PS5 VRR Stutter Problem Persists, Digital Foundry Confirms

NEW YORK, NY — Reports of stuttering issues during gameplay on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro consoles have been confirmed by Digital Foundry, affecting numerous titles when Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is enabled. The framerate interruptions, observed every eight seconds after approximately 20 minutes of play, have raised concerns among gamers regarding console performance.

The findings stem from a thorough investigation by Digital Foundry across 19 games, including popular titles like Elden Ring and Spider-Man Remastered. While some games, such as Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarok, did not exhibit the problem, the issue appears to be specific to the PS5, impacting all VRR-compatible displays.

With VRR technology designed to enhance gameplay by synchronizing console output with display refresh rates, the stuttering undermines this intention. VRR allows for gameplay to operate smoothly within a variable frame-rate range rather than being locked at 60 or 30 frames per second.

“The evidence strongly indicates that the stuttering issue arises from the PlayStation consoles themselves rather than being tied to specific displays,” said Digital Foundry. “We tested with an array of displays, including LG OLED and Samsung mini-LED televisions, and confirmed that the stutter occurs consistently across all of them.”

The core of the issue manifests most noticeably in titles supporting 120Hz VRR with unlocked frame-rates. Examples include The Last of Us Part 1 and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. Players experience seamless gameplay for roughly 20 minutes, after which stutters become apparent.

Digital Foundry noted how the refresh rate counter can spike to 120Hz during these stutters, indicating a loss of VRR synchronization. “This spike suggests the console momentarily drops from VRR, defaulting to a fixed refresh rate, causing the erratic stutters,” they stated.

While a definitive cause remains elusive, testing indicates that frame-rate fluctuations play a significant role in the issue’s prevalence. Notably, titles maintaining stable frame rates, such as Dragon's Dogma 2, operated without issues despite running on the same engine as affected games.

The ongoing challenge is compounded by the fact that Xbox consoles do not exhibit the same stuttering problem when running the affected titles. “We tested on both platforms, and the Xbox VRR functionality remained robust in situations where the PS5 faced difficulties,” Digital Foundry confirmed.

Until a resolution is provided, users experiencing the stutter can temporarily resolve the issue by switching inputs or restarting the game—a workaround that is not ideal for gameplay. Disabling VRR is also a viable option to ensure smoother performance in the affected titles.

Digital Foundry plans to continue working with Sony to address the problem and hopes for official communication detailing a fix in the near future. Gamers are advised to stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.