Symptoms
- Text looks fuzzy or has color fringing
- Games look fine but the home menu looks soft
- Picture looks better in some apps than others
- Blurriness worse from a normal viewing distance
Likely causes
- CommonConsole outputting a lower resolution than the TV's native resolutionCauses the TV to upscale the image, softening detail.
- CommonTV's sharpness or noise reduction processing set too aggressivelySome TV picture modes over-process the image and blur fine text.
- PossibleHDMI cable not fully supporting the chosen resolution or refresh rateSignal can drop to a lower quality mode automatically.
- PossibleConsole connected to a non-native or extended TV inputSome TV inputs process signal differently than others.
- Less commonTV's game or PC mode not enabledThese modes often bypass extra processing that can blur the image.
What to do
- Set the console's output resolution to match the TV's native resolution exactly.
- Switch the TV to game mode or PC mode, which usually reduces extra picture processing.
- Lower or turn off sharpness, noise reduction, and motion smoothing in the TV's picture settings.
- Try a different HDMI port, ideally one labeled for the highest bandwidth or 4K support.
- Test a different HDMI cable rated for the resolution and refresh rate you're using.
- Compare the menu sharpness across different HDMI inputs on the TV to isolate the cause.
- If text still looks blurry after matching resolution and adjusting TV settings, the TV's panel or scaler may be the limiting factor.
Tools and parts
High-speed HDMI cableSearch: “HDMI 2.1 cable 4K 120hz”
When to call a pro
This is a settings and cable issue that doesn't require professional repair.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.