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PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch settings can make games feel smoother, but no console menu can force every title to render at a higher frame rate. Start with the game’s own Performance or high-frame-rate mode, then enable matching 120 Hz or VRR output only when the console, game, display, HDMI port and cable path support it. Finally, use the TV’s Game Mode or ALLM to reduce display processing delay.
The most reliable improvements are therefore compatibility checks and correct configuration, not a single “boost FPS” switch. The steps below separate game rendering, console output and television response so you can see what each setting actually changes.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key setting | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 Performance setup | Higher supported frame rates and responsive play | Performance Mode, 120 Hz Output, VRR | PS5 | November 2026 |
| Xbox high-refresh setup | Games that offer a 120 FPS mode | Refresh Rate: 120 Hz, then the game’s own 120 FPS option | Xbox Series X|S | November 2026 |
| TV Game Mode | Lower controller-to-screen delay | Game Mode or automatic low-latency mode | PS5, Xbox, Switch and compatible TVs | November 2026 |
| Switch TV setup | Reducing display-side delay while docked | TV Game Mode; behavior varies by television | Nintendo Switch (docked) | November 2026 |
What actually makes a game feel smoother?
“Smoother” can describe three different effects. A game’s frame rate determines how often it produces new images. Frame pacing determines whether those images arrive at even intervals. Display latency is the delay between an input and the image appearing on screen. Performance mode primarily affects rendering; VRR can help match display refresh to changing output; Game Mode and ALLM reduce television-side delay.
These settings do not create performance that the game does not support. A 120 Hz signal means the console and display can exchange up to 120 refreshes per second; it does not mean every game is rendering 120 frames per second. The title must include a compatible high-frame-rate mode, and the option may disappear when the connected display cannot support it. Epic’s Fortnite documentation demonstrates this distinction for both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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How do I configure a PS5 for smoother performance?
Use the PS5’s Performance Mode for games that offer it, enable 120 Hz and VRR only with a compatible display, and put the television input in Game Mode. Sony’s current menu path is Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
1. Check what the display supports
Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and inspect the connected-device information. The PS5 detects the television’s capabilities and selects the best available resolution automatically. Confirm whether the display reports 120 Hz and VRR support before enabling those options.
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If your television offers a 1440p mode, use the PS5’s 1440p test to check SDR and HDR at 60 Hz or 120 Hz, plus VRR where supported. This is a compatibility check, not a promise that games will render at that resolution or frame rate.
2. Turn on the PS5 output options that your setup supports
- Resolution: Leave it on Automatic unless you have a specific reason to select another value. Automatic chooses the highest resolution the connected TV supports.
- 120 Hz Output: Set it to Automatic for a compatible 120 Hz display and supported games. If enabling it causes a monitor or television to lose signal or behave incorrectly, turn it off while troubleshooting.
- VRR: Enable VRR when both the display and the game support it. Sony also offers an option to apply VRR to unsupported games; that can produce unexpected behavior, so disable the option if a title flickers, shows artifacts or becomes unstable.
- ALLM: With a compatible television, ALLM can switch the set into its low-latency mode during play. Sony notes that VRR output can invoke low-latency behavior even when ALLM is set to Off; VRR must also be disabled if you need ALLM completely off.
- Video Transfer Rate: Keep this on Automatic. If you see flicker, Sony says selecting -1 or -2 limits some output modes and may improve picture stability.
3. Select the game’s performance preset
On PS5, choose Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets > Performance Mode. This preference applies only where a game exposes a performance-versus-quality choice; individual titles can use different names or ignore the system preference.
Some games also include a separate 120 FPS switch. In Fortnite, for example, Epic instructs PS5 players to select the Performance Mode preset and then enable the in-game 120 FPS option. The option appears only when the game and connected setup make it available. A television or AV chain without 4K/120 Hz support can result in a lower in-game output resolution.
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4. Verify the signal path
For 4K/120 Hz problems, Sony recommends current display firmware, an appropriate HDMI 2.1 port and a direct connection when an AV receiver, soundbar or switch may interfere. Use the cable supplied with the console or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz. The cable carries a supported signal; it cannot raise a game’s frame rate by itself.
