Helldivers 2 Update 7.0.0 is arguably the most anticipated update for PS5 Pro players recently. While Helldivers 2 already supported PSSR on PS5 Pro, the actual graphics were somewhat soft, details were blurry, and some particle effects suffered from noticeable rendering issues.
This patch officially adds an upgraded PSSR upscaler and fixes some issues with effects passing through walls. In actual gameplay after the update, image sharpness, detail, and overall clarity have all improved significantly, there are significant improvements in image sharpness, detail, and overall clarity, finally making PS5 Pro's visual advantage noticeable again.
However, while the biggest graphics issues have been addressed, Helldivers 2's original performance weaknesses are now more apparent. Frame drops during intense battles still occur, so 7.0.0 seems to primarily address PS5 Pro's most noticeable graphics problem.
PSSR Graphics Improvement
PS5 Pro players who restarted the game after updating to Helldivers 2 7.0.0 will immediately notice a significant improvement in graphics clarity.
Character and weapon outlines are sharper, distant terrain is less blurry, and overall sharpness and detail have significantly improved. Especially in less demanding scenes, PS5 Pro now delivers a clean look approaching 4K output.
These were precisely the most noticeable issues with the previous Pro. PSSR was supposed to utilize a lower internal rendering resolution to reconstruct a clearer image, but Helldivers 2's earlier implementation of PSSR was less convincing, resulting in blurry scenes and a loss of distant detail.
Therefore, some players in the community felt that the older PSSR didn't look as good as the older native 1440p output. However, after Update 7.0.0, this gap has been largely bridged.
Now, back in the game, PS5 Pro's visual advantages are finally more apparent, with some players even feeling that the current visual quality surpasses that of the regular PS5's graphics mode.
At least in terms of graphics, the previous situation where stronger hardware resulted in a blurrier image has finally improved.
Effects Adjustments
Previously, PS5 Pro had a noticeable issue: some particles and effects would render abnormally, even passing through walls.
This was particularly noticeable in Helldivers 2. The game itself has numerous explosions, fire, smoke, and laser effects, and when those effects appeared where they shouldn't, it could easily affect the visual experience during combat.
Update 7.0.0 has fixed some effects passing through walls on PS5 Pro, and combined with the new PSSR, the overall visuals are significantly cleaner than before.
For many PS5 Pro players, the most important aspect of this update isn't pushing the graphics settings to a higher level, but fixing the previously noticeable visual issues, allowing Pro to once again demonstrate its visual advantages.
Frame Rate Issues
After the graphics improvements, the remaining problems in PS5 Pro become more apparent: the frame rate still drops during intense combat.
Some players have reported that while the graphics are indeed much clearer after Update 7.0.0, frame rate fluctuations remain noticeable when enemy numbers rise, explosions pile up, and multiple Stratagems are being used at once..
This is not the same issue as PSSR itself. The new PSSR primarily improves image reconstruction, making the visuals clearer; however, large-scale battles involve enemy AI, physics effects, and a significant amount of battlefield computation, so CPU load isn't eliminated by PSSR upgrade.
Therefore, Helldivers 2 remains relatively stable during normal map exploration, but in scenes with dense Terminid swarms and multiple enemy groups appearing simultaneously, PS5 Pro may still experience frame drops.
A similar situation exists on PC, indicating that while 7.0.0 resolved the graphics issues, it hasn't completely resolved the performance pressure of the game in complex battles.
Stability Improvements
In the early days of Helldivers 2 on PS5 Pro, the game actually ran more consistently than on the regular PS5. Although the resolution advantage wasn't significant, the frame rate performance was relatively better.
Pro update released in early 2025 actually introduced new problems. The actual performance of PSSR was less than ideal, with softer graphics and the performance advantage not being fully realized, making the overall PS5 Pro experience somewhat awkward.
However, this situation improved after Update 7.0.0. According to player feedback, PS5 Pro now has better frame rate stability than before, and is also superior to the regular PS5.
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However, this improvement is most noticeable during exploration and medium-scale battles. In situations with dense enemy formations and numerous overlapping effects, the frame rate still drops.
Therefore, while 7.0.0 does bring PS5 Pro closer to its original state, the performance issues are not completely resolved.
Dynamic Resolution
PS5 Pro can also be compared to Xbox Series X. While both are gaming consoles, Xbox Series X uses Dynamic Resolution Scaling (DRS), while PS5 Pro currently operates closer to a fixed 1440p resolution.
The function of DRS is quite straightforward: when combat pressure increases, Helldivers 2 can temporarily lower the internal rendering resolution to reduce GPU load, restoring it once the scene pressure decreases.
In contrast, fixed resolution offers less room for adjustment. If certain scenes simultaneously put significant pressure on both GPU and CPU, DRS can at least alleviate some of the burden by lowering the resolution.
However, it cannot solve all frame drops. If the bottleneck primarily stems from CPU computations such as enemy AI, physics effects, and battlefield logic, simply lowering the resolution will offer limited assistance.
The upgraded PSSR has already significantly improved image reconstruction; therefore, if PS5 Pro can incorporate a more flexible dynamic resolution strategy in the future, it might further improve frame rate stability during high-intensity combat while maintaining image quality as much as possible.
Update 7.0.0 has addressed Helldivers 2's most noticeable graphical weakness on PS5 Pro, and the upgraded PSSR has brought its visual advantages back into play. The next issue to resolve, naturally, is the frame rate drops that persist during large-scale battles.
