Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers three graphics modes on PS5: Performance targets 60 FPS, Balanced targets 40 FPS, and Quality—called Fidelity in PlayStation’s breakdown—targets 30 FPS. These are official targets, not independent measurements or guarantees of a locked frame rate. Balanced also requires a compatible high-refresh-rate display.
PS5 mode comparison
| Mode | Official frame-rate target | Standard PS5 image and rendering trade-off | PS5 Pro features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 60 FPS | Uses a lower rendering resolution and adjusted graphics settings to prioritize frame rate. Standard PS5 gameplay uses baked global illumination. | Ray-traced global illumination, according to Ubisoft. Upgraded PSSR applies to this mode on PS5 Pro. |
| Balanced | 40 FPS | Uses a rendering configuration similar to Quality, with a minor reduction in rendering resolution. Requires a compatible high-refresh-rate display. | Ubisoft later added ray-traced reflections to this mode. Upgraded PSSR applies on PS5 Pro. |
| Quality / Fidelity | 30 FPS | Prioritizes higher resolution and enhanced rendering systems, including ray-traced global illumination. | Ray-traced reflections are included on PS5 Pro. Upgraded PSSR applies to this mode. |
PlayStation’s March 2025 breakdown lists upscaled 2160p output for each mode. That output figure does not mean every mode renders internally at native 2160p: Ubisoft says the modes use different rendering resolutions, and on PS5 Pro they use Dynamic Resolution Scaling.
What each mode changes on standard PS5
Performance: prioritize the 60 FPS target
Performance lowers rendering resolution and adjusts graphics settings to pursue its 60 FPS target. Ubisoft says standard PS5 open-world gameplay uses baked global illumination in this mode rather than real-time ray-traced global illumination throughout the world.
Balanced: a middle ground at 40 FPS
Balanced keeps a configuration closer to Quality while making a modest reduction in rendering resolution to target 40 FPS. It is not simply a 60 FPS mode with a different label; its target sits between Performance and Quality and its display requirement is different.
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Quality / Fidelity: prioritize image quality
Quality, which PlayStation calls Fidelity in its mode chart, targets 30 FPS and favors higher resolution and enhanced rendering systems. Ubisoft describes ray-traced global illumination as part of this mode on standard PS5.
Balanced mode display requirements
Ubisoft says Balanced requires a 120 Hz-compatible display. PlayStation’s breakdown specifies a 120 Hz or 240 Hz display and HDMI 2.1. The official explanations cited here do not say that variable refresh rate (VRR) is required.
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If your display does not meet the stated high-refresh-rate requirement, choose between Performance and Quality rather than assuming Balanced will be available. The sources specify display compatibility, not a particular television or monitor model.
What changes on PS5 Pro
PS5 Pro retains the 60 FPS, 40 FPS, and 30 FPS targets, but its ray-tracing features differ from standard PS5. Ubisoft says Pro Performance uses ray-traced global illumination, while Pro Quality includes ray-traced reflections. Standard PS5 Performance instead uses baked global illumination in ordinary gameplay.
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Balanced reflections were added after launch
PlayStation’s March 2025 launch-era chart labeled Pro Balanced as Standard ray tracing and Pro Fidelity as Extended ray tracing. Ubisoft’s later PS5 Pro update says ray-traced reflections were added to Balanced mode with Title Update 1.0.2. For the current feature set described by Ubisoft, Pro Balanced includes those reflections; the earlier chart reflects the launch-era configuration.
Upgraded PSSR in Title Update 1.1.9
PlayStation announced on March 31, 2026, that upgraded PSSR would arrive with Title Update 1.1.9 on April 7, 2026. The announcement says it applies across Performance, Balanced, and Quality on PS5 Pro. It does not extend that feature to standard PS5. Ubisoft described the visual improvement as sharper pixels and greater image stability; that is the developer’s characterization, not an independent test result.
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Which mode should you choose?
- Choose Performance if a higher frame-rate target matters most and you are comfortable with reduced rendering resolution and adjusted settings.
- Choose Balanced if you want an intermediate frame-rate target and your display meets the high-refresh-rate requirement. On PS5 Pro, Ubisoft says this mode also has ray-traced reflections following Title Update 1.0.2.
- Choose Quality / Fidelity if you prefer higher resolution and enhanced rendering systems and accept a 30 FPS target.
On PS5 Pro, weigh the same frame-rate targets against the additional ray-tracing features and upgraded PSSR. The official specifications do not establish which mode performs best in measured play or whether any mode holds its target in every scene.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Targets are not measured frame-rate results
PlayStation and Ubisoft publish 60, 40, and 30 FPS as mode targets. The official sources cited here do not provide independent frame-rate measurements or a named benchmark, so those figures should not be read as proof of a perfectly locked rate under all conditions.
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