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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchConnect the console directly to your TV or monitor with HDMI, select the matching HDMI input, complete the on-screen setup and update the system software. Then open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output: leave Resolution on Automatic unless you specifically need 2160p, set HDR to On When Supported, enable 120 Hz and VRR only when your display and game support them, and run Adjust HDR. That combination gives most PS5 systems the correct picture without forcing standard-dynamic-range content into HDR.
Getting 4K at 120 Hz is not a single-console setting. The display must have a 4K/120-Hz-capable HDMI input, the television firmware and HDMI mode must be configured correctly, and the signal path needs a suitable cable. The PS5 includes an HDMI cable intended for its high-performance output; an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable is the appropriate replacement when the original is unavailable.
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What you need before connecting the console
Prepare the console, its power lead, the supplied HDMI cable, and a television or monitor with an available HDMI input. For 4K/120-Hz play, identify the display’s HDMI 2.1 input before you begin; many televisions have only one or two ports that support the full bandwidth. Keep the console and display close enough for a direct HDMI run while you test the connection.
- Display: A 1080p, 4K or 8K screen can work, but its supported resolution, refresh rate, HDR formats and variable-refresh-rate range determine which options the console can use.
- Cable: Start with the HDMI cable in the PS5 box. For replacement or longer runs, use an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz.
- Signal path: Connect the PS5 straight to the television or monitor during setup. Receivers, soundbars, capture devices and HDMI switches can be added later after the basic signal is stable.
- TV configuration: Have the display’s remote available. Some televisions require an enhanced, high-bandwidth or HDMI 2.1 mode to be enabled separately for the selected input.
If you own a PS5 Pro in the CFI-7000 model group, check accessories before assembly. Sony’s compatibility information lists a vertical stand as compatible with that group and documents incompatibilities involving some older covers and bases. Do not force an older accessory onto a PS5 Pro chassis.
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Connect the PS5 or PS5 Pro and complete first-run setup
- Connect power. Attach the AC power lead to the console and a suitable wall outlet or surge protector.
- Connect HDMI directly. Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the console’s HDMI OUT port and the other into the television or monitor. Use the display’s high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 port if you intend to test 4K at 120 Hz.
- Select the input. Turn on the display and choose the exact HDMI input used by the console. Sony’s quick-start guidance specifically requires turning on the TV and setting it to HDMI.
- Turn on the console. Press the PS5 power button and follow the on-screen prompts for language, network, account and controller setup.
- Install system software updates. Accept an update when prompted. Updated console software and display firmware can add compatibility fixes and expose the correct video-output capabilities.
- Review detected capabilities. Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. The information panel shows what the connected HDMI device reports, including available resolution, HDR and refresh-rate options.
The console reads the display’s capabilities and automatically selects the best available resolution. Automatic detection is therefore the safest starting point; changing several options at once makes it harder to identify a cable, port or television problem.
Set resolution without overriding the display
Automatic for normal setup
Leave Resolution set to Automatic while you establish a connection. The PS5 negotiates with the display and chooses a supported mode. If the display reports 4K correctly, the console can select 2160p output without further intervention.
2160p for a compatible 4K display
You may select 2160p manually under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Resolution when a compatible 4K television or monitor is connected. Sony describes 4K as almost four times the definition of standard 1080p HD. Manual 2160p is useful when a display’s automatic handshake is unreliable, but return to Automatic if the screen goes blank or reports an unsupported mode.
Check the information screen after every change
After changing resolution, read the output-information panel again. It confirms what the console is actually sending rather than what the television advertises in a specification sheet. A 4K television can still be limited to 60 Hz on a particular HDMI input.
Configure HDR for accurate brightness
Choose when HDR is active
Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR. On When Supported keeps non-HDR games and applications in SDR and switches to HDR when the content supports it. This is the appropriate default if you want each title to use its native range.
Always On outputs HDR even for non-HDR content by converting SDR material. Some displays and players prefer a single HDR signal, but the conversion can make SDR games look washed out, too dark or unnaturally saturated. Use Always On only when you have a specific reason and have checked the result in the games you play.
Run Adjust HDR on the connected screen
Select Adjust HDR in the same Video Output area and follow all three calibration screens. Adjust the symbol until it is barely visible at the instructed point rather than making it as bright as possible. This process sets the console’s HDR tone-mapping reference for the display currently connected. If you move the console to another television, repeat the calibration because panel brightness and tone mapping differ.
