Does a PS5 need 120Hz?
No: a PS5 runs every game on a 60 Hz 4K TV, but 120 Hz modes and VRR need HDMI 2.1. What Sony says, which games use 120 Hz and the £76 to £96 price gap.
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No. A PS5 or PS5 Pro plays every game on a 60 Hz 4K TV; a 120 Hz TV with HDMI 2.1 is needed only for the 120 Hz modes some games offer and for VRR, which Sony says requires an HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TV. On Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), the step from 60 Hz to 144 Hz on the same Hisense TV costs £76 at 43 inches and £96 at 55 and 65 inches.
For a PS5 owner buying a new TV, Compare Electronic's answer is to pay the gap. The picks below match Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X, and the decision table matches each type of game to a TV.
| Game type | 120 Hz TV? | Pick | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story games in quality mode, films | No, 60 Hz is enough | TCL 55V6D | £299 |
| Games with 120 Hz modes (Uncharted, Devil May Cry 5) | Yes | Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO | £445 |
| Online shooters with VRR (Call of Duty: Vanguard, Destiny 2) | Yes, with HDMI 2.1 VRR | TCL 55C6K | £479.95 |
| PS5 Pro high frame rate modes (F1 25, Resident Evil Village) | Yes | LG OLED B6 55 | £1,199 |
| Seats 2.7 m or more from the screen | Yes, at 65 inches | Hisense 65E78QTUK PRO | £595 |
| Grand Theft Auto VI | Not confirmed | Rockstar has announced no 120 Hz mode | n/a |
What does a PS5 output at 60 Hz and 120 Hz?
A PS5 outputs up to 4K at 120 Hz over HDMI 2.1, but only when the TV, the HDMI port, the cable, a console setting and the game all support it, according to Sony's PS5 support pages. On any other 4K TV it runs at 60 Hz. Sony's setting reads: "Turn on to enable 120 Hz video output for your TV and games that support 120 Hz frame rate."
| Output | What the TV and set-up need (Sony) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 4K 60 Hz | A 4K TV | Every PS5 game runs here |
| 4K 120 Hz | A TV that supports 4K 120 Hz, an HDMI 2.1 port, the bundled cable or an Ultra High Speed cable rated for 4K 120 Hz, and 120 Hz Output switched on | Only in games that support 120 Hz |
| 1440p at 60 or 120 Hz | A screen that supports 1440p | Sony's Test 1440p Output checks SDR, HDR, 60 Hz, 120 Hz and VRR |
| VRR | An HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TV or monitor | On automatically in supported games; optional for others |
| ALLM | A TV with auto low-latency mode | Switches the TV to low latency in games |
| 8K 60 Hz | An 8K TV that supports 60 Hz and DSC | PS5 Pro (CFI-7000) only; VRR is off during 8K |
HDMI 2.1 matters most for two features, 4K 120 Hz and VRR. When a TV shows nothing or a 1080p 120 Hz signal, Sony's troubleshooting list asks whether the TV claims 4K 120 Hz support, whether the cable is rated for 4K 120 Hz and whether the PS5 sits in an HDMI 2.1 port. A replacement lead such as the UGREEN HDMI 2.1 Cable Certified 2 m costs £8.72; other add-ons are in Best PS5 accessories UK 2026.
The PS5 tops out at 120 Hz. Sony rates its own PlayStation 27-inch gaming monitor at up to 120 Hz on PS5 and PS5 Pro and 240 Hz on a compatible PC, so a 144 Hz TV gives a console nothing extra.
Which PS5 games have 120 Hz modes?
Sony and publishers state 120 Hz modes on the PlayStation Blog for games including Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection and Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition on PS5, and Resident Evil Village, Stellar Blade and F1 25 on PS5 Pro. The table lists only modes the publisher or Sony has described.
| Game | 120 Hz mode | Console |
|---|---|---|
| Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection | Performance+ Mode targets 120 fps at 1080p and needs a 120 Hz display (Sony) | PS5 |
| Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition | High Framerate Mode, up to 120 fps with a compatible display (Capcom) | PS5 |
| Resident Evil Village | 120 fps gameplay added for PS5 Pro (Capcom) | PS5 Pro |
| Stellar Blade | High frame rate option at 80 fps; needs a 120 Hz display (Shift Up) | PS5 Pro |
| F1 25 | Performance mode delivers 120 Hz gameplay on compatible screens (Codemasters) | PS5 Pro |
| Grand Theft Auto VI | No 120 Hz mode announced (Rockstar); out 19 November 2026 | PS5, PS5 Pro |
Stellar Blade shows why 120 Hz matters below 120 fps: its 80 fps option on PS5 Pro needs a 120 Hz display, according to Shift Up. VRR has wider support. Sony's April 2022 VRR launch list named Call of Duty: Vanguard, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Destiny 2, Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Resident Evil Village among the first games, and lets VRR be applied to unsupported games. Whether the extra frames justify a PS5 Pro is covered in PS5 Slim vs PS5 Pro.
How much more does a 120 Hz TV cost?
