Quake II — PS5 & PS5 Pro performance
Technical analysis last updated
Quake II scales smoothly across all PlayStation hardware generations. The base PS4 targets 1080p at 60fps, though frame rate drops occur in the demanding MachineGames campaign. PS4 Pro ups the target to 4K at 60fps using dynamic resolution scaling, frequently dropping toward 1080p under strain. PS5 delivers the definitive console experience, maintaining a nearly locked 4K resolution at 120fps. Current-gen hardware is ideal, but the game remains highly enjoyable across all PlayStation consoles.
Graphics modes on PlayStation 5 Pro
PS5 Pro delivers the definitive console presentation. Quality mode replaces software ray tracing with hardware-accelerated Lumen for vastly superior reflection stability. Optional PSSR upscaling significantly enhances visual clarity on fine details, though it introduces a slight performance overhead in heavy scenes.
Upgrades Quality mode to hardware-accelerated Lumen ray tracing, increases internal rendering resolutions across all modes, and adds optional PSSR upscaling.
Quality Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedInternal resolution between 1728p and 2160p upscaled to 4K. Features hardware-accelerated Lumen for clean and stable reflections on metallic and curved glass surfaces.
Performance Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedInternal resolution ranges from 864p to 1440p, reconstructed to 4K via TSR or optional PSSR.
Balanced Mode
PS5 ProUnverifiedFixed 1440p internal resolution upscaled to 4K using TSR or optional PSSR.
Graphics modes on PlayStation 5
Quake II on PS5 delivers top-tier performance, targeting 4K resolution at 120fps. Framerates remain practically locked throughout gameplay with minimal dynamic resolution drops. Updated 3D models, smooth dynamic shadows, and enhanced light maps run flawlessly.
Standard Mode
PS5UnverifiedRenders up to 4K with updated MD5 skeleton models, per-pixel dynamic lights, and light map improvements.
PS5 vs PS5 Pro
Side-by-side comparison of graphics modes, resolution and technical features.
PS5 Pro provides a substantial enhancement over base PS5 by introducing hardware-accelerated Lumen ray tracing in Quality mode, increasing rendering resolutions up to 2160p native, and offering optional PSSR upscaling for significantly improved fine detail clarity.
| Metric | PS5 | PS5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| PSFoundry Score | 90Exceptional | 79Good |
| Recommended mode | Standard Mode | Quality Mode |
| Modes available | 1 | 3 |
| Highest target FPS | 120 | 60 |
| Highest verified capability | 120 fps target | 60 fps target |
| PSSR | No | Yes |
| Ray tracing | No | Yes |
| VRR | Yes | Yes |
| 120 Hz support | No | Yes |
| PS5 Pro Enhanced | No | Yes |
- PSFoundry Score
- 90Exceptional
- Recommended mode
- Standard Mode
- Modes available
- 1
- Highest target FPS
- 120
- Highest verified capability
- 120 fps target
- PSSR
- No
- Ray tracing
- No
- VRR
- Yes
- 120 Hz support
- No
- PS5 Pro Enhanced
- No
- PSFoundry Score
- 79Good
- Recommended mode
- Quality Mode
- Modes available
- 3
- Highest target FPS
- 60
- Highest verified capability
- 60 fps target
- PSSR
- Yes
- Ray tracing
- Yes
- VRR
- Yes
- 120 Hz support
- Yes
- PS5 Pro Enhanced
- Yes
Known issues
Due to Bluetooth bandwidth constraints on DualSense controllers (which carry both input data and audio), split-screen multiplayer is capped at 4 players on PlayStation consoles compared to 8 on Xbox and PC.
The Quality (30fps) and Balanced (40fps) modes suffer from uneven frame delivery, leading to noticeable judder when panning the camera.
Software-based ray tracing causes blotchiness and flickering in reflections and shadows, accompanied by aliasing and image noise around fine geometric details.
