Should you play Helldivers 2 in Quality or Performance mode on PS5?

Should you play Helldivers 2 in Quality or Performance mode on PS5?
Images via Arrowhead Game Studio

Written by 

Issy van der Velde

Published 

20th Feb 2024 17:35

Quality or performance mode? High fps or thousands of pixels? These are questions many of us ask ourselves when presented with the option of Quality or Performance mode on a PS5 game like Helldivers 2.

Well, I’ve tested both in-game and have a definitive answer for you.

Is Quality or Performance mode better?

The short answer is you should pick Performance mode, but I’ll break down my reasoning.

Helldivers 2 is a hectic, third-person shooter. There are lots of enemies on screen, lots of explosions going on, and the whole thing is online. I tried Quality mode alone aboard my Super Destroyer and my framerate tanked noticeably. The drop from 60 to 30 is a jarring one, but if I noticed it in the most controlled situation possible, it can only get worse once you drop into a chaotic mission.

An explosion in Helldivers 2
Click to enlarge

The last thing you want is to be surrounded by bugs or robots, having no idea where to shoot because your PS5 is chugging along at half the fps your squadmates are playing at. The smoothness of Performance mode makes you feel like a true patriot, spreading democracy in an instant, rather than at a crawl.

Actual performance aside, Quality mode does look a little better when you’re not moving the camera, which is rarely. To really get the most out of this mode, you’ll need a 4K TV or monitor, or at least one with a resolution above 1080p. If you’ve got one and you truly value the sheen of a game over how it actually plays, then the beauty of the Quality mode won’t leave you disappointed. But on a standard HD TV, Helldivers 2 already looks gorgeous in Performance mode.

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Once you've chosen the look of your liberation, make sure you're using the right weapons and the best armour. You can also visit our Helldivers 2 homepage for more helpful guides!

Issy van der Velde
About the author
Issy van der Velde
Issy loves video games, his houseplants, and short author bios.
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