Sony has just officially announced that the PlayStation 5 will benefit in the coming months from a feature eagerly awaited by owners of recent televisions: the variable refresh rate (Variable Refresh Rate, or VRR, in English).
This function allows the game console to dynamically synchronize the display frequency with the television or monitor to which it is connected. This improves the display quality of games on high frequency screens (4K 120 Hz for example), as well as latency. In addition, the use of VRR avoids a very unpleasant effect called tearing.
This screen tearing occurs when the frequencies are not properly synchronized between the two devices. For example, the image appears to be split in two, with a horizontal break line, because one part is displayed ahead of another. The effect is particularly visible, and annoying on fighting games and other FPS.
The control of the function will be done in the settings of the console, as shown in the image below.
Games will be able to offer variable refresh rate upon release, or after a patch has been applied. Sony has even provided the possibility of using the VRR mode with titles that do not support it. But in this case, the manufacturer does not guarantee that activating the mode will systematically improve the display quality.
To benefit from the VRR function, the PS5 will need to be updated, but also that the television, or the monitor, be compatible and have the HDMI 2.1 standard. Attention, because this version includes many optional functions. It will therefore be necessary to check that the screen does indeed manage the VRR mode.
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Sony says the update will be available in a few months, without giving a specific date. Note that Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S consoles already benefit from VRR mode.
Source : PlayStation-Blog