Ghost of Yotei best graphics mode: Quality vs Performance vs Ray Tracing

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Ghost of Yotei is the newest major title from PlayStation Studios and Sucker Punch. It features a vast and beautiful open world set in Ezo, which is now known as Hokkaido. Ghost of Tsushima was widely praised for its stunning visuals, and Ghost of Yotei is now among the most visually impressive games available, especially on the PS5 and other consoles.

When playing on a standard PS5, you’ll have three excellent modes to select from. However, if you’re playing on the PS5 Pro, you’ll have a total of four modes available, with one mode offering the advantages of all the others. See below for a detailed explanation of the four graphics modes in Ghost of Yotei.

This isn’t a visual setting, but if you enjoy hip-hop music, you’ll definitely want to try Watanabe Mode by Ghost of Yotei.

Quality mode breakdown – Ghost of Yotei

Quality mode prioritizes a stable 30 frames per second and tries to show a sharp 4K picture. The consistency of maintaining that 4K resolution can vary between the PS5 and the Pro, but if getting the most pixels is your top priority, this is the mode to choose.

Performance mode breakdown – Ghost of Yotei

Performance mode is the recommended option, particularly if you have the standard PS5. It targets a smooth 60 frames per second by automatically adjusting the resolution, which generally looks good. However, players with larger screens might notice a slight decrease in image quality. Regardless, if you’re playing on the base PS5 console or have a smaller or lower-resolution screen, this mode is definitely the best choice for you. It’s a great way to enjoy the game without worrying about performance issues.

Ray Tracing mode breakdown – Ghost of Yotei

This setting limits the game to 30 frames per second, but it unlocks new Ray Tracing visual effects. You’ll notice this mainly as better lighting details and more realistic light bouncing, which looks great. The image won’t be quite as sharp as in Quality mode, and the frame rate won’t be as smooth as in Performance mode, but it offers the best-looking visuals possible on the standard PS5 console.

Ray Tracing Pro mode breakdown – Ghost of Yotei

The Ray Tracing Pro mode is exclusive to players with a PS5 Pro, and it delivers the visual enhancements of Ray Tracing at a smooth 60fps. While this mode probably renders the game at a lower resolution internally, PSSR upscaling technology significantly improves the image quality, providing the best possible graphics with consistently high performance – generally a very smooth 60fps.

During our early access testing, we found that performance issues like lag and stuttering were uncommon when using Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). We only noticed consistent frame rate drops in a single area of the game. If you have a PS5 Pro, this is definitely the best way to play.

The best Ghost of Yotei graphics modes on PS5 and Pro

You’ll get the most out of Ghost of Yotei with a smooth 60 frames per second, but even if you can’t reach that, the game still looks great. It’s visually appealing, even if it’s not groundbreaking.

If you have a PS5 Pro, you’ll definitely want to use the Ray Tracing Pro mode to get the best possible experience from your console.

If you have the standard PS5, you can pick between playing at 60fps with the Performance mode, or enjoying better graphics with the Ray Tracing mode. Both options are good, and the best one for you will depend on what you prefer and how your system is set up.

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2025-10-01 17:47