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How to connect a PS5 or Xbox to the Samsung S90H and enable 4K 120Hz

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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Connect the console directly to one of the Samsung S90H’s HDMI 2.1 inputs, use the HDMI cable supplied with the console (or a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable), enable the TV’s enhanced HDMI signal option, and turn on Game Mode. Then set the console to 4K output and 120 Hz. The S90H is reported to provide four HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of up to 4K at 120 Hz for consoles, while its advertised 165 Hz capability is mainly relevant to compatible PCs.

For a soundbar using eARC, leave HDMI 3 for the soundbar and connect the PS5 or Xbox to another HDMI 2.1 input. A 120 Hz signal still depends on the console model, the game, the cable, and the selected video settings; a game that runs at 30 or 60 frames per second cannot be made into a 120 Hz game by the television alone.

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What you need for 4K 120Hz

Before changing settings, make sure every part of the signal chain can carry the required bandwidth. The TV, console, cable and game all matter.

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  • Samsung S90H: An independent S90H review reports four HDMI 2.1 inputs, with support for up to 4K/120Hz from PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Samsung product information advertises motion support up to 165Hz, but that higher figure applies to suitable PC signals rather than increasing a console beyond its own output limits.
  • Console: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X support 4K at 120Hz and variable refresh rate (VRR). Xbox Series S exposes 4K UHD and 120Hz options where supported, but its actual resolution and frame rate vary by game.
  • Cable: Use the HDMI cable included with the console. If it is missing or damaged, replace it with a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. Samsung’s external-device guidance says a Premium High Speed HDMI cable is adequate for general use, but recommends the console cable or an Ultra High Speed cable for a console supporting 4K/120Hz.
  • Game: The title must include a 120Hz performance mode. The console can output a 120Hz signal to the TV while a particular game renders at 30 or 60 frames per second, so the in-game mode still matters.

Choose the correct HDMI connection

Connection Use it for 4K/120Hz guidance
Console directly to an S90H HDMI 2.1 input PS5, Xbox Series X or Series S Preferred arrangement; avoids an intermediate device that might limit bandwidth.
HDMI 3 (eARC) to a soundbar or receiver Audio return from the TV Keep the soundbar on HDMI 3/eARC and use another HDMI 2.1 input for the console.
Console through an older AV receiver or HDMI switch Centralized audio or multiple sources May fall back to 4K/60Hz if the receiver or switch is not rated for HDMI 2.1 and 4K/120Hz.
HDMI 2.0-class input or cable Older equipment Generally limited to 4K/60Hz; it is not the right path for 4K/120Hz.

Port numbering and on-screen labels can differ by regional firmware, so check the label beside each socket and the S90H’s source information screen. The reported eARC assignment for this model is HDMI 3. All four inputs are reported as HDMI 2.1, leaving the other ports available for a console when HDMI 3 is occupied by a soundbar.

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Connect the console directly

PlayStation 5

  1. Turn off the PS5 and the television, especially if you are replacing an existing cable or moving the console from a receiver.
  2. Plug the HDMI cable supplied with the PS5 into the console’s HDMI OUT socket.
  3. Connect the other end to an S90H HDMI input that is identified as HDMI 2.1 or 4K/120Hz capable. If HDMI 3 is connected to a soundbar, use HDMI 1, 2 or 4 instead.
  4. Turn on the TV and select the HDMI source used by the PS5. Complete the initial PS5 display setup if it appears.

Xbox Series X or Series S

  1. Power off the Xbox and TV before changing the connection.
  2. Use the Ultra High Speed HDMI cable included with the Xbox, if available.
  3. Connect the cable from the Xbox HDMI OUT port directly to an S90H HDMI 2.1 input. Do not place an older switch, capture device or AV receiver between the console and TV while troubleshooting 4K/120Hz.
  4. Select that HDMI source on the S90H and wait for the Xbox to complete its display handshake.

When a soundbar uses eARC

Connect the soundbar’s HDMI eARC/ARC output to HDMI 3 on the S90H, the port reported as eARC for this model. Connect the console to another HDMI 2.1 input. This arrangement lets the TV return audio to the soundbar while the console keeps a direct high-bandwidth video path. If a receiver is also in the chain, test the console directly on the TV first; reconnect the receiver only after 4K/120Hz works.

Enable the S90H’s high-bandwidth HDMI mode

Samsung televisions use an enhanced signal setting to allow the wider bandwidth required by 4K/120Hz. Names can vary with firmware and region, but the option is commonly called Input Signal Plus or an enhanced HDMI signal format.