The 144 Hz PRO version of the same Hisense TV costs £76 to £96 more than the 60 Hz version on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), a premium of 19.2% to 28.3%. Moving from a 60 Hz TCL 55V6D to the 144 Hz TCL 55C6K costs £180.95, because it also adds a Mini LED backlight. Hisense lists two full HDMI 2.1 ports on the E78Q PRO, the port type Sony requires for 4K 120 Hz.
| Size | 60 Hz model | Price | 144 Hz model | Price | Gap | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43-inch | Hisense 43E78QTUK | £269.00 | Hisense 43E78QTUK PRO | £345.00 | £76.00 | 28.3% |
| 55-inch | Hisense 55E78QTUK | £349.00 | Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO | £445.00 | £96.00 | 27.5% |
| 65-inch | Hisense 65E78QTUK | £499.00 | Hisense 65E78QTUK PRO | £595.00 | £96.00 | 19.2% |
| 55-inch, different range | TCL 55V6D | £299.00 | TCL 55C6K (Mini LED) | £479.95 | £180.95 | 60.5% |
Spread over the life of a TV, the gap is small. Samsung promises up to 7 years of OS upgrades and VIDAA up to 8 years of updates, so £96 over 7 years is £13.71 a year; the support figures are in How long do TVs last?. The 65-inch step is the cheapest in percentage terms, and a 65-inch screen fills a 30 degree field of view from 2.69 m; seat-to-screen maths is in What size TV do I need?.
Which 120 Hz TV should a PS5 owner buy?
The TCL 55C6K is the best 120 Hz TV for a PS5 under £500, at £479.95 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). TCL rates it at a native 144 Hz with two HDMI 2.1 ports, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and a QD-Mini LED backlight with local dimming at 1,000 nits, so a PS5 runs at 4K 120 Hz with VRR on a brighter, deeper picture than the QLED Hisense picks give.
TCL 55C6K specifications
- Screen: 55 inch Mini-LED, 3840x2160
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz native
- Peak brightness: 1000 nits
- HDMI 2.1 ports: 2
- VRR: Yes
- Dolby Vision: Yes
- HDR10+: Yes
- Speakers: 40 W
- Smart platform: Google TV
Against the Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO at £445, the TCL 55C6K costs £34.95 more for local dimming and a 1,000-nit rating. Both run at 144 Hz, above the 120 Hz a PS5 can send, so the extra refresh only helps a gaming PC. Two HDMI 2.1 ports cover a PS5 and one more 4K 120 Hz device; a set-up with two consoles and a soundbar suits the LG.
PS5 Pro owners with a bigger budget should look at the LG OLED B6 55 at £1,199. LG lists a native 120 Hz OLED panel with VRR up to 120 Hz, ALLM and HGiG, and four HDMI inputs that each support 4K 120 Hz, with eARC on HDMI 2, so two consoles and a soundbar connect at full bandwidth. LG adds up to 5 years of webOS upgrades under webOS Re:New. The Hisense 65E78QTUK PRO at £595 is the cheaper route to a bigger 144 Hz screen.
TCL 55C6K - pros and cons
Where to buy
Check price
At a glance
Radar · 0-100 scores
- 55C6K 55" QD-Mini LED
- 55E78QTUK PRO 55" QLED
- 65E78QTUK PRO 65" QLED
- OLED B6 55" (OLED55B65LA)
Verdict
A PS5 does not need a 120 Hz TV, but a PS5 owner buying a TV in 2026 should get one: the 144 Hz version of the same Hisense costs £76 to £96 more and unlocks the 120 Hz modes and VRR that Sony ties to HDMI 2.1. The TCL 55C6K at £479.95 is the pick under £500. The full ranking is in Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a 120Hz TV for a PS5?
No. A PS5 or PS5 Pro plays every game on a 60 Hz 4K TV. A 120 Hz TV with HDMI 2.1 is needed only for 120 Hz game modes and for VRR, which Sony says requires an HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TV. On Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), the 144 Hz Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO costs £96 more than the 60 Hz Hisense 55E78QTUK.
Does the PS5 Pro need an HDMI 2.1 TV?
The PS5 Pro needs an HDMI 2.1 TV only for 4K 120 Hz and VRR, the same as the standard PS5. Sony lists 8K 60 Hz output for the PS5 Pro alone, which needs an 8K TV with DSC and switches VRR off. Capcom, Codemasters and Shift Up all describe high frame rate modes on PS5 Pro, from 80 fps in Stellar Blade to 120 fps in Resident Evil Village, that rely on a 120 Hz screen.
Is 144Hz better than 120Hz for a PS5?
No. The PS5 and PS5 Pro output at up to 120 Hz, so a 144 Hz TV runs a console at 120 Hz. Sony rates its own PlayStation 27-inch gaming monitor at up to 120 Hz on PS5 and PS5 Pro and 240 Hz on a compatible PC. A 144 Hz panel such as the TCL 55C6K only adds headroom for a gaming PC.
Will GTA 6 run at 120 fps on PS5?
Rockstar has not announced a 120 Hz mode for Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar lists the game for 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no PC version announced. A buyer choosing a TV for GTA 6 alone has no confirmed reason to pay for 120 Hz, although VRR still needs an HDMI 2.1 TV.
Do I need a special HDMI cable for 120Hz on PS5?
Sony recommends the HDMI cable included with the PS5. A replacement must be an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K 120 Hz, plugged into an HDMI 2.1 port on the TV, according to Sony's support page. The UGREEN HDMI 2.1 Cable Certified 2 m costs £8.72 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026).
Is a 60Hz TV OK for a PS5?
Yes. A 60 Hz 4K TV runs every PS5 game, and quality modes target 30 or 60 fps: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection has a 30 fps Fidelity Mode and a 60 fps Performance Mode, according to Sony. A 60 Hz TV such as the £299 TCL 55V6D locks the console out of 120 Hz modes such as that game's Performance+ Mode.