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60 FPS vs. 120 FPS on PS5: What You Actually Trade Off

PS5 supports 4K 120 Hz output, but the real 60 fps vs. 120 fps trade-off depends on each game’s modes, image quality and stability.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Neither 60 fps nor 120 fps is automatically the better-looking PS5 setting. The trade-off depends on the game: its performance modes determine frame rate, resolution, visual detail and stability. PS5 can output a 4K, 120 Hz signal, but that console capability does not mean every game renders at 120 fps—or that its 120 fps mode uses the same image quality as its 60 fps mode.

What changes between 60 fps and 120 fps?

Frames per second (fps) describes how many frames a game renders each second. A 60 fps target means up to 60 frames each second; 120 fps doubles that target. A 120 Hz display refreshes up to 120 times per second, but refresh rate and game frame rate are different: the display can accept a 120 Hz signal without a particular game producing 120 frames per second.

When a game offers both modes, the higher-frame-rate option can make motion and input feel more immediate. The cost, if the developer chooses to make one, may be lower resolution, reduced visual effects or detail, or less consistent performance. There is no PS5-wide rule that 120 fps always requires a particular resolution reduction or that 60 fps is always prettier. The implementation varies by game and may change with patches.

Does PS5 support 120 fps?

PS5 supports HDMI 2.1 and 4K 120 Hz video output, according to Sony’s PS5 4K resolution support guide. This describes the console’s output capability, not a measured frame rate or a guarantee for every title. A game must support a 120 fps mode, and the display setup must support the intended signal.

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For any specific game, check its current in-game graphics or display settings and the developer’s current patch notes. A mode label or console output setting alone does not establish the game’s actual resolution, frame-rate target, dips, or image-quality compromises.

How to compare two modes in a particular game

Compare like with like: the same game, scene, patch and display conditions. Look for reliable, current title-specific documentation or analysis rather than assuming all games make the same trade-off.

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  • Frame rate: Is the mode targeting 60 or 120 fps, and does evidence show it sustaining that target or fluctuating?
  • Image quality: Compare resolution and visible detail, effects and other graphical settings. A mode’s label does not reveal these compromises by itself.
  • Motion and response: Decide whether the smoother motion and more immediate feel of a higher frame rate matter more to you than visual detail.
  • Consistency: Consider frame pacing and stability, not just the highest number a mode may reach.
  • Display behavior: Check whether your screen supports the mode and whether VRR applies to that game and display combination.

Because no particular game is named here, its resolution, observed frame rate, visual compromises and stability cannot be stated as universal PS5 figures. Those details are title- and patch-specific.

Is 120 Hz worth it on PS5?

It can be worthwhile if a game you play offers a 120 fps mode and you value smoother motion or responsiveness enough to accept whatever image-quality trade-off that game makes. If you prefer visual detail, or your chosen game does not offer the mode, a 60 fps option—or another mode the game provides—may suit you better. Check the actual modes and results for the games you care about; a 120 Hz TV does not make every game run at 120 fps.

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What you need for 4K 120 Hz output

Sony recommends checking the full signal path and the display’s own settings if 4K 120 Hz is unavailable. Some televisions require enabling HDMI 2.1 features in their menus.

  1. Confirm that the TV or monitor supports 4K at 120 Hz and identify which HDMI port supports the required feature.
  2. Connect the PS5 to that port. If an AV receiver, soundbar or other device may be interfering, connect the console directly to the display while troubleshooting.
  3. Use the HDMI cable supplied with the console. If investigating a cable issue, Sony says to check a cable rated for 4K 120 Hz output, such as an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable; a replacement is not automatically required.
  4. Update the display’s firmware and enable any required HDMI 2.1 or enhanced-signal setting in the display’s own menus.
  5. On PS5, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and check the available output settings. Sony’s 120 Hz output setting applies to televisions and games that support that frame rate.

These checks establish whether the setup can carry the signal; they do not add a 120 fps mode to a game that lacks one.

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How VRR, 1440p and ALLM fit in

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is separate from a 120 fps mode. Sony explains that on compatible HDMI 2.1 VRR TVs and monitors, VRR synchronizes the display refresh rate with the PS5’s graphical output; the result depends on the display and the game. As Sony Interactive Entertainment executive Hideaki Nishino put it in a PlayStation Blog post dated April 25, 2022, “On HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TVs and PC monitors, VRR dynamically syncs the refresh rate of the display to the PS5 console’s graphical output.” VRR can help the display track changing output, but it does not turn a 60 fps game into a 120 fps game.

Sony says 1440p output requires a compatible TV or PC monitor. It supports 60 Hz, and supports 60 Hz and 120 Hz on compatible displays. Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) is likewise available only on compatible TVs. These settings concern output and display behavior; neither guarantees a particular game’s frame rate or image quality. See Sony’s resolution and 120 Hz guidance and PS5 video output information for compatibility details.

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