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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 matchHow do I set up an Xbox Series X or S for 120 Hz play?
On Xbox Series X|S, set the console’s refresh rate to 120 Hz only after the display passes the console’s compatibility check, then enable a high-frame-rate option inside each game that offers one. Epic’s published Fortnite steps are a concrete example rather than a universal setting for every Xbox title.
- Open Settings > General > TV & Display Options.
- Review 4K TV Details. This screen identifies which resolutions and refresh rates the connected display reports as supported.
- Under Refresh Rate, select 120 Hz when the display, HDMI port and signal path support it. If the choice is unavailable, do not force it; check the port, cable, firmware and any intermediary equipment.
- Launch the game and look for its own Video or Graphics menu. In Fortnite, Epic says to enable 120 FPS Mode under Video and apply the change after setting the console to 120 Hz.
Xbox Series X|S can use ALLM with a compatible television. Roku’s gaming guidance says these consoles rely on ALLM rather than the automatic Game Mode behavior it describes for some other devices. Enable ALLM in the console settings when your TV supports it, and verify that the TV’s HDMI input is configured for its low-latency feature.
A 120 Hz console output still does not guarantee 120 frames per second. The game may render at a lower rate, use dynamic resolution, or offer no 120 FPS mode at all. Treat the console refresh-rate setting as a capability handshake, not a performance override.
What should I change on a Nintendo Switch?
For Switch, the evidence supports a display-side recommendation rather than a universal console performance preset: use the television’s Game Mode while the console is docked. Do not assume that a Switch system-menu resolution option raises a game’s frame rate.
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Roku states that Game Mode reduces controller-to-screen delay and lists Nintendo Switch among devices for which Game Mode is automatically enabled on supported Roku TVs. That behavior is model-specific. On another television, open the picture or input settings for the HDMI port used by the dock and select the manufacturer’s Game, Low Latency or similarly named mode.
Switch games have title-specific resolutions and frame-rate targets. A TV mode can remove extra image processing, but it cannot make a game render beyond its own design. If a picture looks softer after enabling Game Mode, compare the set’s processing options; preserving a particular image enhancement may require accepting additional delay.
Which TV settings reduce input delay?
Game Mode and ALLM address display latency, not game rendering. Game Mode bypasses or reduces processing such as motion interpolation and noise reduction, shortening the controller-to-screen path. ALLM lets a compatible console tell the TV to switch into that low-latency mode automatically when play starts.
Use the correct HDMI input
High-refresh and VRR features may be limited to particular HDMI ports. Check the labels and the television’s manual for the port that supports 4K/120 Hz or HDMI 2.1, then connect the console directly for the initial setup. If the signal works directly but fails through an AV receiver or switch, that intermediary may not pass the required format.
Enable VRR only when every link supports it
VRR dynamically matches the display’s refresh behavior to the console’s changing output. In Sony’s April 25, 2022 PlayStation.Blog announcement, Hideaki Nishino described it as a system that “dynamically syncs the refresh rate of the display to the PS5 console’s graphical output.” Sony also cautions that results vary by TV, game and visual mode. VRR can reduce tearing and uneven frame pacing on supported combinations, but it is not a universal cure for stutter.
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Keep picture processing trade-offs in mind
Game Mode may disable motion smoothing, cinematic interpolation, dynamic contrast or other enhancements. Those changes are normally desirable for responsive play, but they can alter the picture’s appearance. If a television offers separate settings for HDR, SDR and each HDMI input, configure the game input rather than changing every source.
Should I choose Performance Mode or Quality Mode?
Choose Performance Mode when steadier motion and lower control latency matter more than maximum resolution or visual effects. Choose Quality or Resolution Mode when you prefer sharper output, denser detail, ray-traced effects or a higher visual preset and can accept a lower or less consistent frame rate.
| Priority | Usually favors | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Fast aiming, racing or competitive play | Performance or high-frame-rate mode | Lower resolution or reduced effects may be used by the game |
| Fine environmental detail and cinematic effects | Quality or Resolution mode | Lower frame rate or more noticeable frame-time changes |
| Uneven output within a supported range | VRR, when compatible | Compatibility and results vary by display, title and visual mode |
| Immediate controller response | TV Game Mode or ALLM | Some television image processing is disabled |
There is no platform-wide best preset. A game may expose separate toggles for frame rate, resolution, ray tracing and VRR behavior, and a patch can change those choices. Read the title’s own description and keep a per-game preference if the system-level preset does not produce the desired result.