When HDR is missing
If the HDR option or HDR output does not appear, verify that the display supports HDR, that the selected HDMI input has HDR enabled, and that the television is not in a compatibility mode that restricts color depth or bandwidth. Recheck the cable and run Adjust HDR after the display reports HDR support. A non-HDR monitor cannot be made HDR-compatible by a PS5 setting.
Enable 120 Hz, VRR and ALLM deliberately
120 Hz Output
Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic or enabled for a display and game that support 120 Hz. The console will still run 30- or 60-fps titles at their designed rate; the setting permits compatible games to use a 120-Hz mode. If the picture disappears, flickers or repeatedly renegotiates after enabling it, turn 120 Hz Output off while troubleshooting the display, port and cable.
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Variable Refresh Rate
Turn on VRR when both the display and the game support it. VRR synchronizes the panel’s refresh timing with changing frame output, which can reduce tearing and uneven motion. Results vary by television, so test a demanding game rather than assuming that an advertised VRR label guarantees identical behavior.
The Apply to Unsupported Games option can be used to stabilize frame pacing in titles that do not list native VRR support. Sony advises turning it off if you see unexpected behavior, visual artifacts or instability. Unsupported-game VRR is an optional compatibility aid, not a requirement for ordinary VRR operation.
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On a compatible television, ALLM allows the display to switch automatically into its low-latency or game mode when the console is active. If you need to disable ALLM completely, switch off VRR as well; Sony notes that VRR must also be off for ALLM to be fully disabled. A television’s own game-mode label may differ, so confirm the mode shown by the display’s information banner.
Use Video Transfer Rate to solve signal problems
Keep Video Transfer Rate on Automatic under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output for normal use. If the image flickers, drops out, shows sparkles or repeatedly reconnects, try -1 and then -2. These settings limit the HDMI transfer rate and can make a marginal cable, port or signal path stable. The trade-off is that the console may use a less demanding color format or output combination instead of the highest-bandwidth mode.
Change one value at a time and test the same game or menu for several minutes. If -1 or -2 fixes the picture, replace the cable or remove an intermediary device rather than treating the reduced transfer rate as an ideal permanent setting.
Correct cropping, borders and overscan
If the edges of the dashboard or a game are cut off, or if you see unexpected black borders, open Settings > Screen and Video > Screen > Adjust Display Area. Follow the corner markers until they sit at the visible edge of the panel. Also check the television’s aspect-ratio or overscan control; a display-side zoom mode can undo the console’s adjustment.
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Use the television’s native or just-scan presentation when available. Avoid a cinema, zoom or stretch mode while calibrating because it changes the visible area and can add processing delay.
How to get 4K at 120 Hz
The PS5 supports HDMI 2.1 specifications and 4K 120-Hz video output, but every component in the chain must support the mode. Use this sequence to isolate the limiting component.
- Confirm the panel. Verify that the television or monitor has a native 4K panel and a documented 120-Hz input, not merely motion-smoothing terminology.
- Use the correct port. Connect to the input labeled HDMI 2.1, 4K/120, 8K or an equivalent high-bandwidth designation. Labels vary by manufacturer, and some ports on the same display are limited to lower bandwidth.
- Enable the port’s enhanced mode. In the TV menu, activate the option described as enhanced format, deep color, input signal plus or HDMI 2.1 for that input. The exact label differs by display.
- Use a suitable cable. Start with the PS5’s included HDMI cable or replace it with an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz. A cable that works at 4K/60 is not proof that it can carry 4K/120 reliably.
- Connect directly. Remove a receiver, soundbar, switch or capture device temporarily. Test the console-to-display connection before restoring the rest of the system.
- Update firmware. Install current firmware on both the PS5 and the television or monitor. Display updates can correct HDMI handshake and 120-Hz compatibility problems.
- Verify the negotiated mode. In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, review the detected capabilities, Resolution and 120 Hz Output. A game must also offer a 120-fps mode; the console cannot create one for a title that does not support it.
If the screen goes black after selecting a high-bandwidth combination, wait for the console’s recovery prompt or reconnect using a known-working mode. Turn off 120 Hz Output and return Video Transfer Rate to Automatic before repeating the test with a different port or cable.
PS5 Pro options: 8K and PSSR
Allow 8K Output
PS5 Pro consoles in the CFI-7000 model group can expose an Allow 8K Output control. Enabling it requires an 8K screen that accepts 60-Hz output and supports Display Stream Compression. VRR is disabled while the console is outputting 8K, so 8K and VRR are not simultaneous features in that mode. If your screen is 4K, leave Allow 8K Output disabled; it provides no benefit and adds another negotiation requirement.
