Atif Qazi
Ultrawide monitors are becoming quite mainstream these days and they say once you go ultrawide, you will not prefer any other form of display.
But those of you who wish to play PS4 may ask whether this console supports ultrawide monitors and the 21:9 and 32:9 (super Ultrawide) aspect ratio.
Basically, the answer to the question “Does PS4 support ultrawide monitor?” is not as straightforward as it might initially appear.
Essentially, it breaks down into two key parts. Firstly, we need to establish whether the PS4 can interface with an ultrawide monitor AT ALL. The answer to this is a yes.
If you hook up your PS4 to an Ultrawide monitor, it will display your game.
Secondly, we must understand whether the console can natively support the ultrawide aspect ratio that these monitors are renowned for.
The answer to this is no. PS4 ONLY supports the average widescreen on a 16:9 aspect ratio natively.
These questions are distinct but equally crucial, as they shape our understanding of the PS4’s compatibility with ultrawide monitors.
PS4 Supported Display Modes and Aspect Ratio
The PlayStation 4 adheres strictly to a set of display modes defined by its developers. This is, of course, in contrast to PCs which are quite flexible in terms of the display modes and aspect ratio that they can support.
The NATIVELY supported display modes for PS4 include resolutions of 720p and 1080p at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
4K resolution is also supported BUT only on the PS4 Pro model.
Here is a summary of the display modes supported:
For the Original PS4 and PS4 Slim:
- 720P @ 30Hz – 30 FPS – 16:9
- 1080 @ 30Hz – 30 FPS – 16:9
For PS4 Pro:
- 720P @ 30Hz – 30 FPS – 16:9
- 720P @ 60Hz – 60 FPS – 16:9
- 1080 @ 30Hz – 30 FPS – 16:9
- 1080 @ 60Hz – 60 FPS – 16:9
- 4k @ 30Hz – 16:9
- 4k @ 60Hz – 16:9
This narrow range of display modes (particularly for the Original PS4/PS4 slim) while sufficient for most TV screens, poses problems when interfacing with ultrawide monitors.
This is because you will notice that in ALL instances the display modes only support 16:9 aspect ratio native. So when a PS4 is connected to an ultrawide monitor, it still outputs the signal at its default 16:9 aspect ratio.
Also Read: Does PS4 Support 1440P?
This brings us to the question at hand:
Does PS4 Support Ultrawide Monitors?
In short, when it comes to displaying the game on the screen, yes, the PS4 will work with the Ultrawide monitors.
However, there are two parts to this question:
- Does PS4 Support Ultrawide Monitors at all
- Does PS4 support Ultrawide Monitors at 21:9 and 32:9 Aspect Ratio
Does PS4 Support Ultrawide Monitors At All
When it comes to the first part of the question – whether the PS4 can interface with an ultrawide monitor – the answer is a yes.
The console is perfectly capable of transmitting a signal to an ultrawide monitor and having the video output displayed.
But the result will not be as you expect due to the aspect ratio difference:
Does PS4 support Ultrawide Monitors at 21:9 and 32:9 Aspect Ratio
The second part of the question reveals some limitations in the PS4’s compatibility with ultrawide screens.
The PS4 does not natively support an ultrawide 21:9 or super ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio.
This is because the PS4’s software is designed to render its output strictly in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
As a result, the image from a PS4 displayed on an ultrawide monitor won’t fully take advantage of the monitor’s expanded field of view.
This means that, on an ultrawide screen, the image from the PS4 will be stretched to fit the wider display. As a result, the game graphics can look distorted and unnatural, ultimately affecting the visual gaming experience.
Workarounds, Adjustments, and Black Bars Issue
One way to circumvent this distortion is to adjust the aspect ratio settings directly on the ultrawide monitor.
Most ultrawide monitors come equipped with options in their On-Screen Display menus to manually adjust the aspect ratio.
By setting this to match the PS4’s 16:9 output, the distortion can be avoided. However, this approach results in another visual quirk called black bars.
16:9 image on 21:9 display. Notice the black bars on either side. Courtesy: YouTube @MathewTheBeast
When the aspect ratio on the ultrawide monitor is set to 16:9 to match the PS4’s output, the monitor will effectively ignore the additional screen real estate on either side of the 16:9 area.
This results in two vertical “black bars” appearing on the left and right of the screen where no image is displayed.
Also Read: How Many Controllers Come with PS4?
So Should You Get an Ultrawide Monitor for PS4?
Despite the limitations and the display quirks mentioned above, the PS4 can technically function with any ultrawide monitor.
However, since PS4 cannot make full use of the capabilities of an Ultrawide monitor, it is wise to ask whether getting an Ultrawide monitor for PS4 alone is worth it.
In my opinion, if your primary reason for purchasing an ultrawide monitor is to use it with a PS4, then my suggestion would be to think again.
However, if you also intend to use the monitor with a device that can output an ultrawide signal, such as a PC, then an ultrawide monitor could still be a viable choice.
The PbP Function in Ultrawide Monitors
One particular function that you can certainly use especially with the super ultrawide monitors is their Picture by Picture function.
A super ultrawide monitor has an aspect ratio of 32:9. This equates to 2 x 16:9 screens placed side by side.
As such, you can divide the screen so that one part of the screen is connected to your PS4 and the other to your PC.
That way you can play your games on one side of the screen and have a YouTube walkthrough running on the other side.
The utility of such a setup is vast that you can experiment with it.
Conclusion
In short, the answer to the question “Does PS4 support Ultrawide monitor?” has two parts.
Firstly, as far as basic support goes then YES, PS4 will output the game to an ultrawide monitor.
Secondly though, due to the aspect ratio mismatch, the output will be stretched.
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