Is PS5 FPS Capped? An In-Depth Look at Framerates on Sony‘s Powerhouse Console

So, is framerate capped on the PlayStation 5? The short answer is no, Sony does not impose any global fps limits across PS5 games. But achieving ultra high 120fps gameplay depends on the game, display device capabilities, and user settings. This article provides a detailed breakdown.

PS5‘s Impressive Framerate Potential

Sony designed the PS5 hardware architecture with performance optimizations specifically for delivering higher, smoother framerates compared to previous PlayStation generations.

The powerful custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU, cutting edge RDNA 2 GPU, specialized I/O components like the custom flash controller and hardware decompression blocks, 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, and other customizations provide a big leap over the base PlayStation 4‘s dated Jaguar CPU and slower GDDR5 memory. Combined they enable higher peak computational throughput and data bandwidth for better framerates.

Digital Foundry did a deep dive on PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny’s GDC talk revealing these technical details. In their analysis:

"PlayStation 5 is a game-changer in that its entire design is based on transforming the user experience when it comes to performance, loading times and frame-rates."

So Sony absolutely built PS5 for better framerates as a baseline. But how high can fps potentially go?

PS5 Framerate Technical Specs and Performance Modes

The PS5 supports up to 120 frames per second (fps) natively through ports like the front USB-C and rear HDMI 2.1 interface. That‘s twice the framerate ceiling of 60fps on PS4 Pro and other last-gen consoles. So there is definitely no global capping at 60 fps anymore!

To hit 120fps, PS5 system architects chose HDMI 2.1 which has enough video bandwidth overhead for:

• 4K resolution at 120Hz
• 1440p resolution at 120Hz
• 1080p at 120Hz

Whether a game actually renders at native 4K, 1440p, dynamic 4K, upscaled 1080p, or lower resolution – the HDMI connection itself does NOT limit framerate performance potential in any way.

The PS5 system software also provides explicit Performance vs Resolution "Game Presets" modes in system settings. Players can choose on a per-game basis to prioritize either:

• Highest possible frame rate (Performance mode)
  • Enables 120fps, adaptive sync/VRR gaming
• Maximum visual quality with ray tracing, 4K graphics etc (Resolution mode)
  • Caps at 60fps for added graphics effects

So in the PS5 OS itself, there are toggles for gamers to "unlock" the fps cap and push much higher framerates if they desire.

Of course all of the above assumes your display even supports 120Hz refresh rates in the first place via HDMI 2.1. But let‘s breakdown what framerates to expect in different PS5 gameplay scenarios…

What Framerates to Expect from PS5 Games

While the PS5 hardware and ports themselves do NOT limit fps, whether a specific game hits 60fps, 120fps, or variable framerates in between depends several factors:

• Game engine and optimization – the developers have to code and optimize to target higher framerates. This requires extra effort and CPU/GPU performance headroom that last-gen consoles lacked.
• User settings – players need "Performance mode" enabled in System Settings to prioritize fps over visuals.
• Display device connectivity and specs – HDMI 2.1 and 120Hz refresh rate support needed to see 100+ fps.

As Digital Foundry explained in their technical review, game developers essentially have a "performance budget" to work within:

"PlayStation 5 offers two frequency targets – one to optimize for throughput and, by extension, frames per second, while the other offers more headroom for "width" – new features, richer visuals or indeed higher resolutions."

With smart optimization across the PS5‘s powerful multi-core processor and capable GPU silicon, developers CAN hit up to 120fps if that is their chosen optimization target.

But some may instead invest that performance budget into pushing visual fidelity like ray tracing, simulation physics, complex game logic, or 4K textures instead of ultra high fps.

So rather than a fixed performance cap, PS5 game fps ultimately comes down to design decisions and optimization tradeoffs by the developers.

With that context understood, here are rough framerate buckets to expect from modern PS5 titles based on their performance mode:

Of course there will be exceptions and variability. The point is PS5 now provides OPTIONS for both higher baseline framerates and upside past 60fps that simply wasn‘t possible in previous console generations.

But to reiterate, the PS5 system does NOT universally limit or cap frames per second output alone.

