Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Prime Day PS5 deals
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2026
  • Deal of the Day
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • RPG Hub
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Open World Games
  3. Death Stranding 2

PS5 owners beware: Death Stranding 2 Quality Mode "is largely redundant on the Pro"

News
By Issy van der Velde
Published 23 June 2025

The differences are so minor you're better off with the Performance Mode's 60fps

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Death Stranding 2 Sam running through the desert near a derelict city
(Image credit: Sony)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
5
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Reviews for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach are in, and they're glowing, as you'd expect. But what about the more technical details? Well, if you have a PS5 Pro you're in luck, there's almost no perceptible difference between the Quality and Performance Modes.

As reported by the tech wizards at Digital Foundry, "On the PS5 Pro, the differences between Quality and Performance Mode are so minor that Performance Mode becomes the obvious choice. Quality Mode is largely redundant on the Pro. It looks excellent, sure, but Performance Mode is nearly identical and plays a lot better."

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

So, if you've got a PS5 Pro, you're better off running the smoother 60fps Performance Mode than the marginally better looking Quality Mode. Unfortunately, base-PS5 owners – such as myself – won't be so lucky.

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

Digital Foundry notes that on the standard PS5, the terrain details at a distance lack the visual richness they do on the Pro. It states that this "subtle yet meaningful" difference makes it worth playing on Quality Mode for the better visual fidelity, even if that will lock you to the choppier 30fps,

This console generation has completely ruined my perception of 30fps, so I almost never play games in Quality Mode anymore. I'll take Performance even if the render distance is halved, because I need that smooth 60fps to wash over me like warm surf at the beach (pun not intended).

You may like
  • spider-man 2 performance or fidelity mode differences Is Performance or Fidelity mode better in Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
  • Wolverine poses with his claws out in Marvel's Wolverine in his yellow battle suit "AI upscaling is coming to PS5": Sony's base console is getting its own version of a PS5 Pro feature
  • The best PS5 games banner image Cyberpunk 2077, Astro Bot, God of War Ragnarok, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Best PS5 games: The 30 greatest PlayStation 5 games to play right now

Our own Death Stranding 2 review notes the games is "more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse," and claims "Sam feels more connected to those around him" than ever before. On Metacritic, this sequel has already scored higher than the original.

If you're not into Death Stranding and all its weirdness, fear not, we have a ranking of the best PS5 games you can try instead.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
TOPICS
Hideo Kojima Sony Sony Interactive Entertainment
CATEGORIES
PS5 Platforms PlayStation
Issy van der Velde
Issy van der Velde
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

I'm Issy, a freelancer who you'll now occasionally see over here covering news on GamesRadar. I've always had a passion for playing games, but I learned how to write about them while doing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After university I worked at TheGamer before heading up the news section at Dot Esports. Now you'll find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and many more places. I love all things horror, narrative-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. I'm currently clearing my backlog and loving Dishonored 2.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
spider-man 2 performance or fidelity mode differences
Action Games Is Performance or Fidelity mode better in Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
 
 
Wolverine poses with his claws out in Marvel's Wolverine in his yellow battle suit
Games "AI upscaling is coming to PS5": Sony's base console is getting its own version of a PS5 Pro feature
 
 
The best PS5 games banner image Cyberpunk 2077, Astro Bot, God of War Ragnarok, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Games Best PS5 games: The 30 greatest PlayStation 5 games to play right now
 
 
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition key art for Switch 2
RPGs Elden Ring on Switch 2 might be my new go-to version of the action-RPG from now on
 
 
PS5 accessories on a table, including two DualSense controllers, a charging station and a headset
Tech The best PS5 accessories in 2026: everything you need to upgrade your experience
 
 
Wolverine snarls as he tears apart a Sentinel from within in Marvel's Wolverine, his suit tattered and covered in blood
Action Games Marvel's Wolverine beat Death Stranding 2's entire lifetime PS5 revenue in 3 days, analyst estimates
 
 
Latest in Open World Games
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Open World Games Hideo Kojima doesn't "much like the idea" of AI replacing artists after DLSS hit Death Stranding 2
 
 
Warlock
Open World Games New D&D RPG Warlock has a smaller open world so devs can "pull back a little bit on the handholding"
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Open World Games Breath of the Wild is "beautiful" on PS5 at 4K, fans say as Nintendo gem hits PlayStation emulator
 
 
Warlock character holding a purple magic rune
Open World Games Warlock devs eventually realized that "too powerful" D&D spells were the perfect starting point
 
 
Warlock character holding a purple magic rune
Open World Games Warlock boss says don't expect a Baldur's Gate 3-style fluid story, main story beats are "written"
 
 
Kliff fighting a Black Bear warrior in Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert DLC Charting the Unknown delayed 2 weeks as devs seek "a more polished and stable gameplay experience"
 
 
Latest in News
Final Fantasy 7 screenshot of Sephiroth with flames in the background
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7's beloved soundtrack is mostly "boring," Nobuo Uematsu says, but that was on purpose
 
 
How to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion in order
Anime Shows Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting a new story – exclusive to bullet trains in Japan
 
 
The Razer Raiju V3 Pro vs Scuf Omega separated by an orange line
Gaming Controllers Scuf Omega vs Razer Raiju V3 Pro - which PS5 controller should you go for?
 
 
OSSC upscaler with Sir Dan MediEvil figure on top and screen illuminated with video information.
Retro As a retro gaming expert, the biggest piece of Prime Day advice I can give is to focus on small setup improvements
 
 
Groudon, Kyogre, and Raquaza face off in the opening scene - from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine
Pokemon Pokemon RSE Switch ports feel all but confirmed, fans believe thanks to Pokemon Home update
 
 
Lanterns season 1
DC TV Shows Lanterns co-creator explains why Hal Jordan's murderer isn't brought to justice at the end of the series
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. "Players will really learn to love and enjoy her," says hero designer Scott Kennedy
    1
    Overwatch devs know removing Sombra's Hack ability will "upset" players
  2. 2
    Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting a new story – exclusive to bullet trains in Japan
  3. 3
    Pokemon RSE Switch ports feel all but confirmed, fans believe thanks to Pokemon Home update
  4. 4
    As a retro gaming expert, the biggest piece of Prime Day advice I can give is to focus on small setup improvements
  5. 5
    Blade Runner timeline: The movies, comics, and TV shows in order

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...