PlayStation Update Makes Enhanced PSSR Default for PS5 Pro Games Supporting Original PSSR

Enhanced PSSR Now Default

Sony has released system software update 26.06-14.00.00 for the PlayStation 5, which automatically activates "Enhance PSSR Image Quality" for PS5 Pro owners. This update ensures that games designed with the original PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) will now utilize Sony's upgraded upscaling technology without requiring users to manually enable the setting.

Limited Scope of the Update

It is important to note that this update only affects games that already incorporate PSSR. The system software does not introduce AI upscaling to titles that lack existing PSSR support, nor does it apply to all games bearing a "PS5 Pro Enhanced" badge if they do not use PSSR. The enhanced PSSR feature itself was initially introduced in March.

Improvements in PSSR 2.0

The newer version of PSSR, referred to by Sony as "upgraded" or "enhanced" PSSR, refines the original machine-learning upscaler. This technology allows games to render at a lower resolution and then upscale to a higher output, enabling better visuals with reduced performance costs. The enhanced version addresses issues like shimmering textures and distortion noted in the initial PSSR release, offering improved fine detail clarity, image reconstruction, and stability in motion. Developers have observed less flickering, fewer afterimages, and more refined details in elements like hair and foliage.

User Control and Background

While the enhanced PSSR is now the default for compatible games, users retain the option to disable this override. If unexpected visual effects occur, the setting can be adjusted via Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Enhance PSSR Image Quality. This technology is an outcome of Project Amethyst, a collaborative graphics research effort between Sony and AMD, which has also contributed to AMD's machine-learning graphics solutions for PCs.