Platform comparison

Horizon Forbidden West: which platform plays it best?

What changes between PS5, PS4: resolution, FPS per mode, what each official store publishes and the FPS we measured on PC.

PricesHorizon Forbidden West key

Quick verdict

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Horizon Forbidden West is a PS5 game, and performance mode is the way to play it.

Best graphics experience PS5 no shimmering, plus the modes added in patch 1.17
Best console experience PS5 full VRR and 120 FPS since 1.17
Best for the money PS5 the listing with the most offers and every patch improvement

Why PS5 wins

There is no PC or Xbox version: the comparison is PS4 against PS5, and that one is not close. PS5 adds full VRR and 120 FPS from patch 1.17, on top of new modes and improved settings.

The mode to pick

Patch 1.14 stripped the shimmering out of performance mode and that made it the best option, with a considerable gain in image quality. Fidelity mode was left as it was, so there is no longer a good reason to give up the smoothness.

What PS4 gets

PS4 Pro also got the shimmering cleanup in 1.14, so its image improved. What it misses is everything that came afterwards: no VRR, no 120 FPS and none of the new modes from 1.17.

Everything added after patch 1.14 - VRR, 120 FPS and the new modes - is PS5 only.

Updated 6 Jul 2022

Price on each platform

The best live offer for each version, every price with its format.

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Final prices with fees

Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West
€35.99 -28% Key
Save €14 vs PS Store View dealAmazon UK
See offers at 5 more storesSee 5 stores →
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West
€26.99 Key
View dealPlaystation Store
See offers at 8 more storesSee 8 stores →

Horizon Forbidden West: what patch 1.14 changes

  • The patch removes shimmering on PS4 Pro and in the PS5 performance mode.
  • The gain in image quality is considerable and makes PS5 performance mode the best option.
  • Graphics settings and performance stay the same as in version 1.13.
  • Particles also benefit from the shimmering being gone.
  • Fidelity mode has not changed.

Horizon Forbidden West: patch 1.17 brings VRR and 120 Hz

  • Guerrilla ships another big patch only weeks after the previous one.
  • Patch 1.17 adds full VRR support.
  • It also brings new modes and improved settings.
  • And it adds 120 FPS on PS5.

Horizon Forbidden West: a first look at the PS5 build

  • He goes through the PS5 gameplay shown ahead of release.
  • With results like those on screen, it is easy to forget a PS4 version is coming too.
  • Precisely because it has to share a codebase with PS4, he rates what PS5 showed as even more impressive.

Full platform comparison

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 PS5 PS4
Graphics modes Quality, performance and, from patch 1.17, new modes—
Performance mode The best option since patch 1.14 removed its shimmering—
Quality mode Unchanged by patch 1.14—
Shimmering Removed from performance mode in patch 1.14Removed on PS4 Pro in patch 1.14
Particles Also improve once the shimmering is goneAlso improve once the shimmering is gone
VRR Yes, full support from patch 1.17—
120 FPS Yes, from patch 1.17—

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.

Frequently asked questions about Horizon Forbidden West

Which console does Horizon Forbidden West look best on?

PS5. There is no PC or Xbox version, so the comparison is with PS4, and PS5 adds full VRR, 120 FPS and the new modes that arrived with patch 1.17.

Which graphics mode should I use on PS5?

Performance. Patch 1.14 removed its shimmering and improved image quality considerably, while fidelity mode was left untouched. After that, there is no reason to give up the smoother frame rate.

Does it run at 120 FPS?

Yes, on PS5 and from patch 1.17, which also added full VRR support, new modes and improved settings.

Is the PS4 version worth it?

PS4 Pro also got the shimmering removed in patch 1.14, so its image improved. What it does not have is anything that came later: no VRR, no 120 FPS and none of the modes added in 1.17.

What exactly did patch 1.14 change?

It removed shimmering on PS4 Pro and in the PS5 performance mode, and particles improved along with it. Graphics settings and performance stayed as they were in 1.13, and fidelity mode was not touched.

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.