How do I troubleshoot flicker, a blank screen or missing 120 FPS options?
Work from the display outward. A missing option usually means that one part of the chain is not reporting the required capability, while flicker or a blank screen can indicate an unstable mode or incompatible intermediary.
- Confirm the game supports the mode. Search its Video, Graphics or Display menu. In Fortnite, the 120 FPS option is absent when Epic considers it unavailable.
- Check the TV or monitor specification. Verify 120 Hz, VRR and the target resolution at the same time; support for one does not imply support for all combinations.
- Use the right HDMI port. Move the console to the port designated for high refresh or HDMI 2.1, then repeat the console’s detection or compatibility check.
- Update firmware. Sony specifically includes current display firmware in its 4K/120 Hz troubleshooting guidance.
- Remove intermediary equipment. Connect the console directly to the display. Reintroduce an AV receiver, capture device or switch only after the direct connection works.
- Replace or verify the cable. Use the console’s supplied cable or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz. A certified cable cannot compensate for a non-supporting TV or receiver.
- Reduce the mode while diagnosing. On PS5, turn 120 Hz Output or VRR off if they cause output problems; leave Video Transfer Rate on Automatic, trying -1 or -2 only for flicker.
- Check the TV input mode. Game Mode and ALLM can be separate controls. Make sure the setting is active on the HDMI input used by the console, not just on another source.
What can these settings not do?
They cannot unlock a higher frame-rate mode that the game does not provide, turn a 60 Hz panel into a 120 Hz panel, or make a non-VRR display synchronize variable output. They also cannot eliminate slow loading, CPU limits, network lag or a game’s own shader-compilation stutter.
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They may change output resolution when the hardware cannot sustain the requested combination. For example, Epic warns that a Fortnite setup without 4K/120 Hz support may produce an affected output resolution. Consider that an expected compatibility result rather than a fault with the console.
What is the most reliable setup order?
Use this order whenever you install a console on a new TV or monitor:
- Connect the console directly to the display’s supported high-bandwidth HDMI port.
- Update the display and console software.
- Turn on the display’s Game Mode, or enable ALLM if both devices support it.
- Run the console’s capability check: PS5 connected-device information or 1440p test, or Xbox 4K TV Details.
- Enable 120 Hz and VRR only when the check confirms support.
- Select the game’s Performance or high-frame-rate option and apply any separate in-game 120 FPS setting.
- Play a short session and watch for flicker, signal drops, artifacts or unexpected resolution changes. If any appear, step back to the last stable setting and troubleshoot the cable, port, firmware and intermediary devices.
This sequence prevents a common mistake: changing several variables at once and then not knowing whether the console, game, television or signal path caused the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a 120 Hz TV make every PS5 or Xbox game run at 120 FPS?
No. The display and console must support 120 Hz, and the individual game must include a compatible high-frame-rate mode. Some games remain capped at lower rates or change resolution to reach their chosen performance target.
Is VRR better than 120 Hz for smoother console gaming?
They solve different problems. 120 Hz provides a higher-refresh output capability, while VRR adjusts refresh timing to changing frame delivery; a game and display can benefit from either or both when the complete setup is compatible.
Why does enabling Game Mode make my TV picture look different?
Game Mode commonly disables processing such as motion interpolation, noise reduction or dynamic enhancement to reduce delay. That can look less cinematic, but it shortens the display’s response path; you can compare the mode on the console’s specific HDMI input.
Can a new HDMI cable increase my console’s FPS?
No. A correctly rated cable can carry a signal such as 4K at 120 Hz when the console, display and intermediary devices support it. It cannot add a frame-rate mode that the game or hardware does not offer.
