The world of gaming has been stuck on 60 FPS for the better part of a decade. With competitive titles now transitioning to 120, 144, and even 360 Hz, this begs the question – can a PS4 run at 120 FPS?
No, a PS4 cannot run at 120 FPS. It does not output over 60 Hz; thus, it cannot produce 120 FPS for any game, be it one ported from the PS2 / PS3 or a newer title. This is because it lacks the hardware necessary to drive demanding (and even casual) titles to the high frame rate.
In this article, we’re going to go over the exact reason why a PS4 cannot run at 120 FPS, alongside the differences between a PS4 Pro’s framerate and whether any PlayStation can actually run games at 120 FPS.
Why Can’t The PS4 Run Games At 120 FPS?
The PS4 was released in 2013, running a GPU powered by GPU clocking in at 1.84 TFLOP. For the time, this allows the console to provide decent performance at stable frame rates. At that time, only a few GPUs from the PC end could utilize 120 Hz, and high refresh rate gaming was starting to become mainstream.
So, to keep costs down, Sony made the active decision to opt for better visual quality and stable performance instead of providing users with the option to hit 120 FPS. In fact, a bigger goal for the console maker at that time was to push for 4K resolution, a testament to the eventual development of the PS4 Pro.
The PS4, then, for all intents and purposes, does not output over 60 Hz in any case. Because of that, it cannot produce 120 FPS for any game, be it one ported from the PS2 / PS3, or a newer title.
Does The PS4 Pro Run Games At 120 FPS?
No, the PS4 Pro cannot run any game at 120 FPS. This is because when developed, the PS4 Pro aimed to achieve 4K @ 60 FPS instead. Therefore, the developers did not really heed the idea of having a console that runs games at 120 FPS.
Theoretically, the PS4 Pro does have the potential to run some titles at 120 FPS, but, there is no foreseeable future for the console actually running games at that frame rate. Even with an impressive boost from 1.84 TFLOP on the PS4 to a whopping 4.2 TFLOP on the PS4 Pro, all that extra performance was placed towards running games on 4K.
Keep in mind, though, that if you do upgrade to a PS4 Pro from a PS4, you’ll notice a great increase in quality and overall smoothness whether you own a 4K TV or not. This is because the PS4 Pro has the performance overhead necessary to render games at near-native resolution while also keeping frame rates stable.
Does PS4 VR Run Games At 120 FPS?
Yes, PS4 VR or PSVR can run a few games at 120 FPS. By using a technique called re-projection, which effectively doubles the actual frames that are being rendered, you can experience higher frame rates. However, this is not equivalent to the native 120 FPS that you can expect from PCVR titles or the Oculus Quest 2, for instance.
The PS4 / PS4 Pro simply lacks the firepower needed to render VR titles at such a high frame rate. It’s a miracle of optimization that even the older PS4 can still run VR titles with no real hitches or lag, given that you are okay with the reduced frame rate and the occasional stutters here and there.
Does The PS5 Run Games At 120 FPS?
Yes, the PS5 supports 120 FPS, and multiple titles already support the functionality. Sony had to opt-in for this feature because the PS4 had already fallen behind the Xbox One, released at the same time as it had allowed for 120 Hz output much earlier.
So, while the PS5 was just playing catch-up at this point, it now supports the ability to play a select number of titles at 120 FPS. Moreover, it also allows you to play 4K titles at higher frame rates due to the greater amount of performance that the console can harness from its updated GPU, coming in at 10.28 TFLOP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is PS4 Max FPS?
The PS4 supports a maximum frame rate of 60 FPS for all resolutions. Even if a title is ported over from the PS3 / PS2, the PS4 will still render it at a solid 60 FPS. Some titles do dip down below the maximum frame rate, though, if a scene is particularly intense.
Can I Increase FPS On PS4?
There is no way for you to increase your FPS on PS4 other than making sure the vents and exhausts are clean. However, the PS4 Pro does have a feature called Boost Mode that allows you to gain a bit of a performance boost on some titles.
What Resolution Is PS4?
The PS4 supports 1080p and 1080i resolutions. However, the PS4 Pro supports 4K resolutions on titles that are upgraded and optimized for the newer console. You can plug a PS4 in a 4K TV, but it’ll render at native resolution instead.
Conclusion
The PS4, for all intents and purposes, Pro, Slim, or Fat, does not run any game at 120 FPS and only supports 60 Hz. However, once you bump up to the PS5, you’ll be able to enjoy titles at much smoother frame rates. As of yet, there seems to be no indication of whether Sony will ever implement 120 FPS on their older consoles, given that they wish to incentivize users to purchase their latest and greatest, the PS5.
