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“QSSR” appears to mean PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, which Sony abbreviates as PSSR. To choose between a PS5 game’s image-quality and performance options, select its Resolution Mode for higher graphic quality or Performance Mode for smoother motion. On PS5 Pro, Enhance PSSR Image Quality is a separate system setting—not a replacement for either game preset.
What the PS5 settings actually control
There are two distinct choices that can affect how a game looks and feels:
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- Performance Mode or Resolution Mode: A game preset that sets the developer’s balance between motion smoothness and graphic quality. Sony describes Performance Mode as making motion smoother and Resolution Mode as providing higher graphic quality. The available modes and their effects depend on the game.
- Enhance PSSR Image Quality: A separate PS5 Pro system toggle for image quality in certain PSSR-compatible games. It does not globally replace a game’s preset, and Sony does not promise that switching it on will increase frame rate.
PlayStation’s support material calls the upscaling technology PSSR; “QSSR” is not the abbreviation used in the official sources. Sony says PSSR upscales game visuals, while the upgraded version aims to improve image stability, fine-detail clarity and performance consistency in supported titles. Developers decide how to balance fidelity and performance in each game, so results vary.
How to choose a game’s Performance or Resolution preset
Set a default for games that offer both options, then check the game’s own settings if you want to change or confirm the choice for a particular title.
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- On the PS5 home screen, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets.
- Select Performance Mode if smoother motion is your priority, or Resolution Mode if higher graphic quality is more important.
- Launch the game and compare its modes in an area with movement and detail. Use the game’s settings menu if it offers a separate mode control.
Sony says game presets apply to PS5 games, but only games that offer these modes will honor the selection, and some settings may not apply to every game. There is no universal frame-rate or resolution figure that applies to every title; the game’s implementation determines the trade-off.
Choose Performance Mode when motion matters most
Try Performance Mode for action, racing or other play where responsive-looking motion is your main preference. This is a practical preference, not a guarantee of a particular frame rate: Sony’s general guidance describes the mode as making motion smoother, but does not specify a result for each game.
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Choose Resolution Mode when graphic quality matters most
Try Resolution Mode if you prefer the game’s higher-graphic-quality preset. The exact visual difference is title-specific, so inspect the image in the game rather than assuming the mode always changes resolution in the same way.
How to use the separate PSSR image-quality toggle
On a compatible PS5 Pro, find the toggle at Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Enhance PSSR Image Quality. Sony says it is on by default and can be turned off if needed. It is available only on consoles in the CFI-7000 model group, and improves image quality in certain PSSR-compatible games.
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Start with the default setting in a supported game. If you notice unexpected visual behavior, turn the toggle off and compare. Treat it as an image-quality option: the system setting is not a universal Performance/Resolution selector, and its presence does not establish that every game supports it or will look better in the same way.
Sony announced on March 16, 2026, that a system software update was beginning to roll out with broad support for upgraded PSSR. The announcement named SILENT HILL 2 and SILENT HILL f, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Control, Alan Wake 2, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Nioh 3, Rise of the Ronin, Monster Hunter Wilds, Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Resident Evil Requiem. It said Crimson Desert would adopt the technology at launch and that Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077 would receive patches. Sony’s PS5 Pro product page also lists enhanced PSSR support for a number of these games. Support can change with patches; check the game’s current information and do not assume a listed technology delivers identical results across titles.
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In that announcement, BioWare Studio Technical Director Maciej Kurowski said of the implementation in his studio’s game: “With the new PSSR, we’re delivering a meaningful improvement in image quality while still maintaining stable framerates in Fidelity and Performance modes.” Remedy Entertainment Graphics Technical Director Tatu Aalto said: “The upgraded PSSR improves image upscaling quality and stability.” These are developer comments about their implementations, not guarantees for every supported game.
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A compatible display can matter if you want to use higher refresh rates or Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), but neither capability is required just to choose a game preset. Sony says 120 Hz output needs both a compatible display and a game with 120 Hz frame-rate support; VRR needs a TV and game that support VRR. For 4K at 120 Hz, Sony recommends the included PS5 cable or an Ultra-High-Speed HDMI cable rated for that output.
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If an expected display feature is unavailable, check the TV’s capabilities and firmware, use a suitable cable, connect the console directly to the correct HDMI 2.1 port, and review the console’s output settings. A display’s supported resolution, refresh rate and VRR capability affect available output features; they do not determine which game preset is best for your preferences.
A quick way to compare in your game
- Confirm that the game actually offers Performance and Resolution modes.
- Play a representative section in Performance Mode if smoother motion is your priority.
- Replay it in Resolution Mode if you want to compare graphic quality.
- On a CFI-7000 model group console, leave Enhance PSSR Image Quality on initially in a compatible game; turn it off to compare if you see unexpected visual behavior.
- Keep the combination that looks and feels best to you in that title.
For official instructions, see Sony’s guides to customizing PS5 game presets and PS5 resolution and video output, plus its March 16, 2026, upgraded PSSR announcement.
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