PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) is Sony’s AI-based upscaling technology for supported PS5 Pro games. It reconstructs image detail as a game’s visuals are upscaled, with the aim of making fine details clearer and images steadier—especially in motion. It does not mean every game renders natively at its displayed resolution, nor does it guarantee a higher frame rate; the result depends on the game and its implementation.
What PSSR does
Sony describes PSSR as an AI library that analyzes each frame pixel by pixel while it upscales game visuals. In plain terms, the game can render an image at a lower internal resolution, and PSSR estimates detail for the higher-resolution image sent to the display. That reconstructed output is not the same as rendering every pixel natively at the final output resolution.
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PSSR works on image presentation: it does not create a game’s original art assets, change its art direction, or guarantee a particular output resolution. Sony’s explanation is available in its March 16, 2026 PSSR announcement.
How PSSR can improve PS5 Pro graphics
Clearer fine detail
Reconstruction can help retain or present small image features such as hair, foliage, shadow detail, natural-object edges and particles. Sony and developers have cited these as examples of areas where the updated version may improve apparent clarity. They are examples from the technology’s creators, not independent measurements or a promise that every scene will look sharper.
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More stable images in motion
Upscaling has to handle changing frames as the camera or objects move. Sony says the newer PSSR improves motion stability. Tatu Aalto, Graphics Technical Director at Remedy Entertainment, described the upgraded version as improving image upscaling quality and stability, including its response to visibility changes. That does not mean all shimmer, flicker, ghosting or other artifacts disappear.
More room to balance image quality and performance
Sony says improved reconstruction gives developers more flexibility to balance performance and fidelity. A studio may use that flexibility differently from another, or choose different settings within a game. Sony’s announcements do not establish a universal frame-rate increase or a fixed visual-quality gain across titles.
Does PSSR make a game render at its displayed resolution?
Not necessarily. PSSR is an upscaler, so a game can render internally below its output resolution and use reconstruction to produce the displayed image. The exact internal and output resolutions depend on the game and its settings; Sony’s general PSSR announcements do not publish those figures title by title.
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Does PSSR increase FPS?
There is no single FPS result for PSSR. Upscaling can give developers options for allocating performance, but a game’s frame rate also depends on its rendering workload, graphics mode and implementation. Sony says improved PSSR offers more flexibility to balance performance and fidelity; its cited announcements do not specify a general FPS uplift.
Check the game’s own graphics modes and performance reporting. A mode that targets a higher frame rate may make different image-quality trade-offs than a fidelity-focused mode, and PSSR alone does not identify which choice a game makes.
Which games support PSSR?
PSSR is for PS5 Pro games that support the technology; it is not automatically applied to every PS5 Pro title. Sony said PSSR had boosted effective resolution in over 50 titles as of its February 27, 2026 announcement. That is Sony’s dated adoption figure, not an independently verified count, and it does not mean all those games use the upgraded version.
Sony identified Resident Evil Requiem as the first game using upgraded PSSR. In its March 16, 2026 announcement, Sony named these games as adopting or upgrading to the technology:
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- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Control and Alan Wake 2
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- Nioh 3 and Rise of the Ronin
- Monster Hunter Wilds and Dragon’s Dogma 2
The same announcement said Crimson Desert was adopting PSSR at launch and that Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077 would receive patches in the following weeks. Those are rollout statements dated March 16, 2026, not confirmation of each game’s current patch status. Check a game’s current update notes and in-game graphics options before assuming it supports original or upgraded PSSR.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed with upgraded PSSR?
Sony announced an upgraded PSSR on February 27, 2026, and said the algorithm and neural network stem from Project Amethyst, its AI graphics partnership with AMD. The update was first used in Resident Evil Requiem; Sony said improved PSSR began rolling out broadly on March 16, 2026. The improved version is not a separate promise of identical results in every supported game.
Sony also described an optional Enhance PSSR Image Quality system setting for PS5 Pro games that already support PSSR. The setting is intended to enable improved PSSR in compatible existing games. Sony cautions that results vary and recommends turning it off if unexpected visual effects appear. Exact setting labels and title support can change with software updates, so check the console’s current settings and the game’s update information.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesHow PSSR differs from standard PS5 QSSR
PSSR is Sony’s name for the PS5 Pro technology. On October 1, 2026, Sony separately announced Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR) for standard PS5. Sony describes QSSR as a new performance tier of AI upscaling, built with a streamlined neural network and hand-tuned implementation. It is not simply “PSSR on the base PS5”: Sony distinguishes the technologies and describes PS5 Pro PSSR as the higher-quality tier.
Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei were the first QSSR titles Sony announced. Sony engineer Daniel Craig said QSSR provides improvements to image detail and stability on PS5. As with PSSR, that is a statement from the technology’s maker, not a standardized independent comparison.
How to assess PSSR in a particular game
There is no standardized head-to-head result in Sony’s announcements that establishes PSSR as the winner over native-resolution or other upscaling modes in every game. For a useful comparison, use the same game, graphics mode, scene and display, and pay attention to:
- Fine detail in hair, grass, foliage and thin edges.
- Shimmer or flicker as the camera moves, and how stable the image remains over time.
- Ghosting or other artifacts around moving objects and visibility changes.
- Internal rendering resolution and displayed output resolution, when the developer publishes both.
- Frame-rate mode and measured consistency, rather than assuming upscaling raises FPS.
- Whether the game supports original PSSR, upgraded PSSR, or a different upscaling option.
PS5 Pro specifications, such as its AMD Zen 2 CPU and AMD Radeon RDNA-based graphics engine, do not by themselves establish a specific PSSR image-quality gain. PSSR’s effect comes down to supported software and how each developer uses it.
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