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Enhance PSSR Image Quality
The same PS5 Pro model group can show Enhance PSSR Image Quality. PSSR is the console’s reconstruction technology, and this control is model- and software-dependent. Enable it when a supported game and display produce a cleaner image in your testing; disable it if a particular title shows artifacts or if you prefer that game’s standard rendering option. The setting does not turn a non-PS5 game into an 8K output.
Stand and body compatibility
Use only a stand documented as compatible with the CFI-7000 PS5 Pro. Sony’s compatibility guide identifies a compatible vertical stand and lists older covers and bases that do not fit. A stand is a physical-safety accessory, not a picture-quality setting, but incorrect fit can obstruct ventilation or leave the console unstable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to evaluate a TV or monitor for PS5
When comparing displays, use the input and processing specifications below rather than relying on a single “gaming” label. Sony does not publish one universally recommended television model in the cited support material.
| Comparison point | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Native resolution | 4K for standard PS5 output; 8K only for PS5 Pro’s supported 8K mode | Determines the panel’s actual pixel grid and whether an 8K signal is useful |
| HDR support | HDR capability on the exact HDMI input used | Allows HDR games and applications to display their intended brightness range |
| HDMI 2.1 availability | At least one input rated for the required bandwidth | Needed for 4K/120-Hz operation and the PS5’s highest-bandwidth modes |
| 120-Hz capability | Native 120-Hz input at the target resolution | Permits compatible games to use 120-Hz output rather than 60 Hz |
| VRR format and range | Supported VRR standard and refresh-rate range | Determines whether frame-rate changes can be synchronized smoothly |
| ALLM behavior | Whether the display accepts the console’s low-latency signal | Can switch the television into game mode automatically |
| Firmware support | Update history and method for the display | Firmware can affect HDMI handshakes, HDR and 4K/120 compatibility |
| Input lag and game mode | Measured lag in the display’s game or low-latency mode | Processing delay affects controller response, especially in competitive games |
Check the manual for the exact port and supported combinations. A display may support 4K, HDR and 120 Hz individually but not all three on every input or picture mode.
Troubleshoot in the order that removes the most variables
No picture or “no signal”
- Confirm the television is on the HDMI input physically connected to the console.
- Power the display and PS5 completely, then reseat both HDMI ends.
- Connect the console directly to the display and remove receivers, soundbars, switches and capture devices.
- Try the included HDMI cable, then a known-good Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable.
- Test another HDMI input, especially the one marked for 4K/120 or HDMI 2.1.
- If a high-bandwidth setting caused the failure, turn off 120 Hz Output and retry with Resolution on Automatic.
4K is available but 120 Hz is not
Check that the selected port supports 120 Hz at 4K, enable the television’s enhanced HDMI mode, update the display firmware and verify the cable rating. Then inspect the PS5 Video Output information panel. If the display advertises only 60 Hz, the console cannot select 120 Hz regardless of the game’s settings.
Flicker, sparkles or intermittent black screens
Set Video Transfer Rate to -1 and, if necessary, -2. If the reduced rate stabilizes the image, replace the cable and remove intermediary equipment. A persistent problem after a direct connection usually points to the display port, cable or firmware rather than a game setting.
HDR looks gray, dim or oversaturated
- Use HDR On When Supported unless you intentionally want SDR converted to HDR.
- Run Adjust HDR again while viewing the display in its normal game picture mode.
- Confirm HDR is enabled for the selected HDMI input in the television menu.
- Check the game’s own brightness or paper-white slider after the console calibration; do not compensate for a missing HDR handshake by making every in-game value extreme.
VRR causes artifacts or unexpected behavior
Confirm that the game and display both support VRR, then test with Apply to Unsupported Games disabled. If the issue remains, turn VRR off and update the display firmware. A television’s VRR implementation can behave differently across refresh-rate ranges, so stability is more important than leaving the option enabled universally.
Edges are cropped or borders remain
Run Adjust Display Area on the PS5, then disable zoom or overscan on the television. If only one game is affected, check that title’s own safe-area control after the system-level adjustment.
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- Confirm the console is connected directly to the intended display input.
- Read the Video Output information panel and record the detected resolution, HDR status, refresh rate and VRR capability.
- Run Adjust HDR and save the result for that display.
- Test one HDR game, one SDR game and, if available, one 120-Hz or VRR title.
- Restore receivers, soundbars or capture hardware one component at a time, checking the signal after each addition.
This approach leaves Automatic resolution detection in charge, preserves SDR when HDR is unsupported, and enables advanced features only where the display, game, firmware and cable can sustain them.
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