Crimson Desert — PS5 & PS5 Pro performance
Technical analysis last updated
Crimson Desert runs impressively on PS5 Pro using Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace Engine, featuring ray-traced diffuse global illumination across all three available graphics modes. Players on PS5 Pro can select from Optimal (1080p upscaled to 4K targeting 60fps), Balanced (1440p upscaled to 4K targeting 40fps), and Quality (native 4K targeting 30fps). Currently, Balanced mode offers the preferred experience, though frame drops below 48Hz can produce screen tearing due to a lack of LFC implementation. Performance details for the base PS5 console have not yet been analyzed or revealed.
Graphics modes on PlayStation 5 Pro
Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro leverages ray-traced global illumination and real-time shadows across all three modes. Optimal (60fps) and Balanced (40fps) modes upscale from 1080p and 1440p using PSSR, while Quality mode targets 4K at 30fps. Balanced mode is the editor recommendation, though screen tearing can occur when dropping below the 48Hz VRR window.
Features three graphics modes (Optimal, Balanced, Quality) with ray-traced diffuse global illumination, dynamic real-time shadows, and PSSR upscaling on performance modes.
Balanced Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedBase 1440p resolution upscaled using PSSR to 4K output with ray-traced global illumination.
Optimal Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedBase 1080p resolution upscaled using PSSR to 4K output. Includes ray-traced diffuse global illumination and real-time shadows.
Quality Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedNative 4K base resolution with full ray-traced diffuse global illumination and dynamic real-time shadows.
Graphics modes on PlayStation 5
Base PS5 struggles in Performance mode due to a lack of temporal upscaling and frame drops into the high 30s. Switching to Balanced (1280p upscaled via FSR 3) or Quality mode (1440p upscaled via FSR 3) produces a massive upgrade in resolution and visual detail at stable 40fps and 30fps targets.
Quality
PS5UnverifiedRendered at 1440p internal resolution and upscaled to 4K using FSR 3 with High ray tracing quality.
Performance
PS5UnverifiedNative 1080p without image reconstruction. Model quality, volumetric fog, and post-processing quality are set to Low.
Balanced
PS5UnverifiedRendered at 1280p internal resolution and upscaled to 4K using FSR 3.
PS5 vs PS5 Pro
Side-by-side comparison of graphics modes, resolution and technical features.
PS5 Pro provides a substantial upgrade over base PS5. PSSR 2 delivers far sharper 4K upscaling for 1080p/1440p render modes, Performance mode becomes a genuinely viable 60fps+ option, Quality mode runs at native 4K, and general visual settings (textures, lighting, ray tracing) are elevated across the board.
| Metric | PS5 | PS5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| PSFoundry Score | 76Good | 77Good |
| Recommended mode | Quality | Balanced Mode |
| Modes available | 3 | 3 |
| Highest target FPS | 60 | 60 |
| Highest verified capability | 60 fps target | 60 fps target |
| PSSR | No | Yes |
| Ray tracing | Yes | Yes |
| VRR | Yes | Yes |
| 120 Hz support | No | No |
| PS5 Pro Enhanced | No | Yes |
- PSFoundry Score
- 76Good
- Recommended mode
- Quality
- Modes available
- 3
- Highest target FPS
- 60
- Highest verified capability
- 60 fps target
- PSSR
- No
- Ray tracing
- Yes
- VRR
- Yes
- 120 Hz support
- No
- PS5 Pro Enhanced
- No
- PSFoundry Score
- 77Good
- Recommended mode
- Balanced Mode
- Modes available
- 3
- Highest target FPS
- 60
- Highest verified capability
- 60 fps target
- PSSR
- Yes
- Ray tracing
- Yes
- VRR
- Yes
- 120 Hz support
- No
- PS5 Pro Enhanced
- Yes
Known issues
In Balanced mode, dropping below the 48Hz VRR threshold causes visible screen tearing due to the absence of Low Frame-rate Compensation (LFC).
The ray tracing denoiser occasionally produces streaking in high-contrast visual areas.
If 120Hz is enabled in the PS5 system settings on displays lacking full HDMI 2.1 4K120 support, the console downscales display output to 1440p or 1080p before upscaling back to 4K, causing severe image quality degradation.
