The PlayStation 5 is a solid console, but it can do more when a few key settings are switched on. Four changes in the system menu can make heavy scenes feel smoother, cut down on lag and help the console show off the kind of performance and visuals it was built to deliver.
One of the most useful is Variable Refresh Rate, or VRR. It can smooth out demanding graphics by lowering the refresh rate on the device, and on the console it can be turned on through Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, where it should be set to Automatic. The same menu also lets owners choose Apply to Unsupported Games, a move that can broaden where the feature helps.
Auto Low Latency Mode, or ALLM, is another setting worth changing on the PlayStation 5. When it is enabled, the console can bypass some of the processing features smart TVs use, which may reduce the amount of possible input lag. It can also be found under Screen and Video > Video Output and set to Automatic, putting the console in a better position to react quickly when a game demands it.
The third change is support for 120Hz output, which lets the console produce visuals at a much faster refresh rate. That matters in games that can use it, especially as modern releases continue to ask more of hardware. Gaming is increasingly resource intensive even on consoles, and the PS5 is no exception.
There is a catch. Some of these settings only truly pay off when the console is connected to a compatible TV, and a set that supports HDMI 2.1 is needed to take full advantage of some of the PlayStation 5’s most useful options. That is where the newer and more expensive PS5 Pro comes into the picture, because the higher-end model can offer more power, but the gains from settings like VRR and ALLM still depend on what is attached to the other end of the cable.
For PS5 owners who want better performance without buying new hardware, these settings are available now. The biggest difference may not come from a new console at all, but from making sure the one already in the living room is set up to use every feature it can.