Now let‘s discuss real-world gameplay results across popular PS5 titles…

Framerate Analysis of Top PS5 Games

While the PS5 hardware may allow uncapped framerates, most games are still optimized to hit "tiered" performance targets like 4K/30fps or dynamic 4K/60fps based on the game engine and complexity of each title.

But an increasing number of PS5 games offer 120fps modes, especially competitive online titles.

Here is a benchmark analysis of framerate performance in some top PlayStation 5 games today:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

• 120fps mode available
• Hits native 4K and dynamic 4K resolutions near 120fps
• Stays solidly above 100fps during intense action

God of War: Ragnarok

• 4K checkerboard rendering + temporal injection
• 1840p resolution + 60fps locked
• Performance mode enables ~100fps+

Horizon Forbidden West

• 1800p checkerboard rendering
• 60fps cap with v-sync + ray tracing
• Performance mode disables ray tracing for smoother experience

Gran Turismo 7

• Native 4K/30fps with ray tracing
• 1800p upscaled to 4K at smooth 60fps

Other tested PlayStation 5 games like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Destiny 2, Rainbow Six Siege, Dirt 5, and more also deliver framerates between 60fps to 120fps depending on visual settings.

And this list will only continue expanding over the PS5 lifecycle. Especially as developers refine optimizations for the new hardware and complex engines like Unreal Engine 5 mature.

So in summary – when prioritizing performance over fidelity, top PS5 games CAN reliably hit uncapped framerates. But expect baseline targets around 60fps for now.

Could a PS5 Pro Unlock Even Higher Framerates?

Sony will inevitably release a mid-cycle PS5 Pro at some point, as they have with every PlayStation generation since PS1.

Their typical strategy is to double down on performance, leveraging process node improvements, bigger chips, and more advanced components to push more TFLOPs and bandwidth.

Based on a Bloomberg report, Sony plans to launch a PS5 Pro model in 2024 or 2024.

So how much more headroom on framerate could a PS5 Pro potentially unlock given 7nm transistor evolution and expected chiplet GPU designs by 2024?

Here is a rough performance projection:

• +30% more raw TFLOPs brute force from bigger Navi 2X-based GPU
• +15% higher IPC from Zen 4 or Zen 5 CPU architectures
• Faster clocks from node process maturity
• DLSS 3 frame generation could effectively double framerates

Combining the above next-gen hardware and software advancements, hypothetically the PS5 Pro could push 180fps at 4K resolution and well over 200fps+ at 1440p.

That would require HDMI 2.1 ports supporting refresh rates up to 240Hz though. So display connectivity remains an important factor.

But the point remains – console performance should continue improving each generation. Therefore games will keep hitting higher framerate targets over time, rather than face arbitrary capping.

The Game Developer‘s Role in PS5 Framerates

At the end of the day, the game creators themselves determine target framerate experience on PS5 via their engines, optimizations, and performance budgets.

Sony simply provides groundbreaking hardware and system software capabilities that remove past barriers to high framerate greatness.

Because modern AAA game worlds are so vast and complex – with intricate physics, simulations, visual effects and more running at 60+ fps – there is always intrinsic motivation for developers to chase higher fps targets.

Unreal Engine 5 and other new creation tools should also keep making high framerate experiences more approachable.

So while pure compute power continues growing exponentially as Sony‘s custom silicon evolves, software ultimately decides how much FPS magic gets unleashed.

Which confirms the PlayStation ecosystem positively does NOT mandate arbitrary fps capping that would hinder gameplay for PS5 gamers.

Conclusion – PS5 Framerates Analysis Summary

In summary:

• The PS5 hardware and system software do NOT limit or universally cap frames per second – that responsibility lies with game developers
• Support for up to 120fps comes standard depending on display device connectivity
• Enabling Performance modes disables caps for peak fps gaming
• Most top PS5 titles currently target 4K/30fps to 60fps during average gameplay
• Well optimized competitive online games hit 100-120fps via lower resolution or upscaling
• Future PS5 Pro models could push 180fps or 200+ fps at higher resolutions
• But realistically, expect baseline 60fps gaming for most experiences

So is PS5 FPS capped? No – the console gives players incredible high framerate potential. But achieving FPS greatness still requires work by game creators.

I hope this detailed analysis helps explain what framerate Performance modes are truly capable of on PlayStation 5 today and into next-gen! Let me know if you have any other questions.