Sony has confirmed that VRR support will be part of the new console of PS5 with an upcoming system update. The feature helps to prevent image disturbances such as tearing.
Even before the PS5 hit the market, the first testers noticed that the new console was missing important features. These include 8K support and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support.
The 8K resolution will be submitted with a system update, as Sony made clear in an update of the official PS5 FAQ. And also in the case of VRR support, the feature overview was subsequently adjusted in PS5. The same applies here: This function will be introduced with one of the upcoming firmware updates.
The wording on the PlayStation Blog says: “PS5 hardware supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) through HDMI 2.1. After a future system software update, PS5 owners will be able to use the VRR feature of compatible TVs when playing games that support VRR.”
On displays with a fixed refresh rate, a frame can only be displayed on the screen at certain, evenly spaced intervals. If a new frame is not yet ready when this interval is reached, the old frame is kept on the screen until the next interval (stutter) or a mixture of the old frame and the finished part of the new frame (tearing) is displayed.
A primary purpose of variable frame rates is to eliminate stuttering and tearing by keeping frame rates in sync with a varying frame rate of a video game. This makes the display smoother despite different refresh rates, as was already clear on the Xbox Series X in the case of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
The PS5 was released in Europe and the rest of the world last Thursday.
