Sony Updates PS5 with VRR and All You Need to Know is Here!

1. What Is Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)?
2. What Are the Different VRR Systems?
3. Does PS5 Support VRR?
4. What Type of VRR Support Does PS5 Offer?
5. How Do I Activate VRR on the PS5?
6. Is VRR Active on my PS5 Right Now?
7. Do I Need HDMI 2.1 for VRR on PS5?
   
8. Summary

As you might imagine, different display and device manufacturers each have their own proprietary VRR systems. Gamers will likely recognize the Freesync by AMD or G-Sync, by their competitor NVIDIA. VESA meanwhile has their own option called Adaptive Sync. These systems are all quite similar, and each serves the same essential purpose. 

Just like Xbox consoles, PS5 likely uses Adaptive Sync as originally designated by VESA. We don’t know the frame rate range for certain yet, but it is likely between 40Hz and 120Hz. The VRR used on PS5 should therefore be the same as the one brought in by Xbox One X back in November 2017, which is still used now on Xbox Series consoles. This version of VRR is compatible with FreeSync and G-Sync due to their shared Adaptive Sync heritage.

It’s also the same VRR that was introduced for HDMI 2.1 alongside auto low latency mode and eARC. 

To check on your PS5’s VRR, go to Settings, then Screen and Video. You will see VRR in the middle. The toggle only offers two options, off and automatic. 

Go ahead and toggle the setting to “automatic”. This means VRR will work whenever possible, and most likely all the time, as is the case with VRR on Xbox consoles.

On this same screen, be sure to also enable “Apply to Unsupported Games”. What does this mean? In addition to now-standard VRR functionality, Sony occasionally builds VRR patches specific to popular games, intending to maximize their performance and playability. That said, VRR still functions to some degree on all PS5 games, including the “unsupported” ones.

If VRR is active and you are still experiencing screen tearing, please consult our screen tearing troubleshooters guide. 

Yes, as the official release from Sony states, VRR and HDMI 2.1 are required together.

Gaming monitors like the EX2710U or EX3210U already feature dual HDMI 2.1 full bandwidth 48Gbps ports, and the PS5 was designed with HDMI 2.1 in mind. We therefore recommend using HDMI 2.1 for VRR on the PS5. 

While Sony said VRR would be added in late April 2022 as an update, it was not an actual system software update, so don’t go looking for one. We don’t know how this was delivered to consoles, but the feature simply appeared, for us on April 27. While Xbox consoles have supported VRR since late 2017, it seems Sony has taken a different approach, perhaps more realistically because in 2017 there were no TVs with VRR. In any case the feature is here now. However, if it doesn’t show up for you, you may need to shut down your PS5 and restart.

VERY IMPORTANT:

Your display needs to be in game mode for the PS5 to detect VRR. Without that, the feature will likely not appear. For example, if you have the MOBIUZ EX3210U, you should set the monitor to the Gaming picture mode. There may be cases where VRR will appear nonetheless, but from our experience, a game mode is required to enable it.

To check on your PS5’s VRR, go to Settings, then Screen and Video. You will see VRR right in the middle. The toggle only offers two options, off and automatic. 

Sony finally delivered VRR to PS5 and we’re happy. Check out our guide to choosing the right monitor for your PS5 setup!