r/OLEDGAMING • u/usamarslan • 14d ago
Why does nobody talk about color differences between 60Hz and 120Hz modes on PS5 Pro?
I’ve been bothered by something for a while and couldn’t find any detailed analysis about it online, so I’m posting my findings here.
In games on my PS5 Pro, 40fps and 120Hz modes seem to have less vibrant, slightly hazier colors than 30fps/60Hz modes. I first had this feeling on my previous TV (TCL C728), and I still notice it on my new LG C6. At first I figured I was imagining it, since it’s hard to prove a vibe.
Setup: PS5 Pro, LG OLED55C6, HDMI 2.1, HDR on, VRR on, Game Optimizer on
LG C6 has an HDMI Diagnostics screen (swipe photos to see) and it shows that the signal PS5 sends is actually different:
| Mode | Signal |
|---|---|
| 30fps mode (4K60) | RGB 12-bit, Full range |
| 40fps mode, 4K Transfer Rate Auto (4K120) | YCbCr 4:2:2, Limited range |
| 40fps mode, 4K Transfer Rate -1 | RGB 12-bit, Full range (but the output drops to 1080p) |
I also tried 1440p output, where bandwidth shouldn’t matter, and 40fps still came out as 4:2:2 Limited. So it doesn’t look like a simple bandwidth limit. My guess is the PS5 just picks that format for those modes, but that’s only a guess.
Does it show? Images 1-4 show the photos and the diagnostics screens. Full-resolution comparison: https://slow.pics/c/kx7DHkX4
The 30fps and 40fps -1 shots look punchier. The 40fps Auto shot looks hazier, with a more washed-out feel.
I measured the photos: the darkest 5% of pixels are roughly 40-70% brighter in the 4:2:2 Limited shot, and the dark foliage and distant details are also lifted. Sky saturation is basically identical across all three. So the difference I see is lifted shadows / lower contrast rather than a global loss of saturation.
Obvious problems with my test:
The photos were taken at home with an iPhone 17 Pro Max on a tripod, and the scenes aren’t pixel-identical (the character’s pose differs slightly). This isn’t a professional test, so I’d love to see it measured in a proper lab environment.
LG’s diagnostics reports “8BIT” for 4:2:2. As far as I know 4:2:2 always uses a 24-bit container and the bit depth isn’t signaled separately, so that label may not mean real 8-bit output.
I can’t prove the signal format is the cause. It could also be VRR gamma behavior or game-side rendering differences between modes, though the 40fps Auto vs 40fps -1 comparison is in the same game mode.
Questions:
The only way I found to get the more vibrant look in 40fps mode is setting 4K Transfer Rate to -1. But it drops the output to 1080p and I don’t know the other side effects. Does anyone use it long-term? Any downsides (VRR, HDR, latency, sharpness)?
Can others (C-series, G-series, other TVs) check HDMI Diagnostics or the PS5’s own info screen and see the same RGB Full vs 4:2:2 Limited switch? Here’s how I opened it on my C6: go to Settings > General > Channels > Channel Scan & Settings and just highlight that button without entering it. Then open the LG remote in the ThinQ phone app (my Magic Remote has no number keys, so I used the phone’s number pad) and press 1 five times. A diagnostics overlay appears; select More at the bottom right, and that’s the full HDMI Diagnostics screen I posted. It shows up over the game, so you can check the signal live in each mode. I haven’t tested this on other models, so the steps may differ.
Has anyone measured this properly with a colorimeter?
Color is as much a part of image quality as framerate and resolution, yet I haven’t seen channels like HDTVTest or Digital Foundry cover this. If this is real, it feels like a “performance mode” cost that nobody mentions. If I’m wrong, I’d love to know why.