  1. Press the Home button on the Samsung remote and open Settings.
  2. Open the TV’s external-device or connection settings. On many Samsung menus this is Connection or General & Privacy > External Device Manager.
  3. Open Input Signal Plus, HDMI Signal Format or the equivalent HDMI enhancement menu.
  4. Enable the option for the specific HDMI input used by the PS5 or Xbox. If the menu offers individual ports, enabling it on an unused port does not change the console’s signal.
  5. Return to the source and allow the console to renegotiate the signal. If the picture disappears, wait for the automatic recovery or switch to another input and repeat the setting carefully.

Turn on Game Mode for the console input. Set it to Auto if the TV offers automatic game detection, or select On to force the low-latency mode. Game Mode reduces processing delay; it does not create 120 frames per second and does not compensate for a cable or input that is limited to 4K/60Hz.

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Set up 4K and 120Hz on PS5

  1. From the PS5 home screen, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
  2. Set Resolution to 2160p or the automatic 4K option presented by the console.
  3. Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic. This allows the PS5 to switch to 120Hz when the TV and the game report that they support it.
  4. Leave VRR enabled if you want variable refresh rate and the TV exposes the option. VRR works only when the game and console mode support it.
  5. Review the PS5’s video-output information screen. It should identify a 3840×2160 signal and a 120Hz mode when the console is negotiating that mode. The information may show 60Hz on the dashboard until a compatible game or mode is active.

Some PS5 games hide their 120Hz switch inside the game’s graphics, performance or display menu. Choose the performance or 120Hz mode there, then return to the console information screen to verify the active output.

Set up 4K and 120Hz on Xbox

  1. Open Settings > General > TV & display options.
  2. Set Resolution to 4K UHD.
  3. Set Refresh rate to 120Hz. If 120Hz is not offered, use the troubleshooting section below rather than selecting a lower rate as a permanent fix.
  4. Open 4K TV details on the same screen. The checklist reports which combinations of 4K, HDR, 120Hz and VRR the Xbox detects from the TV and HDMI path.
  5. Enable Allow 4K, Allow HDR and Allow variable refresh rate where those options are available and appropriate for your display.
  6. Start a game with a 120Hz mode and check the game’s own video settings. Some titles require a performance mode before they output 120Hz.

Xbox Series X is documented as supporting 4K/120Hz and VRR. Series S can present the same 120Hz menu, but many Series S games use a lower internal resolution, so 120Hz in the menu does not guarantee native 4K rendering.

Confirm that 4K 120Hz is really active

Do not rely on the console menu alone. Confirm the link at three points:

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  1. TV source information: Open the S90H’s information or signal-details panel while the console is active. Look for 3840×2160 and 120Hz. The exact panel name varies by firmware.
  2. Console diagnostics: On PS5, inspect the video-output information under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. On Xbox, use Settings > General > TV & display options > 4K TV details.
  3. Game mode: Launch a title that explicitly supports 120Hz, select its performance or 120Hz mode, and verify again. A home screen or a 30fps game may legitimately report 60Hz.

VRR is a separate status from 120Hz. A display can accept 4K/120Hz while VRR is disabled, and VRR can be unavailable in a particular game even when the console and TV both support it.

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PS5 and Xbox differences

Feature PS5 Xbox Series X|S
Console video menu Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output; set Resolution to 2160p/automatic and 120 Hz Output to Automatic. Settings > General > TV & display options; set 4K UHD and 120Hz, then inspect 4K TV details.
4K/120Hz capability Supported by PS5 when the game and HDMI path support it. Supported by Xbox Series X; Series S offers 120Hz modes with game-dependent resolution.
VRR Supported; enable it on the console and in a compatible game. Supported; enable Allow variable refresh rate and use a compatible game.
Supplied cable Use the HDMI cable included with the PS5. Use the HDMI cable included with the Xbox; replace it only with a certified Ultra High Speed cable if necessary.
Dolby Vision gaming Not relevant to the Xbox-specific Dolby Vision limitation. Xbox supports Dolby Vision gaming on compatible displays, but Samsung TVs do not support Xbox Dolby Vision gaming. This does not prevent 4K/120Hz operation.

Why the console is stuck at 60Hz

The console is on the wrong input

Move the console to an HDMI 2.1 input and select that source. Even if another port displays a 4K picture, an HDMI 2.0-class path generally tops out at 4K/60Hz. If a soundbar occupies HDMI 3/eARC, use another HDMI 2.1 port for the console.

The cable is not suitable

Replace an old or unlabelled cable with the console’s supplied cable or a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. A cable can carry 4K/60Hz successfully yet fail when the signal changes to 4K/120Hz, producing a 60Hz fallback or an unstable image.

