When a new console comes onto the market, there's a lot to do: download your favorite games and start playing straight away, for example.
But there are a few settings that I made immediately when I unpacked my PS5 Pro and I would recommend that to you too.
By the way: With one exception, these settings also work for the regular PS5 or PS5 Slim, not just the PS5 Pro.
1. Faster Internet: Activate 5 gigahertz WiFi
If you have a fast internet connection, it may be worth switching to the 5 gigahertz frequency band, as 2.4 gigahertz is used by default.
What advantage does this give me?The 2.4 gigahertz network only manages up to 286 Mbit per second. This means that your gigabit line (if you have one) provides more than the PS5 Pro can handle when it is still set to 2.4 gigahertz.
This is how you find the option:
- Go to the PlayStation settings and select “Network”.
- On the left side you now select “Settings”.
- Press “Set up internet connection”.
- Search for your WiFi network and press the options button on the controller.
- Now go to “WLAN frequency bands” and select the appropriate band.
- Download your games faster.
Would you like to find out more about this?We have a separate article on the topic that goes into more detail about the WiFi frequencies in relation to the PS5:
2. The right graphics mode and difficulty level for you
When playing games on the PlayStation you can often choose between quality mode (better picture) and performance mode (smoother picture). Personally, for example, I always choose Performance mode because 60 FPS is more important to me than graphical details. You can define one of these modes as the default in the settings.
The same applies to the difficulty level of your games. The two options are right next to each other.
What advantage does this give me?It ensures that you don't have to make changes individually for each game.
This is how you find the options:
- Go to the PlayStation settings and select “Saved data and game/app settings”.
- On the left side you can now go to “Game Preferences”.
- Here you can see both “difficulty level” and “performance mode or trigger mode”.
- Select your favorite under each option.
- Get started with your games without having to adjust the same settings again and again.
3. A better picture on the PS5 Pro: HDR, VRR and 120 Hertz
We all want our PlayStation and our TV to deliver the best picture possible and you can get that with just a few settings:
1. Turn on and adjust HDR: In short, HDR provides dark, more precise lighting settings and makes bright sections of the image shine brighter than dark areas. However, your television must be able to use this technology.
2. Activate VRR: VRR stands for Variable Refresh Rate and synchronizes the refresh rate of your television or monitor with the frame rate of your game. This reduces lag and tearing, resulting in a smoother and more stable gaming experience - especially at variable frame rates. But this also needs to be supported by your TV.
3. 120 hertz output: If your TV or monitor has 120 Hertz or more, you should make sure to enable 120 Hertz output to benefit from frame rates that go beyond the magical 60 FPS limit.
This is how you find the options:
- Go to the settings of your PS5 and select “Screen and Video”.
- Select “Video Output” on the left.
- Scroll down a little and you will see the above-mentioned options “VRR”, “120 Hz output” and “HDR”.
- Activate the options you want/can use and play with a much better picture.
Danger: With HDR it makes sense to also select the “Adjust HDR” option in order to set your HDR correctly.
4. Prettier PS4 games: Enable upscaling
This option is only available for the lucky owners of a PS5 Pro: You can activate PS4 upscaling in the settings.
What advantage does this give me?PS4 games that were only rendered at 1080p on the PS4 are now played at a higher resolution using the “Improve image quality for PS4 games” setting.
This is how you find the options:
- Go to the settings of your PS5 and select “Screen and Video”.
- Select “Video Output” on the left.
- Here you activate the checkbox next to “Improve image quality for PS4 games”.
- Enjoy slightly improved resolution in many older games.
By the way: InThe PS5 Pro hummed quietly, but some players seemed to complain about a beeping noise:
Do you feel the same way or is your PS5 Pro just as quiet as ours?
Do you have any other settings that you always adjust when you buy a new console? Do you perhaps have any other tips for owners of a PlayStation 5 variant? Then feel free to write them in the comments below!
