Control’s Latest Console Update Brings Major Enhancements to PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X|S

The most recent version for Control is now live. It is the biggest update for PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X|S since the Ultimate Edition came out in 2020. It is called patch 1.3 or 1.05 on PlayStation and adds a lot of features that were only available on PC in the big March update.

These include HDR support, a move to 10-bit color in SDR mode to reduce banding, and improvements to the Northlight Engine's custom TAA method. However, this update goes beyond a simple PC feature migration, adding console-specific enhancements that substantially improve performance and visual fidelity.

New Performance and Display Features

Among the most notable additions is support for 120Hz output, VRR, and an unlocked frame rate toggle for both PS5 and Xbox consoles. With these features, the 60fps-capped performance mode can now run fully unlocked up to 120fps, provided a 120Hz display is connected. Once 120Hz is enabled, VRR automatically engages at a software level to deliver smoother, more consistent motion.

The update also adds a new optional PSSR toggle for better image quality on PS5 Pro hardware. It also includes better performance and visual settings that are made just for Pro users.

Enhanced Temporal Anti-Aliasing

The update promises refined temporal anti-aliasing, which addresses one of Control's long-standing visual weaknesses. While not a radical overhaul, the in-house TAA method now delivers noticeably fuller and better-defined hair strands, along with reduced flicker and pixelation on metallic surfaces. 

Although some shimmering remains, the refined TAA provides more consistent visual quality across all consoles, including the Series S.

The trade-off comes in the form of slightly reduced sharpness in motion, but the refinement helps stabilize sub-pixel details. It's not as transformative as AMD's FSR 2 or FSR 3, yet it represents a clear improvement within Remedy's existing technology.

Unlocked Frame Rate Mode

The newly added unlocked FPS toggle allows Control to run beyond 60fps, but this doesn't automatically translate to 120fps gameplay. The game remains heavily CPU-bound due to its advanced physics-based destruction system. 

In typical gameplay scenarios, the PS5 averages between 60 to 90fps, occasionally dipping into the low-50s during intensive combat sequences.

With VRR enabled, even frame rates as low as 52fps still produce smooth motion. Both the PS5 Pro and Series X perform better overall, with the Pro averaging around 2 to 5fps higher than the Series X, which itself maintains a 5 to 15fps advantage over the base PS5.

All three consoles maintain a native 1440p resolution reconstructed to 4K. While the Pro can leverage PSSR for improved image quality, it incurs a slight performance cost.

Graphics Mode and Ray Tracing Improvements

The graphics mode keeps ray-traced reflections and glass reflections that are see-through, which makes the visuals look very real. But the game still only runs at 30 frames per second on a 60Hz screen. When a 120Hz display is connected and the unlocked FPS toggle is enabled, the cap increases to 40fps on PS5 and Series X, and up to 60fps on PS5 Pro.

This 40fps to 60fps range creates a balanced middle ground between fluidity and visual quality. On PS5 and Series X, the 40fps cap generally holds steady except in heavy combat, where the PS5 can occasionally dip near 30fps. The Series X handles these stress tests more efficiently, maintaining tighter frame consistency.

For the Series S, there's no dedicated 30fps ray-traced mode; it continues to run at 60fps by default. While the unlocked FPS toggle doesn't raise this cap, official VRR support now ensures smoother motion.

PS5 Pro Performance and PSSR Technology

On PS5 Pro, the ability to play with ray tracing at 60fps is a major breakthrough. Although performance can dip into the mid-40s during heavy physics interactions, gameplay remains generally stable and visually rich, especially with VRR enabled.

PSSR, introduced in this update, serves as Sony's proprietary upscaling solution. It makes things look sharper and clearer in motion while eliminating ghosting and pixel creep. It keeps the image stable better when you're moving, especially in places with specular highlights or complicated shapes.

But PSSR has two big problems: it makes noise in static scenes and slows down performance by about 7 to 15 frames per second compared to the regular TAA. For instance, during stress tests, the base PS5 averaged 79.5fps, PS5 Pro with TAA averaged 92.7fps, and PS5 Pro with PSSR averaged 81fps.

Despite this penalty, combining PSSR with the unlocked performance mode produces excellent results, particularly for players using VRR displays.

Final Thoughts

Beyond the headline features, PS5 Pro users can expect subtle but meaningful improvements in SSR (screen space reflections), texture filtering, and shadow quality. Reflections on glossy surfaces appear more stable, and floor textures benefit from slightly enhanced filtering.

While the PlayStation Store page makes no mention of these upgrades, the improvements are significant. Control now stands as one of the most optimized titles for PS5 Pro, utilizing its hardware effectively to balance high visual fidelity with performance flexibility.

The combination of 120Hz support, VRR, improved TAA, optional PSSR upscaling, and higher ray-traced frame rate caps represents a remarkable evolution for Control on consoles. For players with the proper display setup, these enhancements deliver smoother gameplay, sharper visuals, and a modernized experience worthy of Remedy's acclaimed title.

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