Digital Foundry Article Technical Discussion [2021]

[thicc_gaf]

The PS5 probably dips too, just maybe less (given the res) and in different places. These consoles are very similar overall, but the different balance of speed and compute will show a little differently in different stress points.

PS5 still looks very nice at 1800p*, and XSX and XSS occasional dips won't be so bad, especially with adaptive sync.

(4K downscaled onto my 1080p poor man's monitor lol)

Just saw a clip with that happening; it's where the player is walking up some stairs, very briefly it dips below 60. But it's so brief and such a small drop you would not be able to notice unless someone pointed it out (pretty similar to the dips on Series X and S).

Performance-wise the versions are virtually identical.

 

[snc]

Performance-wise the versions are virtually identical.

yep except this one mission with constantly drops to 50ish in flower area and 40ish when using sniper zoom and rock steady 60 on ps5 in this missin also

 

[iroboto]

Just saw a clip with that happening; it's where the player is walking up some stairs, very briefly it dips below 60. But it's so brief and such a small drop you would not be able to notice unless someone pointed it out (pretty similar to the dips on Series X and S).

Performance-wise the versions are virtually identical.

Version wise however, purchasers will need to be informed.

PS4 version supports PSVR, so that version of hitman has the 1440/60 FPS to support it.
The PS5 version does not support PSVR (edit but the PS5 can play the PS4 version in PSVR with adapter)

It looks like they are the same price from what I can see.

 

[snc]

But you won't be able to do PSVR with the PS5 version.

terrible

 

[iroboto]

terrible

edit: scratch that, you can, but you need the adapter, but you're playing the PS4 version.

article here:
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-01-19-hitman-3-vr-is-more-of-a-hit-than-a-miss-on-psvr

If you didn't already know, Hitman VR is currently an exclusive for PSVR on PS4 (a timed exclusive, it would seem, though we don't know when exactly other headsets will be supported). If you own any of the Hitman trilogy games on PS5, you will only be able to play them in VR if you download and run the PS4 version of the game. And, if you are playing on PS5, you will need the PS5 PSVR adapter in order to get your headset working on that console. It's a faff, but you can claim the adapter for free from Sony - although it typically takes a couple of weeks to arrive.

Yea lol, it's sorta crazy right? I was following some other threads looking for technical tidbits, and some suggested PS5 was running like this due to PS4 BC heritage. But it's not the case. It's clearly running it's own PS5 version.

The locked resolution is likely _not_ due to PS4/Pro compatibility. It's a choice they made and a game like this, (wrt to the amount of CPU according to older versions of hitman) locking the resolution would ensure the CPU would be given the power it needs, otherwise they'd fluctuate with both CPU needing power on demand and a moving resolution. Perhaps a step too far to handle in today's covid, maybe hitman 4 they will have dynamic resolution.

 

[iroboto]

I don't know why PS5 is running in lower resolution, but it can outperforms Xbox Series in hitman 3. Up to ~46% higher performance in some cases (while XSX displays a 44% higher resolution) . The games is completely locked 60fps on PS5 while the framerate can severely drop on XSX.

If you're going to use percentages:
XSX is 4K 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.7% of the game
PS5 is 1800p 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.8% of the game

I wouldn't put much attention on the 0.2% as being a worthy place to focus on. Anomalies happen from time to time in games. You'd have a much better statement if XSX was running below 60fps 80% of the time, then you need to drop resolution. You have no argument that PS5 can go higher though, that's like saying it's clear there is room for XSX to go higher as well since it manages 4K 99.7% of the time. The assumption is that if they could have gone higher they would have. Perhaps in the future they will, but this is how it is at release.

This isn't a case of looking at poor optimization either, frame rate is already 60 fps and resolution is very high, versus what we saw with DMC 5. All editions are looking fairly well polished here outside a couple dips here and there. This is a very good release considering they worked through COVID and only 2.5 months post launch.

 

[Flappy Pannus]

The fact that the 6800XT is only marginal faster than PS5 (less than 30% faster) should tell you all you need to know about the effect of this higher resolution Alpha effect on performance.

Then this would have an absolutely crippling effect on lower-end cards. Have we seen any evidence that reducing this setting provides the equivalent massive % increase like say, AC Origins: Odyssey cloud settings has?

 

[chris1515]

If you're going to use percentages:
XSX is 4K 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.7% of the game
PS5 is 1800p 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.8% of the game

I wouldn't put much attention on the 0.2% as being a worthy place to focus on. Anomalies happen from time to time in games. You'd have a much better statement if XSX was running below 60fps 80% of the time, then you need to drop resolution. You have no argument that PS5 can go higher though, that's like saying it's clear there is room for XSX to go higher as well since it manages 4K 99.7% of the time. The assumption is that if they could have gone higher they would have. Perhaps in the future they will, but this is how it is at release.

This isn't a case of looking at poor optimization either, frame rate is already 60 fps and resolution is very high, versus what we saw with DMC 5. All editions are looking fairly well polished here outside a couple dips here and there. This is a very good release considering they worked through COVID and only 2.5 months post launch.