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Input Signal Plus is disabled

Return to the S90H’s external-device settings and enable the enhanced signal option for the exact port in use. The setting is often per input, so changing it for HDMI 1 does not enable HDMI 4.

The game does not offer 120Hz

Check the game’s display or graphics menu. Many games use a 30fps quality mode by default and offer 60fps or 120Hz only after selecting a performance mode. The TV cannot force a game to render at a higher frame rate.

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An intermediate device is limiting the link

Disconnect an AV receiver, HDMI switch, capture card or splitter and connect the console directly to the S90H. If 4K/120Hz returns, the intermediate device is the bottleneck; replace it with equipment explicitly rated for HDMI 2.1, 4K/120Hz and the required HDR and VRR features.

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Fix a black screen or intermittent signal

  1. Turn off both the TV and console. Disconnect power briefly, then restart the TV before the console so the HDMI handshake begins cleanly.
  2. Unplug and firmly reseat both HDMI ends. Check that the cable is fully inserted into the console’s HDMI OUT and the TV’s selected HDMI input.
  3. Connect the console directly to the TV, temporarily removing switches, receivers, splitters and soundbars from the video path.
  4. Try another S90H HDMI 2.1 input and re-enable Input Signal Plus for that port.
  5. Test with the supplied console cable or a certified Ultra High Speed replacement. If one cable works and another does not, retire the failing cable.
  6. If the picture returns only at 60Hz, keep the direct connection and recheck the console’s 4K and 120Hz settings before reconnecting other equipment.

A black screen that appears only when 120Hz is selected usually indicates a bandwidth, handshake or compatibility problem rather than a defective game. Reverting temporarily to 4K/60Hz can restore the picture while you isolate the failing component.

VRR troubleshooting

If VRR is unavailable, confirm that VRR is enabled in the console settings and that the game supports it. Check the S90H’s game or picture menu for a VRR status indicator. Keep the expected mode within the console’s supported combinations: 4K, 120Hz and VRR are jointly limited by the console, game and HDMI path. A title may support 4K/120Hz but not VRR, or VRR only in a lower-resolution performance mode.

Dolby Vision and HDR expectations

Xbox Dolby Vision gaming is separate from 4K/120Hz. Samsung TVs do not support Xbox Dolby Vision gaming, so an Xbox may report that Dolby Vision is unavailable even while 4K/120Hz and VRR work normally. Use the HDR formats that the S90H and the game expose, commonly HDR10; disabling Dolby Vision does not reduce the HDMI link to 60Hz.

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Soundbar, receiver and switch layouts

Layout Wiring When to choose it
Direct console video and eARC audio Console to HDMI 1, 2 or 4; soundbar eARC to HDMI 3. Best starting point for reliable 4K/120Hz and TV-returned audio.
Console through a 4K/120Hz receiver Console to an HDMI 2.1 receiver input; receiver output to an S90H HDMI 2.1 input. Use only when the receiver explicitly supports the required 4K/120Hz, VRR and HDR formats.
Console through an older receiver or switch Console and TV connected through HDMI 2.0-class equipment. Likely to limit the signal to 4K/60Hz; bypass it for 120Hz gaming.

If audio fails after moving the console, leave the console directly connected to the TV and select the TV’s eARC audio output. This preserves the video bandwidth while the TV sends sound to HDMI 3.

What the S90H’s 165Hz specification means

Samsung product pages advertise motion support up to 165Hz, and the independent S90H review reports up to 4K/165Hz for capable PCs. PS5 and Xbox consoles do not output 165Hz; their relevant high-refresh target is 120Hz. Therefore, do not select a PC-style 165Hz option or buy a different cable expecting a console to exceed 120Hz. The extra headroom is useful only when a compatible computer and game can generate a supported 165Hz signal.

Final setup checklist

  • Console connected directly to an S90H HDMI 2.1 input.
  • Soundbar, if used, connected to HDMI 3/eARC rather than placed between the console and TV.
  • Console-supplied HDMI cable installed, or a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI replacement.
  • Input Signal Plus or the equivalent enhanced HDMI option enabled for the active input.
  • Game Mode set to Auto or On.
  • PS5 set to 2160p/automatic resolution and 120 Hz Output set to Automatic.
  • Xbox set to 4K UHD and 120Hz, with 4K TV details showing the expected capabilities.
  • VRR enabled only when the console, TV and game support the selected mode.
  • A 120Hz-capable game performance mode selected before judging the result.
  • TV and console information screens checked for a live 3840×2160, 120Hz signal.

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.

4K 120HzGame ModeHDMI 2.1PS5Samsung S90HVRRXbox Series SXbox Series X

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