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120 Hz

These PS5 Settings Might Be Limiting Your TV’s Performance

A PS5 setting may be mismatched with your TV, but the cable, HDMI port, game, or receiver can matter just as much. Here’s how to check the signal and troubleshoot safely.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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If your PS5 is not showing 4K, 120 Hz, or a stable picture, first check what signal it is actually sending. Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and review Current Video Output Signal and the connected HDMI device information. Sony says Resolution set to Automatic selects the highest resolution the TV supports; that does not guarantee every TV, port, cable, game, or intermediary device supports every mode.

Check the signal before changing settings

Start at Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Current Video Output Signal shows the active output, while the connected HDMI device information helps identify what the console detects. Sony says the PS5 detects TV capabilities and automatically selects the best available resolution. For a compatible 4K display, Resolution can be set to Automatic or 2160p. Sony’s PS5 resolution and video-output guide explains the available settings.

A 1440p display can be checked with Test 1440p Output, which lets you assess SDR and HDR at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, as well as VRR. A supported signal still depends on the display and the game: a PS5 setting cannot add a mode the TV or title does not support.

Match 4K and 120 Hz to the whole HDMI path

For 4K/120 Hz, the console, game, TV, appropriate TV HDMI port, cable, and any equipment between the console and TV all matter. If 4K/120 Hz is missing, use this checklist from Sony’s 4K/120 Hz troubleshooting guidance:

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  • Confirm the TV model supports 4K at 120 Hz and install its latest firmware.
  • Use the HDMI port on the TV that supports the required mode. Some televisions also require a high-bandwidth or enhanced-format option in their own settings; consult the TV’s manual for its menu name.
  • Try the HDMI cable included with the PS5. If replacing a missing, faulty, or unsuitable cable, Sony recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz.
  • Connect the PS5 directly to the TV to rule out a receiver, soundbar, or other intermediary that may affect the signal.
  • On PS5, check that Resolution is Automatic or 2160p and Video Transfer Rate is Automatic.

Do not treat an HDMI 2.1 label alone as proof that a TV supports every feature. Check the TV’s specifications and manual for the actual modes and capabilities, including ALLM.

Set 120 Hz, VRR, and ALLM only when supported

120 Hz Output

Enable 120 Hz Output when both the TV and the game support 120 Hz. If enabling it causes video-output problems in a game, turn it off and check the connection and TV settings before assuming the console is defective.

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Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)

VRR adjusts the display’s refresh rate in real time for supported TVs and games. Sony notes that results vary by TV. You can try Apply to Unsupported Games to see whether it stabilizes frame rate in a game without VRR support; disable that option if gameplay behaves unexpectedly. See Sony’s video-output settings guidance for the console options.

Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)

ALLM lets a compatible TV switch automatically to a low-latency mode during gameplay. It is not signaled while a media app is running. Sony says VRR output can trigger low-latency mode even when ALLM is set to Off; to turn ALLM off completely, VRR must also be off. Check the TV manual to confirm ALLM support rather than inferring it from an HDMI version label. Sony explains the interaction in its PS5 video-output documentation.

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Use Video Transfer Rate as a flicker fix, not an upgrade

If a 4K picture flickers, Sony recommends trying Video Transfer Rate at -1 or -2 under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. These settings constrain output modes to address compatibility or signal issues; they do not improve image quality, and they can reduce the formats available:

Setting Effect on 4K output
-1 Limits 4K 120 Hz and some 4K 50/60 Hz RGB/YUV444 Deep Color output. For 4K HDR at 50/60 Hz, Sony specifies YUV422 or YUV420.
-2 Limits 4K 120 Hz and 4K 50/60 Hz RGB/YUV444 output. For 4K at 50/60 Hz, Sony specifies YUV420.

Try one change at a time and check whether flicker stops. If it does not, restore Automatic and troubleshoot the cable, port, TV settings, and any intermediary equipment. The limits above are described in Sony’s transfer-rate guidance.

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Choose HDR behavior and leave RGB Range alone unless needed

HDR

With HDR set to Always On, the PS5 converts non-HDR-compatible games and apps to HDR output. On When Supported keeps those titles in SDR and uses HDR when the content supports it. Adjust HDR provides brightness adjustment for optimized HDR rendering. These choices affect output behavior; they do not make an SDR title natively HDR.

RGB Range

Sony advises changing RGB Range only when an HDMI device is not sending RGB range information correctly. If the picture looks washed out or crushed, first check the TV and console range settings and their compatibility rather than changing the range arbitrarily.

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Display area

If the image is cropped or surrounded by a black border, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Screen > Adjust Display Area. This adjusts the visible area; it does not change the TV’s supported resolution.

If the TV shows no picture

A blank screen can be an input or connection problem rather than a resolution setting. Sony’s picture and sound troubleshooting steps recommend checking the HDMI connection, selecting the correct TV input, trying another cable or HDMI port, and connecting the console directly to the TV. Check for TV firmware updates as well. If changing a video-output setting leaves the picture unusable, restore a known compatible connection and output mode before continuing to test features.

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