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How to Get 120 FPS on PS5: Enable 120 Hz and Choose a Compatible Display

PS5 can output 4K at 120 Hz, but reaching 120 fps depends on the game, display, HDMI input, and signal chain. Here's how to set it up and troubleshoot it.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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To play a PS5 game at up to 120 frames per second, enable 120 Hz Output on the console, use a screen and HDMI connection that support the mode you want, and select a 120 Hz or performance mode in a game that offers one. The setting enables compatible video output; it does not make every PS5 game run at 120 fps.

What “120 FPS” means on PS5

Frames per second (fps) describes how many frames a game renders each second. Hertz (Hz) describes how often a display can refresh. To see a game’s 120 fps mode, the game must support it and the display connection must accept the corresponding high-refresh-rate signal.

Sony says PS5 supports 4K 120 Hz video output, but that capability is not a promise that a particular game renders or sustains 120 fps. Sony’s setting description is conditional: it enables 120 Hz output for the TV and games that support a 120 Hz frame rate. PlayStation’s PS5 resolution guide

Two display setups to consider

These are two ways to configure a compatible display, not two tricks for unlocking 120 fps in every game. Choose based on the resolution your screen supports at 120 Hz and the game you intend to play.

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Setup What to verify Best fit
4K TV or monitor at 120 Hz The exact display model and HDMI input support 4K at 120 Hz. A “120 Hz” label alone does not confirm 4K 120 Hz compatibility. Players who want 4K output at 120 Hz, provided the game and signal chain also support the mode.
1440p or another supported resolution at 120 Hz The screen accepts 120 Hz at the resolution you plan to use. PlayStation says PS5 can test 1440p output at SDR or HDR and 60 Hz or 120 Hz when the screen supports 1440p. Players whose compatible monitor or TV supports 120 Hz at a resolution other than 4K.

For either setup, use the display’s manual to identify the right HDMI input and any required setting for high-bandwidth HDMI signals. If a receiver, sound bar, capture device, or other equipment sits between the PS5 and screen, connect the console directly to the display while checking compatibility. PlayStation’s PS5 resolution guide

Enable 120 Hz Output on PS5

  1. Check the game first. Look in its current official documentation or in-game video or graphics settings for a 120 Hz, 120 fps, or performance mode. Support and menu names vary by game; there is no comprehensive current game list established here.
  2. Connect the console to a compatible input. Use the HDMI port that supports your intended resolution and refresh rate. For 4K at 120 Hz, confirm the exact display and input support that combination.
  3. Open the PS5 video settings. Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. For 4K troubleshooting, Sony recommends setting Resolution to Automatic or 2160p and Video Transfer Rate to Automatic.
  4. Turn on 120 Hz Output. In Video Output, enable 120 Hz Output. The setting allows the console to send 120 Hz video to a compatible TV and supported games.
  5. Select the game’s mode, if available. Launch the game and choose its relevant performance or frame-rate option if it offers one. The game determines whether a 120 fps mode exists and how it behaves.

For 4K 120 Hz, start with the HDMI cable supplied with the console, which PlayStation recommends. If it is missing, faulty, or suspected of limiting the signal, check with a suitable Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K 120 Hz. The full path—including intermediary devices—must support the signal. PlayStation’s PS5 resolution guide PlayStation HDMI guidance

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Why PS5 may show 1080p at 120 Hz—or no picture

A screen that accepts 120 Hz at 1080p may not accept 4K at 120 Hz on the same input. If the display reports 1080p 120 Hz when you expected 4K, or goes blank at the higher mode, check the signal path rather than assuming the game or console is defective.

  • Confirm the display’s supported resolution and refresh rate for the specific HDMI input, and enable any display-side setting needed for high-bandwidth HDMI signals.
  • Connect the PS5 directly to the TV or monitor, bypassing receivers, sound bars, capture devices, and other intermediaries.
  • Check the HDMI cable and try the supplied cable or a known suitable Ultra High Speed HDMI cable if a cable fault or limitation is suspected.
  • Update the display firmware if troubleshooting calls for it, then check Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. For 4K issues, try Resolution Automatic or 2160p and Video Transfer Rate Automatic.
  • If 4K output flickers, Sony says Video Transfer Rate -1 or -2 may improve picture quality. Those settings limit some output modes, including 4K 120 Hz, so they may not work for the mode you are trying to use.

See Sony’s resolution and 4K troubleshooting guidance for its connection and video-output checks.

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Is VRR required for 120 fps?

No. Sony describes Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) as a separate feature for compatible HDMI 2.1 VRR TVs and PC monitors; its guidance does not make VRR a prerequisite for 120 Hz output. If you also want VRR, check that both the display and game support it. Sony notes that results may vary depending on the TV and game. PlayStation PS5 features

Do all PS5 games support 120 fps?

No. Game support is title-specific, and enabling the console setting cannot add a 120 fps mode to a game that does not offer one. Check the game’s current official materials or its video settings for the supported mode and any performance option.

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