Major PS5 update just improved HDR and 120Hz gaming

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PS5 system software update is the gift that keeps on giving

PS5
(Image credit: Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Sony has rolled out a PS5 update this week that's brought a slew of welcome changes with it. 

The standout ones for us are the enhanced support for 120Hz, and a handful of settings that can be tweaked for the ultimate convenience. From automatically switching to non-HDR output, to powering on and off in sync with your TV, your first world problems are about to get a lot smaller. 

The biggest boon in the update is support for PC monitors with 120Hz refresh rate. While support for variable refresh rate (VRR) is yet to be added, this is still going to be well-received by those of you who have been patiently waiting for it. 

Switching between HDR and SDR content just became so much more convenient too. Usually, players need to access the console's settings to manually disable HDR when viewing SDR content. It's a mild annoyance, but it's also been taken care of in the update. The PS5 now has a new option in the settings menu to automatically switch to HDR where it's supported, and to disable it where it's not. Once you adjust the setting to the auto option, you won't have to revisit the menu option again. 

While powering off the PS5 is still a bone of contention for those of use who transitioned from PS4, the new HDMI options in the settings has circumvented the issue entirely. The one-touch play option will automatically power on the PS5 when the TV it's connected to is turned on, and switch it to the PS5 input. You can do the same for powering off your PS5. So no more pressing what feels like a million buttons just to turn your console off; now the PS5 will go into rest mode when you switch off the TV.  

A few other annoyances have also been targeted, like the noise level of the disc drive. A PS5 bug was discovered shortly after launch (via Reddit) that saw the console's disc drive whir into action at random times and make a lot of noise when it was doing so. While the update hasn't eliminated that completely, Push Square reported that the new system software update has made it a lot quieter — something that seems to be corroborated with other users online.  

In case you missed the other improvements, the update also lets gamers play PS5 games on PS4, as well as finally letting you store PS5 games on an external hard drive. 

Shabana Arif
Shabana Arif

Shabana is T3's News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). As well as contributing to Tom's Guide, she's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies.