Do PS4 & PS5 Support 2K (1440p)?
What To Know
- The PS4 and PS4 Slim can’t show their games in 1440p. The consoles can only go up to 1080p.
- The PS4 Pro does better with 4K, but still not 1440p. When they are used with a 1440p screen, the picture gets stretched and might not look as clear.
- The PS5 can now work with 1440p screens and show games at this resolution because of a recent update.
This article explores the compatibility of PlayStation consoles with 2K monitors in detail.
If you want to better understand your consoles, let’s get started!
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Compatibility of PS4 & PS5 With 1440p Monitors
The PlayStation consoles 4 and 5 support HD native display resolutions; PS4 supports up to 1080p while PS4 Pro and PS5 support up to 4K. However, both consoles will still work with monitors that use other display resolutions.
The only downside is that users may experience a loss of image quality.
If you connect your PlayStation console to a monitor whose display resolution does not match the console’s native resolutions, the monitor will either upscale or downscale the image to fit its native resolution.
Upscaling and downscaling can result in image quality issues, such as blurriness, pixelation, and input lag.
Let’s consider each console individually.
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 was the first release in its category before other variants of it were rolled out. These versions include the PlayStation Slim and PlayStation Pro.
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Slim
The PS4 and PS4 Slim have a maximum native resolution of 1080i and 1080p. Neither console has native support for 1440p (2K) or 4K resolutions, so you’ll not get the ideal image quality when you use them in those resolutions.
Regardless of the monitor you use, your PS4 and PS4 Slim consoles will output 1080p at a 60Hz frame rate. If you use a 1440p monitor, your image quality will drop due to upscaling.
The upscaled image will be slightly blurry, as the console is essentially stretching the pixels to fit the larger display.
PlayStation 4 Pro
The PlayStation Pro is an upgraded version of the original PS4 and is designed to deliver better performance and higher-resolution graphics (up to 4K).
While the PS4 Pro can output 4K resolution images, it doesn’t natively support 1440p. Hence, if you use a 1440p monitor, the console’s output resolution will drop to the closest native resolution: 1080p.
When the PS4 console sends 1080p signals to the monitor, the monitor upscales the images to 1440p so that they fit its aspect ratio.
However, if you have a 4K monitor, you’ll get the best image quality out of your PS4 Pro. All you need is a high-speed HDMI cable to carry the 4K signal because standard HDMI cables do not transmit 4K signals.
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is the latest gaming console released by Sony in November 2020. It was released with only 4K and 1080p compatibility.
However, after passing a beta testing phase in July 2022, PlayStation decided to fill the gap between HD and 4K monitors. Native support for 1440p resolution was added to the console with a firmware update.
If you’re playing a game that supports 1440p, the PS5 console can output at that resolution. You can even select the 1440p output resolution for 4K games—the console will downscale supersampled 4K images to 1440p.
You can test to see if your monitor’s HDMI is compatible with 1440p by setting the console to 1440p mode and selecting “Test 1440p Output.” You’ll find this option under “Screen and Video,” within the “System Settings.”
Can You Play PS4 Games on PS5 to Enjoy 2K?
If you own a PS4, you can play PS4 games on a new PS5 console. You only have to remember that the new PS5 has two versions; the digital version and the disc drive version.
Ultimately, if you have a PS4 game on a disc, you can only play it on the PS5 disc drive version. For digital PS4 games, you’ll have to transfer the digital games to your PS5 digital version.
There are two ways to transfer digital PS4 games to a PS5 console.
- Via Wi-Fi data transfer for digital games and game data.
- By accessing the PS4 games and game data directly from a compatible USB storage drive on the PS5.
If you find the transfer options too difficult to navigate, there is a simpler alternative. You can log in to your PlayStation account on PS5, navigate to your game library from Games Home, and download the PS4 game that you wish to play.
The only downside to this third option is that there are certain PS4 games you can’t play on your PS5. They include the following:
- Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma Volume One
- Just Deal With It!
- Robinson: The Journey
- We Sing
- Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
- Shadwen
NOTE: It’s worth noting that the quality of the upscaling and downscaling process can vary depending on the quality of the monitor itself. Some monitors have better upscaling and downscaling technology than others, so their images will come out better.
Alternatives To Using a 1440p Monitor With PS4 and PS5
If you want gaming consoles other than PS4 and PS5 that work well with 1440p monitors, we’ve got a couple for you.
Xbox
Besides the PlayStation-exclusive games, the Xbox offers a wide range of games that you can enjoy. It is a good alternative to PlayStation consoles.
The Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One X, and Xbox One S all support 1440p and 4K resolutions natively. This means that you can get the full benefits of your monitor’s resolution.
The 1440p support is not restricted to recent consoles alone. Older Xbox consoles like the Xbox One also support 2K native resolution.
PC Gaming
Another option is to use your 1440p monitor for PC gaming. Most gaming PCs can easily support 1440p resolution, and you can connect your external monitor to the PC with an HDMI or DisplayPort cable.
This option allows you to play games at a higher resolution, faster refresh rate, and better graphics than you would get on a console. It gets even better because the PlayStation-exclusive games are now playable on PC—you don’t have to worry about missing out on those.
Conclusion
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 do not natively support 1440p resolution, but you can still use these consoles with 1440p monitors.
You can manually set your PS5 to 1440p mode and output 2K resolution images. Alternatively, you can allow your monitor to upscale or downscale images delivered from PS4 consoles.
While the solutions above are manageable, they may not have the most visually appealing results due to image distortion. We advise that you check out PlayStation alternatives (like the Xbox and PC gaming) which have native support for 1440p image resolution.
Gabriella ‘Diogo is a technical writer with a vested interest in tech hardware and equipment. She shares her knowledge and processes in an easy-to-grasp, lighthearted style. When she’s not testing or researching device performance, you’ll find her writing short stories or rewatching episodes of her favorite sitcoms.