Enabling PSSR upscaling can reduce framerates by around 5fps in demanding scenes and produce slight visual instability as dynamic resolution adjusts.
Video analysis
Independent technical videos referenced in our analysis.
DF Retro: Doom - Every Console Port Tested and Analysed! Digital Foundry• ... Quake II - Welcome to the Machine. Civvie 11•1.4M views · 18:47 · Go ...
I thought I had Quake I on PlayStation 5, but nope – so here we are with Quake II! And honestly, what a trip down memory lane this was.
16GB SSD: 240GB Hard Disk: 1TB OS: Windows 10 Pro About this game : Developed by id Software in 1997, Quake II is a critically acclaimed ...
The Gold Standard Remaster | Quake II Review (Game Pass) ... Digital Foundry•541K views · 26:10. Go to channel Mystery Game Fight Club · Is ...
Unboxing the Enhanced Version of Quake II for the Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) console. The original version was released on the PC in 1997.
Quake 2 Nintendo Switch Review | Quake II Remastered In Incredible Form! · Comments.
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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.
- UnverifiedNightdive Studios, id Software, and MachineGames present a feature-packed remaster of Quake II, enhancing lighting, audio, models, and engine features while retaining smooth 60fps and 120fps performanDigital Foundry2023-08-15
Nightdive Studios, id Software, and MachineGames present a feature-packed remaster of Quake II, enhancing lighting, audio, models, and engine features while retaining smooth 60fps and 120fps performance targets across PlayStation platforms.
Open source - UnverifiedDigital Foundry conducted experimental testing of Cyberpunk 2077 path tracing (RT Overdrive) on PS5 using PS5 Linux. By lowering resolutions, using upscaling, and applying an optimization mod that redDigital Foundry2026-05-18
Digital Foundry tested Quake II RTX on PlayStation 5 hardware using PS5 Linux. Native 4K path tracing averages ~11 fps, but upscaling from 1080p via TAAU increases performance to ~39 fps, while dynamic resolution scaling down to 540p achieves a locked 60 fps path-traced experience.
Open source - UnverifiedTechnical analysis of Directive 8020 on PS5 and PS5 Pro, covering graphics modes, Unreal Engine 5 rendering features, software versus hardware-based Lumen ray tracing, TSR and PSSR upscaling, and perfDigital Foundry2026-05-22
Technical analysis of Directive 8020 on PS5 and PS5 Pro, covering graphics modes, Unreal Engine 5 rendering features, software versus hardware-based Lumen ray tracing, TSR and PSSR upscaling, and performance stability.
Open source
Frequently asked
Answers built from the verified data on this page.
What frame rate does Quake II run at on PS5 Pro?
On PS5 Pro, Quake II offers 3 graphics modes: Performance Mode targets 60 FPS at 2160p; Balanced Mode targets 40 FPS at 2160p; Quality Mode targets 30 FPS at 2160p.
What frame rate does Quake II run at on PS5?
On PS5, Quake II offers 1 graphics mode: Standard Mode targets 120 FPS at 4K.
Does Quake II support 120 Hz on PlayStation?
Yes. Balanced Mode on PS5 Pro, Standard Mode on PS5 run with 120 Hz output on a compatible display.
Does Quake II use PSSR on PS5 Pro?
Yes. At least one PS5 Pro graphics mode of Quake II uses PSSR, Sony's machine-learning upscaler, according to the sources cited in our analysis.
Is Quake II worth playing on PS5 Pro?
PS5 Pro provides a substantial enhancement over base PS5 by introducing hardware-accelerated Lumen ray tracing in Quality mode, increasing rendering resolutions up to 2160p native, and offering optional PSSR upscaling for significantly improved fine detail clarity.
What is the best graphics mode for Quake II on PS5 Pro?
Best overall balance: Quality Mode — Quality Mode targets 30 FPS at 2160p. Highest frame rate: Performance Mode targets 60 FPS at 2160p.
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.