PS4 Pro - How to Enable Boost Mode, 4K, and HDR to Make the Most of the PS4 Pro

How do you enable Boost Mode, 4K, and HDR to get the most out of the PS4 Pro? If you've just bought a nice and shiny new PS4 Pro and have plugged it into either an even shinier 4K TV or a solid and reliable 1080p HDTV, then congratulations, as you've just taken a half step towards the next generation.

In this guide, we're going to walk you through setting up the PS4 Pro with both a 4K TV and a 1080p HD TV so you can get the most out of this awesome half step system.

How to Make the Most of Your PS4 Pro on a HDTV

It's so much easier to set up a PS4 Pro on a HDTV than a 4K TV, so first give yourself a nice pat on the back. Now, let's explain exactly what the PS4 Pro does to make HD games look and play even better.

If a game is 'PS4 Pro Enhanced', you don't have to do anything. The PS4 Pro will take it from here and do all of the enhancing for you. What this means depends on the game, but the majority will increase the frame rate, introduce supersampling, and maybe even include a bunch of visual enhancements.

Certain games will even give you a choice of which area you'd like to boost. Rise of the Tomb Raider, for example, lets you choose between 60 FPS (frames per second) or enhanced visuals at 30 FPS. Now, if a game isn't PS4 Pro Enhanced, you can still give it a boost but you have to turn on the settings manually. Let's take a look at how to do that.

What Is Boost Mode on PS4 Pro?

Boost Mode enhances the performance of all games on PS4 Pro, though the exact effect varies depending on the game. Generally though, it will result in smoother gameplay by using the increased performance of the PS4 Pro.

The most notable areas you'll see improvement in are loading times and frame rates, though it can also have an effect on texture pop in and stuff like that. However, it can also have an adverse effect on certain games, like causing crashes, or even no effect at all. So don't expect it to be a cure all for all of your problems.

It also won't change the architecture of your games. So, for example, if a game is locked at 30 FPS, it will remain locked at that. You won't suddenly get 60 FPS, but it might help keep the frame rate more consistent.

How Do I Enable Boost Mode on PS4 Pro?

It's super easy to enable Boost Mode on PS4 Pro. On the PS4 dashboard, press up on your left analogue and scroll to the right until you reach 'Settings'. Now, scroll right down to 'System' and you should see a 'Boost Mode' option. Enable it, and you're done.

What Is Supersampling on PS4 Pro?

Another nifty feature the PS4 Pro is capable of on a HDTV is 'Supersampling', which can drastically improve picture quality. What this basically does is render an image at a much higher resolution than your TV is capable of, then downscales (or shrinks) it to fit your TV.

The main benefits of supersampling are to reduce jagged edges and improve picture detail. There'll be much less blurriness and all edges will be much smoother. It's definitely worth enabling.

How Do I Enable Supersampling on PS4 Pro?

Unlike Boost Mode, the supersampling option is hidden in a bunch of menu screens. From your PS4 dashboard, scroll up and then right until you reach 'Settings'. From here, scroll down to 'Sound and Screen' and then to 'Video Output Settings'.

Scroll down and you should see a 'Supersampling Mode' option. Enable it and you're good to go. Please note though that 'Supersampling Mode' is only available when playing a PS4 Pro on a HDTV.

How to Make the Most of Your PS4 Pro on a 4K TV

If you can pair a 4K TV and a PS4 Pro, you're in for a real treat. You're basically witnessing a taste of the next generation, which will almost certainly be primarily 4K. The only problem is, the PS4 Pro doesn't work its wonders automatically. Much like with Boost Mode and Supersampling, you have to turn a bunch of settings on and also make sure you've chosen the right HDMI port to enable the best features.

Woah there, stop hyperventilating! It's going to be okay. The purpose if this guide is to help you make sense of all of this stuff, and to walk you through setting it up so you can make the most of your PS4 Pro. Let's get right into it.

How to Set Up Your PS4 Pro for 4K and HDR

First things first, you need to make sure you're using the correct HDMI port on your TV. You may not be aware, but certain ports don't actually allow for 4K visuals.

To check if you're using the correct port, look at the back of the TV and try and find a 'HDMI 2.0' port. If you can't find one, try HDMI port one. Often that's the one with the fanciest technology, and you'll find out in the next step anyway.

How to Set Your PS4 Pro to a 4K Resolution

Now, turn the PS4 Pro on and scroll up and right on the dashboard to find 'Settings'. Next, scroll to 'Sound and Screen' and choose 'Resolution'. If you performed the previous step correctly, you should now be able to set the PS4 Pro to a 2160p - YUV420 or 2160p - RGB setting. Choose one, or allow the PS4 to set it automatically, and you're ready for 4K gaming goodness.

However, if the option is greyed out then you've either chosen an incompatible HDMI port, or your TV isn't compatible with 4K resolution.

How to Turn on HDR on a PS4 Pro

Again, to turn on HDR on a PS4 Pro you need to make sure your PS4 is connected to the correct HDMI port to turn on HDR. Perform the previous two steps before reading on. Here's where it gets a little tricky. To enable HDR, you may need to switch it on in your TV's settings screen. Given the sheer number of TVs there are out there we can't provide a walkthrough for that, but if you search for the TV's model and how to turn on HDR, you should find a separate guide for that.

Just bear in mind that TV manufacturers do occasionally refer to HDR in a variety of different ways. Again, a quick Google search should help you resolve that. Finally, you now need to go into Settings, Sound and Screen, and then Video Output Settings to turn HDR on. If you've performed the previous steps correctly, you should be able to enable it. If not, repeat the previous steps.

Not every game supports HDR on the PS4, but you can find a full list of all PS4 HDR compatible games through the link. It's also worth noting that HDR is available on the standard PS4 as well, so as long as you have the right type of TV you can enable this without necessarily needing to own a PS4 Pro.

Is There Anything Else I Should Do When Setting Up a PS4 Pro?

You should also turn on 'Boost Mode' because it can improve the performance and visuals of PS4 games that don't support 4K.

Also, each time you start a new game you should make a rule to always go into the video settings for that specific game to see if you can tweak them. Often, you'll have to enable HDR and 4K manually, and sometimes they'll offer different visual modes. It would be a shame to go to all of the trouble for the previous steps to then not have 4K and HDR when you play your favourite games.