The latest range of 8K TVs and displays are taking high-definition to the next level, offering more visual clarity than ever before. For tech-savvy gamers, the question is: will the next generation of consoles be able to keep up? In the case of the PS5, the answer is… yes, sort of.
Sony is certainly pushing the PlayStation 5’s graphical capabilities in its pre-release publicity. The manufacturer promises that the PS5 will support 8K output, confirming that “you can play games on your 4320p resolution display”.
That promise is backed up by the console’s hardware, which revolves around a powerful AMD Ryzen processor, a jacked-up GPU boasting all the teraflops, and a super-speedy SSD drive. This holy trinity of gaming tech will offer much faster loading times, as well as unprecedented graphical clout.
But just because the PS5 is capable of 8K, there’s no guarantee that the majority of PS5 games will capitalise on that potential.
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Will PS5 games have 8K?
With all of this graphical prowess, it’s likely that 4K will be the visual standard for PS5 games, even with higher frame rates. But 8K? That’s a different kettle of fish altogether.
Even considering the powerful tech that the PS5 is packing, processing a game at ultra, ultra-high definition means that compromises will have to be made elsewhere. Namely, the frame rate.
The PS5 is promising smoother flowing graphics of up to 120 frames per second, but that would likely be impossible to sustain for a whole game at the same time as an 8K output – especially when it comes to ambitious AAA titles. On current-gen consoles, playing a game in true 4K often means making concessions on frame rate, and vice versa.
Some form of upscaling will likely be an option. But, as with frame rate, whether or not a game offers a true 8K option will be up to its developer.
Some have already confirmed that they won’t be offering 8K as an option just yet. Kazunori Yamauchi, boss of the studio behind the upcoming PS5 launch title Gran Turismo 7, told GTPlanet that “display resolution-wise, 4K resolution is enough." He suggested the focus would steer towards getting the most out of the frame rate instead.
Still, Sony is pushing 8K as a key selling point for the PS5. So expect more games to explore the possibilities as demand for the format grows over the next few years.
READ MORE: How many FPS can the PS5 handle?
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