Getting the smoothest possible performance out of your Xbox Series X often starts with enabling 120 frames per second. This setting is a major advantage for competitive players and anyone who wants their games to look incredibly smooth, transforming fast-paced action into a fluid visual experience. While not every game supports it, the option is there, waiting to be activated in the settings menu.
Understanding 120 Hz and Its Benefits
The foundation of enabling 120 fps lies in understanding your display. Your television or monitor needs to support a 120 Hz refresh rate to actually show the extra frames generated by the console. Without this hardware capability, setting your Xbox to 120 fps will have no effect. This refresh rate reduces motion blur and makes screen movement feel significantly more responsive, which is particularly noticeable in first-person shooters, racing games, and fighting titles where split-second reactions matter.
Check Your TV Compatibility
Before diving into the console settings, verify that your TV is on the HDMI 2.1 band. Most modern 4K televisions are, but it is worth confirming. You need a high-speed HDMI 2.1 cable to carry the bandwidth required for 4K at 120 Hz. Using an older HDMI 1.4 cable will cap your signal at 4K at 60 Hz, preventing the Xbox from outputting the higher frame rate even if you enable it.
Enable the Setting on Your Console
The configuration is done entirely through the software interface of the Xbox Series X. The process is straightforward and only requires a few moments of your time. You are essentially telling the system to prioritize performance over resolution when a game allows the option.
Navigating to Display Settings
Turn on your console and television, ensuring the correct HDMI input is selected. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then navigate to Profile & system, followed by Settings. From there, select General and then click on Display & sounds. The final step is to choose Video mode to access the advanced resolution and frame rate options.
Configure Resolution and Frame Rate
Once you are in the Advanced video mode menu, you will see a list of presets. The goal is to find the one that separates the frame rate from the resolution lock. This gives you the flexibility to run at 120 Hz without necessarily being tied to 4K, though 4K is usually the preferred trade-off for clarity.
Selecting the Optimal Mode
Look for a preset that matches one of the following configurations: 4K Resolution, 120 Hz Frame Rate, or Dynamic Refresh Rate. If you see a standard 4K mode locked to 60 Hz, select it and manually edit the settings. Change the Resolution to 4K and the Frame Rate to 120. Make sure the "Allow HDR" option is checked if you want to maintain high dynamic range colors, and ensure "Allow variable refresh" is enabled to prevent screen tearing.