In the Digitalfoundry video hitman 3 video, the PS5 is 60 fps 100% of the time. They have some headroom. There is no framerate drop at all. With unlocked framerate I am pretty sure the difference is lower than what the resolution show. But at least logic because of the spec.

But I am really curious about the shadow maps difference. This is strange.

 

[thicc_gaf]

yep except this one mission with constantly drops to 50ish in flower area and 40ish when using sniper zoom and rock steady 60 on ps5 in this missin also

Well tbf it doesn't appear to be rock-steady in the PS5 version when walking up a stairway for some odd reason, dips very slightly into the 50s there. I think it's fair to say in both system's cases these might be bugs that could be fixed with a patch down the line.

Outside of those moments though the game is hitting constant targets on both consoles.

Version wise however, purchasers will need to be informed.

PS4 version supports PSVR, so that version of hitman has the 1440/60 FPS to support it.
The PS5 version does not support PSVR (edit but the PS5 can play the PS4 version in PSVR with adapter)

It looks like they are the same price from what I can see.

Good to get some affirmation on this because I've seen some people saying VR support is the reason for the resolution differences. Though I think some of those people have taken the 1800p as the vertical line resolution, when it's just horizontal. And in that case I would think the resolution would be lower in order to provide VR support in the PS5 version...

...which can't be done because it'd be VR for the PS5 version and only a PSVR2 would be able to support that, and it's not out yet (quick aside I'm really interested in seeing what they do with PSVR2).

EDIT: Seems like a video showing frame drop on PS5 was a fake? I hate it when people fake this kind of stuff. Just keep it legit it's not that hard!

 

[Karamazov]

But the real question is, how does it run on a 1060 ?

let's hope IOI don't receive death threats from fanboys asking them to up the resolution on ps5 :|

 

[scently]

It is not noted in the video but in the article, they point out that all the consoles drop into the 40s at the beginning of what I assume is the Monaco mission. The one with the racing cutscene at the beginning where they showed it during the XSS section.

 

[Globalisateur]

It is not noted in the video but in the article, they point out that all the consoles drop into the 40s at the beginning of what I assume is the Monaco mission. The one with the racing cutscene at the beginning where they showed it during the XSS section.

Now that would have beeing a good way to compare them. Why didn't they show it in their video?

Edit: that drop sounds like data streaming related which is probably why they didn't show it.

 

[scently]

Now that would have beeing a good way to compare them. Why didn't they show it in their video?

Edit: that drop sounds like data streaming related which is probably why they didn't show it.

I think it's alpha effects personally. Lots smoke. It's in the video.

 

[snc]

Well tbf it doesn't appear to be rock-steady in the PS5 version when walking up a stairway for some odd reason, dips very slightly into the 50s there. I think it's fair to say in both system's cases these might be bugs that could be fixed with a patch down the line.

Tom said it's rock steady on ps5 and yes patch that dynamicaly lower resolution in this scene on xsx would surely help (for example to 1800p)

 

[Dictator]

In the Digitalfoundry video hitman 3 video, the PS5 is 60 fps 100% of the time. They have some headroom. There is no framerate frop at all. With unlocked framerate I am pretty sure the difference is lower than what the resolution show. But at least logic because of the spec.

But I am really curious about the shadow maps difference. This is strange.

PS5 does drop frames in a cutscene on the miami mission. All consoles do there to my knowledge. I mention it and use it in my video to discuss particle overdraw bandwidth limitations on console in comparison to PC GPUs.

 

[scently]

PS5 does drop frames in a cutscene on the miami mission. All consoles do there to my knowledge. I mention it and use it in my video to discuss particle overdraw bandwidth limitations on console in comparison to PC GPUs.

Yeah, I am beginning to think bandwidth is going to be an issue for consoles in this generation.

 

[goonergaz]

If you're going to use percentages:
XSX is 4K 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.7% of the game
PS5 is 1800p 100% of the time, and 60fps 99.8% of the game

Is this fact or just an example? OOI does that include the amount below 60fps of the time below fps? Overall is this the 'paper' difference between the machines?

 

[chris1515]

Yeah, I am beginning to think bandwidth is going to be an issue for consoles in this generation.

This is logic too. I speak about bandwidth contention on PS5 side at least since I saw 448 GB/s shared between CPU and GPU. Maybe they need to do quarter resolution alpha like in COD Black ops Cold War.

It seems to be a limitation too for Xbox Series X.

 

[BRiT]

Friendly Reminder, the thread for other tech analysis is @ https://forum.beyond3d.com/threads/...ical-discussion-2020-2021-xbsx-s-ps5-pc.62138

 

[pjbliverpool]

Then this would have an absolutely crippling effect on lower-end cards. Have we seen any evidence that reducing this setting provides the equivalent massive % increase like say, AC Origins: Odyssey cloud settings has?

You can't reduce the alpha effects resolution on PC, just the quality. All quality levels are full resolution.