VRR is available on PlayStation 5, how to use it

PlayStation 5 is compatible with VRR. Well, some will say. However, in order to use it, a number of conditions must be met. Here’s everything you need to know.

The PlayStation 5 has been supporting Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for some time now. VRR is a video setting that dynamically adjusts the refresh rate of your TV or monitor to match the in-game FPS. The screen refresh rate does not match the FPS in the game.

Prerequisites for using VRR on PlayStation 5

VRR is a very nice feature, but there are certain prerequisites for using it on PS5. First, you’ll need a compatible PS5 and a game. At the time of this writing, there are only three games: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. Others will obviously add to this list, but not all PS5 games will be eligible, as VRR only works with games that offer between 60 and 120 fps. Therefore, games that offer only 30 or 48 frames per second are deprived of this.

Then you’ll also need a TV or monitor that supports the PS5’s high refresh rate and VRR technology. Today there are many VRR formats like NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync but PS5 uses VRR over HDMI 2.1. HDMI 2.1 is the latest version of the HDMI standard used by most TVs today. This allows you to enjoy features like VRR, high refresh rates, and even 8K. In fact, you need an HDMI 2.1 screen to take advantage of the PS5’s VRR. You will also need an HDMI 2.1 cable. The one that comes with the PS5 does the job perfectly.

HDMI 2.1 was introduced in 2021, and recent TVs and monitors have at least one HDMI 2.1 port. Unfortunately, not all HDMI 2.1 ports support the same features. As such, some displays may have HDMI 2.1 ports and not support VRR (or ARC or other HDMI 2.1 benefits), even if you have the appropriate hardware and play compatible games.

Luckily, it’s easy to find out if a screen supports this feature by going to the console’s settings.

How to enable VRR on PlayStation 5

• Press the PS button on your controller to open the home screen.
• Scroll and select Settings > Display & Video > Video Out.
• Scroll down to the VRR option and select Automatic from the drop-down menu.

If your TV is compatible with VRR, the setting will be activated and you will be able to exit the settings. Launch a compatible game and you should see smoother gameplay. If your TV is not compatible, you will see a message informing you.

If you don’t see the VRR option at all, try updating the system software from the Settings menu under System > System Software > Update System Software. Select Update PS5 Software Online. Wait for the latter to be downloaded and then installed and go back to settings to activate the option.