preset under Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets.
- Open the game’s own graphics or display menu; it may override the system default.
- Confirm that the title actually offers selectable modes. The preset does not add modes to games that lack them.
120 Hz does not appear
- Verify that the TV or monitor supports 120 Hz at the resolution you are using.
- Use an input and cable that support the display’s required bandwidth.
- Check Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output for the connected HDMI device’s reported capabilities.
- Confirm that the game supports a 120 Hz output mode. The console setting alone cannot create one.
Motion still looks uneven with Performance selected
Performance is not a universal frame-rate guarantee. The title may have a variable target, a demanding scene, a patch-specific issue or a display-sync limitation. Check the game’s documentation and your display’s VRR compatibility rather than assuming the preset failed.
The image looks soft in Performance mode
That can be the intended trade-off for the game. Switch to Fidelity/Resolution and compare the same scene. If the sharper image is more valuable than smoother movement, keep Fidelity; if not, the softer image is the cost of your preferred motion setting.
A patch changed how a mode looks
Developers can alter rendering features, add a mode or revise targets in an update. Recheck the current in-game description and settings after a substantial patch instead of relying on an older guide or a remembered specification.
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Questions to ask before changing the setting
- Does this game publish exact frame-rate or resolution targets?
- Does its mode description mention ray tracing, dynamic resolution or another specific feature?
- Is there a Balanced, Pro or other third option, and what does the developer say it combines?
- Does my display support the output feature the game advertises, such as 120 Hz or VRR?
- Which difference do I notice during play, rather than in a paused screenshot?
- Has a recent update changed the available modes or their descriptions?
Answering those questions prevents the most common mistake: treating a familiar label as a universal specification. Sony’s guidance establishes the broad choice—smoother motion versus higher graphical quality—while each game supplies the details that determine the result.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which PS5 mode should I use?
Use Performance if smoother camera movement and motion matter most. Use Fidelity or Resolution if you prefer the game’s higher graphical quality and accept its motion trade-off. There is no single best choice for every title or player.
Is PS5 Fidelity mode always 30 fps?
No. Some games target 30 frames per second in Fidelity, but Sony does not set one frame-rate rule for the PS5 library. Check the specific game’s menu or developer documentation for its target or range.
Does Performance mode always run at 60 fps?
No. Performance commonly favors a higher frame-rate target, but the target and visual compromises vary by game. Do not treat 60 frames per second as a console-wide guarantee.
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No. The preset is a default for games that support equivalent choices. A game can ignore it, use different labels, offer more options or have no selectable modes.
What is the difference between Fidelity and Resolution mode?
Sony’s system preset calls the higher-graphical-quality choice Resolution Mode, while many games call it Fidelity. The exact resolution, lighting, ray tracing and frame-rate trade-off is determined by each game.
Is a 120 Hz TV required for Performance mode?
No. You can choose Performance on a compatible standard display. A 120 Hz display is needed only when you want a game and console output feature that specifically supports 120 Hz.
Will VRR make Fidelity mode run like Performance mode?
No. VRR adjusts a compatible display’s refresh rate to the game’s changing output when supported. It does not add frames, change the game’s rendering mode or guarantee a fixed frame rate.
What does Performance Pro mean on PS5 Pro?
It is a title-specific mode. In Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Insomniac describes Performance Pro as combining Fidelity-mode 4K and ray-tracing features with a 60-frames-per-second Performance presentation. Other PS5 Pro games can implement different combinations.
The Bottom Line
Choose Performance for smoother motion, Fidelity/Resolution for higher graphical quality, and any Balanced or Pro option only after reading that game’s description. Sony’s preset is merely a default for supported titles; frame rate, resolution, ray tracing and display features remain game- and setup-specific. Compare the same scene, keep the compromise you notice least, and revisit the setting after major updates.
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