F1 2021 looks best on PC, and between consoles Series X edges out PS5.
It is the only version that keeps ray tracing while you are racing: on console it only works in photo mode. It also has a clear advantage in RT shadows and is not tied to two fixed modes. The cost is steep: with RT on and DLSS off the average falls to 40-50 FPS on an RTX 3080.
PS5 and Series X are identical, at 2160p/60 FPS or 1440p/120 FPS, and both push some settings to PC Ultra level. Series X takes the tiebreak on two details: it loads slightly faster and it does not show the random drops PS5 has in the 120 FPS mode.
Series S is limited to a single 1080p/60 FPS mode with lower quality ray-traced reflections. Xbox One and PS4 also run at 1080p/60, and PS4 Pro moves up to 1800p. Across all of them textures, filtering and draw distance are the same.
On console ray tracing does not run while you race: it only switches on in photo mode.
The best live offer for each version, every price with its format.
Resolution, modes and FPS come from the video analyses above. The rest is published by each platform's official store and by the game's technical sheet on PC. Where nobody publishes the figure we put a dash, not a guess.
| Feature | PC | PS5 | Xbox | PS4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphics modes | Free settings | Two: 2160p/60 FPS and 1440p/120 FPS | Two on Series X (2160p/60 FPS and 1440p/120 FPS) · one on Series S (1080p/60 FPS) | One |
| Maximum resolution | Unlocked | 2160p | 2160p on Series X · 1080p on Series S · 1080p on Xbox One | 1080p on PS4 · 1800p on PS4 Pro |
| Frame rate target | Unlocked | 60 at 2160p and 120 at 1440p | 60 at 2160p and 120 at 1440p on Series X · 60 on Series S and Xbox One | 60 |
| Stability | — | Near perfect, with the odd isolated drop in the 120 FPS mode | Near perfect | Near perfect |
| 120 FPS | — | Yes | Yes | — |
| Ray tracing | Yes, during gameplay | Photo mode only | Photo mode only, on the Series consoles | — |
| Ray-traced reflection quality | Level with PS5 and Series X | Level with PC and Series X | Level on Series X · lower on Series S | — |
| Ray-traced shadows | Clear advantage for PC | — | — | — |
| PC performance with RT | 40-50 FPS average on an RTX 3080 without DLSS | — | — | — |
| Current-gen settings | Reference point: the Ultra preset | Some settings up at PC Ultra level: grass, some textures and in-game shadows | The same higher settings on the Series consoles | — |
| Textures, anisotropic filtering and draw distance | Identical on every platform | Identical on every platform | Identical on every platform | Identical on every platform |
| Loading times | — | — | Fastest of the lot, on Series X | — |
| HDR | — | — | Yes | — |
| Spatial audio | — | — | Dolby Atmos | — |
| Split screen | — | — | Yes | — |
| Cloud saves | — | — | Yes | — |
| Optimised for the current generation | — | — | Yes | — |
Xbox is the Series X column unless Series S is stated. Resolution, modes, FPS, VRR and download size come from the videos; HDR, ray tracing and PC features from the technical sheet and the official Xbox catalogue.
PC, and the gap is ray tracing: it is the only version that keeps it during a race, while on console it only works in photo mode. PC also has a clear advantage in ray-traced shadows.
Yes, on PS5 and Xbox Series X, in a 1440p mode. The alternative is 2160p at 60 FPS. Xbox Series S does not get that mode: it only offers 1080p at 60 FPS.
On console you do not get to decide: it only switches on in photo mode. On PC it does run during gameplay, but it is expensive, since without DLSS the average drops to 40-50 FPS on an RTX 3080.
Very little. They share resolutions and modes, 2160p/60 FPS or 1440p/120 FPS, and the same higher settings. Series X loads slightly faster, and PS5 shows random drops in the 120 FPS mode.
Well, but cut back: a single 1080p, 60 FPS mode and lower quality ray-traced reflections than PS5, Series X and PC. Textures, anisotropic filtering and draw distance are the same, though.
Xbox One and PS4 run at 1080p and 60 FPS, and PS4 Pro moves up to 1800p while holding 60. Performance is practically perfect, but there is no ray tracing and none of the higher current-gen settings.
Video analysis by El Analista de Bits. The videos play from their own channel. PC data according to PCGamingWiki and our own FPS measurements; Xbox features according to the official Microsoft catalogue.
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