Title: PS5 and PS5 Pro Encounter Enigmatic VRR Stuttering Problem Every Eight Seconds
The PlayStation 5 and its forthcoming iteration, the PS5 Pro, are facing a baffling technical predicament that has both players and specialists perplexed. When Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is activated and no frame rate limitation is in place, specific titles start to stutter—exactly every eight seconds. This odd occurrence has been noted by Digital Foundry, a well-regarded source in the realm of gaming performance evaluation, in one of their latest investigative pieces.
What Is VRR and Why Does It Matter?
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is a capability aimed at diminishing screen tearing and delivering smoother gameplay by aligning the display’s refresh rate with the console’s frame rate output. When functioning properly, VRR improves the visual experience, particularly in games with varying frame rates. Nonetheless, in this scenario, VRR seems to be leading to a novel and unexplained dilemma.
The Eight-Second Stutter Phenomenon
As per Digital Foundry’s examinations, the stuttering issue doesn’t manifest right away. It usually kicks in after 20 to 30 minutes of gameplay and then reappears like clockwork—every eight seconds. This rhythmic stuttering is not only bothersome but also undermines the fundamental reason for enabling VRR in the first place.
What adds to the confusion of the issue is the absence of a discernible pattern among the games affected. Titles that display the stutter include:
– Diablo 4
– Elden Ring
– Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
– Metaphor: ReFantazio
– The Last of Us Part I and Part II
These titles cover a variety of genres, developers, and engines, complicating the task of pinpointing a shared technical cause.
No Obvious Suspect
Digital Foundry has dismissed several possible reasons:
1. TV Model Incompatibility: Early findings indicated that the issue might be associated with certain LG TV models. However, additional testing demonstrated that the stutter also takes place on Sony TVs, ruling out the display as the source.
2. Game Engine: The conundrum does not seem to be linked to a specific game engine. For example, Dragon’s Dogma 2, which utilizes the RE Engine, functions without issues, while Resident Evil 4—built on the same engine—suffers from the stutter.
3. Poor Porting: The problem is not limited to badly optimized ports. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which encounters issues on the PS5, does not show the same behavior on the Xbox Series X/S under similar VRR conditions.
4. Publisher or Developer: Both first-party and third-party titles are affected, eliminating any single publisher or developer as the origin of the problem.
Why Is It So Challenging to Diagnose?
The consistent eight-second interval of the stutter hints at a systemic issue, potentially related to how the PS5 or PS5 Pro manages VRR at either the hardware or firmware level. However, without access to Sony’s internal documents or diagnostic tools, independent analysts like Digital Foundry can only theorize.
The fact that the issue arises only after prolonged gaming sessions complicates testing and analysis further. It may indicate a memory leak, interference from background processes, or a timing error in the VRR implementation.
What Can Gamers Do?
For the time being, the only alternative is to disable VRR or set a frame rate cap in affected titles—if such an option exists. This could lessen visual smoothness but may eradicate the stuttering.
Sony has yet to provide an official statement or patch to resolve the issue. Considering the increasing number of reports and the notable nature of the impacted titles, it’s plausible that the company is investigating the problem.
Conclusion
The enigmatic eight-second stutter impacting PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles under specific VRR conditions is a rare but noteworthy technical anomaly. With no evident cause and a broad range of games affected, the issue highlights the intricacies of modern gaming hardware and software interactions. Until a solution is discovered, gamers may need to adjust their settings to sustain a smooth experience.
As the gaming community anticipates further developments, one thing remains clear: even the most advanced consoles are not free from unexpected quirks. Hopefully, with continued investigation and input from users and experts alike, a resolution will be found soon.