Does F1 22 also drive technically in the premier class? PC, PS5 and Xbox Series in the technology check

Formula 1 is back and the Codemasters first-person engine remains at the heart of the game. Due to the nature of this series, a cursory comparison of the new F1 22 to last year’s title reveals a lot of similarities: just like last year, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X offer native 4K resolutions, while the Series S brings up the rear with a 1080p resolution . All systems use dynamic resolution scaling to maintain performance. There’s also ray tracing support, 120Hz capabilities – basically everything you could want out of this experience – but thankfully no porpoising (aka hopping), meaning the game weathers this year’s sport’s controversy well.

At least for console users, F1 22 changes where needed. Of course, the new cars, liveries and drivers are in place, while the tracks have been tweaked in line with their real-world counterparts, along with a small tweak to the details. Similar to last year, ray-traced reflections are also part of the offering. However, the ray tracing functions are still only used in the non-race sections on the console, such as the replays that come with a drop to 30 frames per second. Interestingly, the Xbox Series consoles (even the Series S) seem to benefit from some RT reflections in the cockpit that don’t exist on the PS5 or even PC, probably a bug or something overlooked. The good news for PC users is that RT can be enabled throughout the game, albeit at a huge performance hit.

Another benefit for everyone: ray-tracing transparency effects are a new feature in F1 22, which give a reflective quality to transparent materials such as glass. This is most noticeable on the new supercars, which include glass windshields. They’re easy to spot in the game’s new F1 Life showrooms in the main menu. RT Transparencies are a nice touch that work beautifully with the existing RT effects like reflections and shadows. There’s a new option for this on PC, and it’s also present on PS5, Xbox Series X, and even Xbox Series S.

Aside from that slight variance between devices, there are few differences, such as a bizarre multi-colored artifact beneath the cars in the moments before the race, only seen on the PS5 version. But that’s the full extent of the differences from the Series X, most other settings look identical. Looking at the Series S, it’s remarkable how close it is to its more powerful counterpart. Considering that it runs at 1080p at only a quarter of the resolution, a very similar end result is achieved in cutscenes and gaming. The only visible downside to the Series S is that ray-traced reflections are rendered at a lower resolution.

So on the surface, there are small improvements to consoles this year. The biggest changes this year are on PC, where VR support makes all the difference. F1 22 is now compatible with a range of VR headsets on PC, greatly accommodating the cockpit view. This is a PC-exclusive feature for now, as Codemasters has informed us that there are no plans for PSVR2 support just yet, although hopefully the team will revisit this when the headset is released. Also new for the PC is support for Nvidia’s DLSS technology. There are also plans to support AMD’s equivalent, FSR 2.0, but for now VR headset support, DLSS, and additional ray tracing capabilities show the PC is in a great position. For those who want to take advantage of the game’s highest settings, such as all ray tracing settings, the DLSS support makes a big difference to ensure performance doesn’t suffer.

Finally, a word about performance. In a nutshell, both the PS5 and Series X handle perfectly, with the default 60Hz mode delivering a near-pristine experience, which is the case even during demanding scenes. Heavy rain, the maximum number of cars and driving on a complex track like Monaco doesn’t make the game sweat, even the Series S holds up here with a solid 60 fps.

A final word on 120Hz mode, also known as Performance mode. This is only available on the PS5 and Series X and I’ve noticed a discrepancy here that’s slightly in favor of the PS5. Given the same stress points – Monaco, maximum cars, wet weather – there is little change in the PS5 figures. It’s a rock solid 120fps. However, it seems that the Series X is having more trouble maintaining that frame rate. While the 120fps is still held almost constant, the latest version shows regular signs of tearing, but to be honest it would be very difficult to spot in full motion at 120fps anyway. The refresh rate is too high and the artifact is too subtle. It’s more of a minor flaw and the frame rate is pretty much constant at 120 frames per second. VRR should solve that of course.

Overall, F1 22 feels more like a small step on console after the addition of many next-gen features like ray tracing and 120Hz over the last year. This time around we’re getting a bunch of tweaks and fixes as well as cool new features for PC like VR support and DLSS, in addition to improved RT support on all formats. As one of the most demanding racing games on PC, it’s impressive how smoothly the PS5, Series X and S run the game at 60 frames per second. The only downer is that F1 22 is missing last year’s Braking Point campaign, a story mode showing the rise of a young F1 driver in CG cutscenes. The idea had potential and literally gave character to the series, it feels like it was thrown away. Instead, there’s F1 Life mode, which is sort of a display space for your cars, but hopefully some kind of story mode returns to the series. At least in the here and now, F1 22 doesn’t revolutionize the series, but barring minor glitches, it offers everything you could want from the game.

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Originally written by Thomas Morgan, Senior Staff Writer, Digital Foundry