Frame drops during clutch moments shouldn’t plague your $500 console, yet many PS5 owners unknowingly sacrifice 20% of their performance for display features they barely notice. According to Digital Foundry, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and 120Hz output create hidden overhead that’s sabotaging your frame rates in ways most players never realize.
The Hidden Performance Tax
Your console allocates resources to manage VRR compatibility even when games run at locked frame rates.
This isn’t a hardware limitation—it’s a software implementation issue affecting both the PS5 and PS5 Pro. The system constantly reserves processing power to handle potential variable refresh rates, maintaining compatibility with everything from cutting-edge gaming monitors to your uncle’s aging Samsung TV.
Even when Call of Duty runs at a locked 120 FPS, this background management creates micro-stutters and inconsistent frame delivery. It’s like having a performance governor permanently engaged, throttling your console’s potential for display compatibility you might not even need.
When Every Frame Counts
Competitive multiplayer games suffer most from this system-level resource drain.
Picture this: you’re clutching a 1v3 in Valorant, and your screen stutters at the worst possible moment. That’s the VRR overhead in action. While single-player games can mask these inconsistencies through cinematics and pacing, competitive multiplayer exposes every dropped frame.
Your muscle memory depends on consistent visual feedback, and this 20% performance hit translates to a real disadvantage against opponents running optimized setups. Digital Foundry’s testing confirms what competitive players have felt—something’s stealing frames even when games should run smoothly.
The Nuclear Option
Disabling both VRR and 120Hz eliminates the overhead but locks you to 60Hz output.
Navigate to your PS5’s display settings and turn off both features entirely. You’ll sacrifice the smooth visual experience VRR provides, but competitive players know the truth: stable 60 FPS beats unstable 120 FPS every time.
This solution works like switching from automatic to manual transmission—you lose convenience but gain complete control over performance. The system stops managing variable refresh rates entirely, freeing up those reserved resources for actual gameplay.
Smart Gaming Strategy
Different game types deserve different settings based on your priorities.
The trade-off comes down to your gaming priorities. Keep VRR enabled for cinematic adventures like Spider-Man 2, where visual smoothness enhances immersion without competitive stakes. Disable it for ranked matches where consistent frame delivery matters more than eliminating screen tearing.
Your console, your choice—but now you understand the real cost of those display features. Until Sony addresses this software-level issue, competitive players have a clear path to reclaim their stolen performance.