Video analysis
Independent technical videos referenced in our analysis.
Go to channel Digital Foundry · Crimson Desert - The Big PS5/PS5 Pro Tech Review - Every Graphics Mode Tested! Digital Foundry•214K views · 30: ...
Crimson Desert: Xbox Series X|S Console Review - Plus New PS5 Pro PSSR Update Tested! Digital Foundry · 97K views ; PS5 Pro Upgraded PSSR + ...
Crimson Desert - The Big PS5/PS5 Pro Tech Review - Every Graphics Mode Tested! Digital Foundry · 214K views ; DF Direct Weekly #273: The Future of ...
Yes, We Are Looking At Crimson Desert On Consoles · Sony Ends The Era Of PlayStation Discs - And It's A Massive Mistake · 'Crimson Desert' amazed ...
Crimson Desert PS5 Pro Performance Deep Dive From Digital Foundry - Luke Reacts. @lukestephenslive3.5K likes119K views4 months ago
Crimson Desert: Xbox Series X|S Console Review - Plus New PS5 Pro PSSR Update Tested! @DigitalFoundry3.1K likes97K views3 months ago
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Sources and verification
Every technical claim on this page is attributed. Nothing is estimated.
PSFoundry is primarily a source-based database. A game is only marked as personally tested when PSFoundry has directly tested it. All other technical information is attributed to its original source.
- UnverifiedTechnical preview of Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro detailing the BlackSpace Engine performance, ray-traced global illumination, and three console display modes.Digital Foundry2026-03-12
Technical preview of Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro detailing the BlackSpace Engine performance, ray-traced global illumination, and three console display modes.
Open source - UnverifiedDigital Foundry evaluates early PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro builds of Crimson Desert, highlighting major performance and image quality upgrades on PS5 Pro via PSSR 2, while base PS5 struggles significanDigital Foundry2026-03-20
Digital Foundry evaluates early PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro builds of Crimson Desert, highlighting major performance and image quality upgrades on PS5 Pro via PSSR 2, while base PS5 struggles significantly in its 1080p native Performance mode.
Open source
Frequently asked
Answers built from the verified data on this page.
What frame rate does Crimson Desert run at on PS5 Pro?
On PS5 Pro, Crimson Desert offers 3 graphics modes: Optimal Mode targets 60 FPS at 4K; Balanced Mode targets 40 FPS at 4K; Quality Mode targets 30 FPS at 4K.
What frame rate does Crimson Desert run at on PS5?
On PS5, Crimson Desert offers 3 graphics modes: Performance targets 60 FPS at 1080p; Quality targets 30 FPS at 4K; Balanced targets 40 FPS at 4K.
Does Crimson Desert use PSSR on PS5 Pro?
Yes. At least one PS5 Pro graphics mode of Crimson Desert uses PSSR, Sony's machine-learning upscaler, according to the sources cited in our analysis.
Is Crimson Desert worth playing on PS5 Pro?
PS5 Pro provides a substantial upgrade over base PS5. PSSR 2 delivers far sharper 4K upscaling for 1080p/1440p render modes, Performance mode becomes a genuinely viable 60fps+ option, Quality mode runs at native 4K, and general visual settings (textures, lighting, ray tracing) are elevated across the board.
What is the best graphics mode for Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro?
Best overall balance: Balanced Mode — Balanced Mode targets 40 FPS at 4K. Highest frame rate: Optimal Mode targets 60 FPS at 4K. Best ray-traced image quality: Quality Mode targets 30 FPS at 4K.
What is the PSFoundry Score of Crimson Desert?
Crimson Desert scores 77/100 on PS5 Pro. The PSFoundry Score measures technical performance only — frame rate, image quality, graphics modes, visual features, responsiveness, loading and stability — not how good the game is.
Patch history
Only updates that changed graphics modes, resolution, frame rate or visual features.
We only log updates with a documented effect on graphics modes, resolution, frame rate or visual features. None have been verified for this title yet.
The players' verdict
Recent player impressions of how the game runs on PS5 and PS5 Pro.
We publish player impressions from Reddit, ResetEra and specialist forums only when they discuss how the game actually runs. They never affect the PSFoundry Score.
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Browse the full PlayStation performance database or the PS5 Pro Enhanced games list.