PS5 has a big problem with Samsung TVs — what you need to know

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The PS5 can't do HDR and 120Hz at the same time, but a fix is coming

PS5
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

A strange PS5 bug has been preventing Samsung TV owners from getting the most out of their new console. Samsung has confirmed that a fix is coming, but not until March.

The issue relates to HDR and prevents players from getting it and 4K/120Hz gameplay at the same time. And it turns out that Sony was at fault, not Samsung.

This news comes from Samsung’s EU community website (via Forbes). There Samsung explains that the issue is localized and that Sony is the one working to solve the issue in an upcoming update to the PS5. Since it’s a console issue, affected Samsung TVs won’t need a software update or any sort of repair.

If you've encountered the problem, you'll just have to sit tight and wait for Sony to push out a PS5 update. Make sure to have your PS5, if you've managed to find where to buy the PS5, set to update automatically to ensure you don't miss the fix. 

For the time being Samsung says that you can get around the problem by either switching off HDR, or downgrading to 60Hz. Neither of which is ideal, but given that only a small number of games actually support 4K/120Hz then the latter might be your best option. There’s no wrong option though.

Like pretty much every piece of new technology, the PS5 was not entirely bug-free at launch. Some problems don’t arise until thousands of people start using the console for themselves, and this is clearly one of them. 

As frustrating as it may be for Samsung TV owners, it’s thankfully not the worst bug in the world. After all, games can still be played and don’t prevent you from using a PS5 as a games console. Not like the “queued for download” bug that popped up just after launch, and forced the console into an endless loop that stopped players from finishing game downloads.

The Xbox Series X has not been free of problems either. Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any serious bugs affecting large groups of new Xbox gamers at the moment; unlike the Xbox 360’s red ring of death.

As for Samsung TV owners lucky enough to own a PS5, the path is now clear. You have to wait for the update, and deal with playing your games at lower settings until then. Or you could not play any games at all, but where’s the fun in that?

Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Sid Nightwalker
    Yeeeeeh you should probably lay off the gigantically overrated framerate instead of the HDR, for you few that wasted an incredible amount of money on something you really don't understand. Don't believe me? Then you have no idea that after 60fps you have hit the point of diminishing returns in perceptible difference. Want confirmation of that? Read about it on an unbiased encyclopedic website. If you're not afraid of learning about technology from an unbiased viewpoint, that is.
    Reply