Both PS5 and PS5 Pro offer Performance, Balanced, and Graphics modes targeting 60, 40, and 30 fps. In Oliver Mackenzie’s technical comparison for Digital Foundry, Performance was the best starting point on either console: frame rates were broadly similar between them, while the Pro produced a sharper image and more noticeable ray-traced reflections. Balanced mode had uneven frame pacing on both systems despite its 40 fps target.
In this comparison
- The three graphics modes
- What PS5 Pro changes
- Why Balanced’s 40 fps target can feel uneven
- Which mode should you use?
- How players describe image quality
The three graphics modes
The frame-rate figures are targets, not guarantees. Mackenzie reported that Performance mode generally held close to 60 fps on PS5 during typical play and was largely consistent at 60 fps on PS5 Pro.
| Mode | Frame-rate target on both consoles | Reported base PS5 resolution or image | Frame delivery in the test |
| Performance | 60 fps | Dynamic resolution from 900p to 1080p | Generally stable in typical play on PS5; largely consistent on PS5 Pro |
| Balanced | 40 fps | Between Performance and Graphics, closer to Performance | Uneven frame pacing on both consoles |
| Graphics | 30 fps | 1440p reported | Sometimes exceeded the 30 fps cap; this was not a consistently higher frame rate |
Dynamic resolution means the rendered resolution can vary from scene to scene. The reported 900p–1080p range applies to base-PS5 Performance mode; the review did not establish mode-specific internal resolution figures for PS5 Pro.
What PS5 Pro changes
PS5 Pro looked sharper across the modes in Mackenzie’s comparison, especially in Performance mode, but the review found broadly similar frame-rate behavior on the two consoles. Its ray-tracing toggle covers shadows, reflections, and global illumination. Reflections were the clearest visual improvement; the reviewer also observed softer indirect shadows improving, while direct shadows appeared unchanged. Enabling the effects did not substantially change performance in his test.
Why Balanced’s 40 fps target can feel uneven
A frame-rate target tells you the intended rate; frame pacing describes how evenly frames arrive. Mackenzie observed uneven delivery in Balanced mode on both consoles, so the higher target did not translate into consistently smooth pacing in his test. Forcing VRR, or variable refresh rate, did not resolve the issue.
Which mode should you use?
Start with Performance on either console if responsive combat and steady frame delivery matter most. That was Mackenzie’s recommendation, and his comparison found no meaningful visual feature lost in this mode.
Graphics mode is an alternative if its reported 1440p resolution and higher-fidelity shadows matter more to you than responsiveness. On PS5, it sometimes exceeded its 30 fps cap, but the test does not establish a consistently higher rate. Balanced offers a 40 fps target, yet its uneven pacing makes that number a poor guide to how smooth it feels.
How players describe image quality
Player impressions of base-PS5 image quality vary. Some Reddit commenters describe blur or pixelation; others say the image looks good, or report that raising sharpness and lowering brightness helped them. These are personal impressions, not controlled measurements or universal settings advice. Pro players also differ: one described Performance as smooth, while another reported stutter in Balanced mode.
