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How to Improve PS5 Game Graphics With Display and HDR Settings

Get the most from PS5 visuals by checking your display’s supported output, calibrating HDR, and choosing the game mode that fits your priorities.
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To improve PS5 game graphics, first confirm the console is outputting the resolution and display features your screen supports, then calibrate HDR and choose a game’s Resolution Mode when visual detail matters more than smoother motion. These settings cannot add capabilities your TV or monitor—or the game itself—does not support.

How do I improve PS5 graphics?

Check the signal the console is actually sending before changing picture settings. On PS5, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and review Current Video Output Signal and the connected HDMI device information. Sony says the console detects the TV’s capabilities and automatically selects the best available resolution; Resolution set to Automatic selects the highest resolution the TV supports. If you want to verify or set a supported output, choose the corresponding resolution here. Sony’s resolution guide explains the available options.

Resolution is only one part of the image. The display and connection also determine whether features such as HDR, 120 Hz, and VRR are available. Sony describes 4K as almost four times higher definition than standard 1080p HD, but that comparison is not a measured gain from changing a PS5 setting. The official guidance does not quantify how much any individual setting improves image quality.

How do I adjust HDR on PS5?

  1. On the console, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Adjust HDR.
  2. Follow the on-screen prompts and adjust the display as directed by the console.
  3. Under HDR, choose On When Supported if you want HDR output only for games and apps that support it.

Sony describes HDR as providing a higher contrast or larger range of colors and brightness than SDR. With On When Supported, content without HDR support displays in SDR. Always On converts SDR content to HDR output; it changes the output mode but does not add native HDR support to a game or app. Sony notes that the result depends on the home entertainment setup. See PlayStation’s HDR setup guidance for details.

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Should I use Performance Mode or Resolution Mode?

For a PS5 game that offers a choice, use the mode that best suits what you value in that game:

Mode Prioritizes Choose it when
Resolution Mode Higher graphic quality You prefer visual detail over smoother motion.
Performance Mode Smoother motion You prefer smoother motion over the higher graphic quality emphasized by Resolution Mode.

These are game presets, not a universal guarantee of a particular resolution or frame rate. The choice applies only to PS5 games that offer the modes, and implementation can differ between games. Sony’s game preset instructions cover the console preference; check the individual game’s options if you want to know exactly what its modes do.

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When should I enable 120 Hz or VRR?

Enable these features only when the screen and the game support them. A compatible display and a suitable HDMI connection are prerequisites, and VRR results can vary by TV. Check the display’s supported resolution, refresh rate, and VRR capabilities rather than assuming the PS5 can enable a feature by itself. Sony’s resolution and connection guidance covers the console’s video output options.

What to check if 4K or 120 Hz is missing or unstable

If 4K/120 Hz output is absent, flickers, or fails, work through the signal path before changing unrelated picture settings:

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  1. Confirm the TV supports 4K/120 Hz and that its firmware is current.
  2. Connect the PS5 to the TV directly, or verify that an intervening receiver supports the signal.
  3. Use the TV’s HDMI port that supports 4K/120 Hz; not every port necessarily does.
  4. On PS5, check that Resolution is set to Automatic or 2160p, and that Video Transfer Rate is set to Automatic.
  5. Check the cable. Sony identifies the cable included with the PS5 as suitable; if using another cable, use an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz.

If 4K output still flickers, Sony suggests trying Video Transfer Rate -1 or -2. This can stabilize output, but may limit some high-bandwidth video modes and color formats. Change RGB Range only if an HDMI device is reporting the range incorrectly; it is not a general graphics-quality control. The checks and trade-offs above are covered in Sony’s PS5 resolution troubleshooting guidance.

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What settings can—and cannot—improve

Resolution, HDR, game mode, refresh rate, and VRR affect different parts of the display experience. Choose among the capabilities your screen and the specific game support: Resolution Mode favors graphic quality, while Performance Mode favors smoother motion. Neither setting guarantees a universal best result, and changing a console output option cannot make unsupported display hardware or game features available.

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