PS5 Variable Refresh Rate update improves visuals and performance for racing games

Nearly 18 months after the console launched, a long-requested feature is finally being added to PS5 this week. We’re talking about Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).

In a blog post, Sony announced VRR is rolling out to PS5 this week with support for an abundance of titles. With smoother frame rates and crisper visuals, VRR will greatly PS5 racing games.

What is Variable Refresh Rate?

VRR dynamically syncs the refresh rate of your TV with your PS5, eliminating frame pacing and screen tearing issues. This enhances visual performance for PS5 games, resulting in smoother gameplay, crisper graphics, and reduced input lag.

VRR improves the performance of fast-paced games such as, you guessed it, racing games. With VRR enabled, racing games with variable frame rates or locked at 30fps should look and play smoother.

After installing the update, VRR is automatically enabled for supported games. You can also turn it off under “Screen and Video” in system settings.

There is a caveat, though: VRR only works on PS5 with HDMI 2.1-compatible TVs. While all PS5 consoles are bundled with an HDMI 2.1 cable, not all TVs support HDMI 2.1.

PlayStation 5 VRR supported games

Sony has confirmed the following games are officially optimised for VRR:

• Astro’s Playroom
• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
• Deathloop
• Destiny 2
• Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
• DIRT 5
• Godfall
• Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
• Tribes of Midgard

You’ll notice that DIRT 5 is the only racing game on this list. Codemasters says VRR provides the “optimal driving experience” for DIRT 5, with “cleaner visuals and lower input lag while driving.”

Notably, DIRT 5 is one of few PS5 racing games with 120fps support. WRC 9, WRC 10, and Rocket League also have 120fps performance modes.

While games updated with VRR support offer the “best experience with VRR,” you can also apply VRR to all PS5 games – even if they haven’t been patched. Sony advises the results “vary depending on the TV you’re using, the game you’re playing, and the visual mode you’ve selected for a particular game.”

In theory, this means Gran Turismo 7 will benefit from improved video quality with VRR enabled. With 4K resolution and a buttery-smooth 60fps, GT7 is already one of the most visually stunning PS5 racing games. Let’s hope Polyphony releases a patch that takes full advantage of VRR, enhancing GT7’s visual splendour.