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How to Tell Whether QSSR Is Improving Image Quality on Your PS5

A fair QSSR comparison changes one thing at a time: use the same supported game, graphics mode, scene and display, then inspect both detail and motion.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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Compare QSSR off and on in the same supported PS5 game, graphics mode and scene, changing nothing else. Look for detail that stays clear during movement, less shimmer or breakup, and fewer artifacts—not merely a sharper-looking still image. QSSR is a per-game option, not a switch available in every PS5 game.

First, confirm the game supports QSSR

Sony announced QSSR (Quick Spectral Super Resolution) on October 1, 2026, naming Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei as the first PS5 games to offer it as an additional graphics option. Sony says the feature will be offered broadly to PlayStation developers, but that does not make it a system-wide setting or guarantee it is available in every game. Check the supported game’s graphics options and installed version. Sony’s announcement describes QSSR as an AI-guided upscaling performance tier developed from Project Amethyst, with a streamlined neural network architecture and a hand-tuned implementation. Sony positions PSSR as the higher tier for PS5 Pro.

How to make a fair QSSR on/off comparison

  1. Pick a detail-rich, repeatable scene. Fine hair, foliage, thin railings, distant geometry, text and patterned surfaces can expose differences. Use the same camera angle or return to the same gameplay location for each observation.
  2. Hold the graphics mode and other settings constant. Change only QSSR. If the game has no QSSR control, do not assume that a PS5 console output setting enables it.
  3. Check both a still view and movement. First inspect small textures and thin features without moving. Then move the camera or character through the same scene and watch whether those details remain stable or shimmer, crawl, break up or leave artifacts.
  4. Repeat in gameplay. A menu or isolated frame cannot show how reconstruction behaves during motion. If performance is part of your decision, compare frame pacing in the same scene and mode as well; do not treat one scene’s result as representative of every game.
  5. Keep the display chain unchanged. Preserve the console’s output selection, TV picture mode, HDR state and sharpness processing. These can alter the picture independently of QSSR. Sony says 4K output requires a compatible 4K screen and the 2160p output selection. Its PlayStation Support page identifies “Enhance PSSR Image Quality” as a PS5 Pro-only option, not a standard PS5 QSSR control. See Sony’s PS5 resolution guide.

What to look for in the picture

Fine detail that looks resolved, not artificially sharpened

Compare small textures, hair, foliage and distant edges. Better reconstruction should reveal persistent detail; a harsher outline alone may come from the TV’s sharpening rather than QSSR. Sony and the studios behind the first supported games describe improved detail or clarity as a goal.

Stability while the camera moves

Watch thin lines and fine patterns as they cross the screen. If they hold together more consistently instead of flickering or crawling, that is a more convincing improvement than a single crisp-looking screenshot. Sony and Sucker Punch identify stability as a benefit. In its reported Wolverine comparison, Digital Foundry found substantially improved temporal stability.

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Fewer reconstruction artifacts

Pay particular attention to moving foliage and fine geometry. Flicker, breakup and residual artifacts can be easier to notice in motion than in a still. Digital Foundry reported better sub-pixel integrity and fewer artifacts around moving foliage in its Wolverine analysis.

The quality of the starting image

The apparent gain depends on the game. Digital Foundry described the improvement in Wolverine as exceptional, while saying Ghost of Yōtei showed a less dramatic change because its image quality was already strong. That comparison is a reminder to assess each title on its own rather than expect an identical before-and-after effect.

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Can QSSR affect performance?

It can vary by title, graphics mode and scene, so weigh motion and frame pacing alongside image quality. TechRadar’s October 2, 2026 report of Digital Foundry’s analysis noted an approximately 8–10 fps difference with QSSR in an uncapped Wolverine Performance Mode cutscene test. The report also described performance in some 60 fps dynamic-resolution modes as practically identical with QSSR on or off. These are observations from specific test conditions, not a general performance cost or guarantee for other scenes and games.

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What the available comparisons establish

Sony’s announcement explains the feature’s intended role, but the cited coverage does not provide a broad statistic measuring QSSR’s image-quality improvement across PS5 games. The reported comparisons are useful for knowing what to inspect—detail, temporal stability, sub-pixel integrity, artifacts and mode-specific performance—but they do not establish a universal amount of improvement. Sony quotes Mike Fitzgerald, Head of Technology at Insomniac Games, saying QSSR adds “more pixel-level clarity and stability” to environments in Wolverine. Jasmin Patry, Lead Rendering Engineer at Sucker Punch Productions, says QSSR resolves fine detail in Ghost of Yōtei with greater temporal stability. Treat these as developers’ descriptions of their games, not a quantified result for every PS5 title.

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Quick comparison checklist

  • Same supported game, installed version, graphics mode and scene.
  • Only QSSR changes between observations.
  • Same camera angle, console output and display processing.
  • Fine detail checked in both stillness and movement.
  • Shimmer, breakup and artifacts assessed alongside apparent sharpness.
  • Frame pacing checked separately in the same scene if performance matters.

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