Contents

A Quick Guide to PS2 HDMI Upscalers for 4K TVs in 2026

Q: Why does PS2 look bad on a modern 4K TV or monitor?

Most PS2 games output or display at 480i (interlaced) resolution. The PlayStation 2 is mainly designed for old CRT TVs that can “draw” interlaced signals. The console will send half the lines of an image, and then the other half, 60 times a second. These interlaced signals display as a solid image. However, modern displays can directly handle the whole image at once. They are terrible at handling 480i. A raw 480i signal cannot be combined correctly. That will lead to artifacts, input lag, blur, and other issues.

Q: Can the PS2 do 1080i?

Technically, yes. The PlayStation 2 can output a 1080i signal with the right hardware and game. First, you should select and play a PS2 game that officially supports a 1080i display mode. Only four games are available: Gran Turismo 4, Jackass: The Game, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, and Tourist Trophy. Then, a PS2 HDMI upscaler is required, such as RetroTINK 5X-Pro or OSSC.

Q: Is it worth getting a PS3 in 2026?

Whether purchasing a PS3 in 2026 is worth it or not depends entirely on your goal. If you want to play some specific PS3 games that haven’t been ported to modern consoles like PS4 or PS5, you need a PS3 console to play them natively. For collection or other personal reasons, you may also make your decision to get a PS3. However, these consoles are 20 years old. If you don’t have certain reasons, you are not advised to buy it.

June 10, 2026Ashley Mae

AI Tools

You may already have the latest PS5 Pro console. But from time to time, you will think about the old, funny time you spent playing on the classic PlayStation 2.

The Sony PS2 is the best-selling console of all time. If you are an old player or a retro gamer, you definitely own one. For different reasons, the old friend may suddenly come to your mind. You want to play it and awaken distant, cherished memories.

Then, the problem happens, this old console cannot be well supported by your TV or monitor. Your modern digital display requires more than just an adapter; it needs a PS2 upscaler to deliver a better gaming experience.

Part 1. Best PS2 HDMI Converters and Upscalers

If you want to play PlayStation 2 games on a modern HDMI TV without the image looking muddy or blurry, you need a dedicated PS2 HDMI upscaler. The table below gives a quick comparison of the 6 top devices available today.

PS2 HDMI Upscaler	Max Output Resolution	Lag (ms)	Price Tier	Skill Level Required	Type
RetroTINK 5X-Pro	Up to 1080p	<0.5 ms	High ($325.00)	Moderate	Line Multiplier Built-in Sampling with Automatic Phase Detection
OSSC	1080p (2x/5x)	<0.5 ms	High (Around $170)	Advanced	Line Multiplier VGA to HDMI for Retro Gaming
Mcbazel GBS-C	1080p (HDMI 720p/960p/1080p)	~0.5 ms	Moderate ($27.41 - $89.90)	Advanced	Upscaler/Deinterlacer VGA to HDMI
RetroTINK 2X-Pro	480p (480i -> 480p)	<0.5 ms	High ($139.99)	Low	Line Multiplier Scanline Mode
Marseille mClassic	1440p/60hz	Variable	Moderate ($99)	Low	Post-Processing Dongle Anti-Aliasing Algorithm
Generic Dongles	1080p	10-30 ms	Low ($10 - $20)	Low	Direct Converter

Part 2. How to Enhance Recorded PS2 Video Footage with AI

For some classic PS2 games, you may still have an interest in capturing wonderful gaming moments. With your selected PS2 upscaler, you can easily get a better real-time gaming experience. However, for the captured gameplay footage, you may still want to upscale or enhance it. This is where software-based AI upscalers come into play.

Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate is a reputable editing, enhancement, and conversion tool that has a dedicated AI Enhancer to polish your recorded PS2 videos. The AI can intelligently analyze the source image and fill in missing details.

Free DownloadFor Windows

100% Secure. No Ads.

Free DownloadFor macOS

100% Secure. No Ads.

Core Features of Aiseesoft AI Upscaler

AI Upscaling: Converts captured 480i/480p, 720p, or 1080p PS2 footage with enhanced quality and more details.
AI Deinterlacing: Adopts advanced deinterlacing algorithms to clean up footage that was recorded in a lower resolution, like 480i.
AI Color Correction: Automatically corrects and optimizes colors and fixes various video issues.
Multiple AI Models: Provides various AI models for different enhancement needs.
All-in-one Editing Suite: Offers all the commonly used editing functions to trim, merge, crop, and rotate PS2 gameplay footage and apply filters.

How to Upscale a PS2 Gameplay Footage with AI

Step 1.

After recording your PS2 gameplay using a capture card, you can use the Aiseesoft software to upscale it. Open Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate, go to AI Enhancer, and then import the video file.

Step 2.

Select a suitable AI enhancement model on the right based on your goal. Then, select your target resolution (e.g., 1080p or 4K) from the Output Resolution.

This AI upscaler will sharpen edges, reduce noise, restore missing details, and do other adjustments to improve the overall clarity and quality of the PS2 footage. Aiseesoft will perform related enhancements based on the specific AI model you applied. All the models are trained on millions of files to ensure efficiency and accuracy.

Step 3.

The AI upscaling software has a built-in player for you to preview the result before the whole process. You can hit the Preview button to generate a short clip for checking. You can compare it with the source PS2 gameplay footage. If you are satisfied with the clean, high-resolution file, export it with your desired format.

Part 3. FAQs of PS2 Upscaler

Question 1. Why does PS2 look bad on a modern 4K TV or monitor?

Most PS2 games output or display at 480i (interlaced) resolution. The PlayStation 2 is mainly designed for old CRT TVs that can “draw” interlaced signals. The console will send half the lines of an image, and then the other half, 60 times a second. These interlaced signals display as a solid image.

However, modern displays can directly handle the whole image at once. They are terrible at handling 480i. A raw 480i signal cannot be combined correctly. That will lead to artifacts, input lag, blur, and other issues.

Question 2. Can the PS2 do 1080i?

Technically, yes. The PlayStation 2 can output a 1080i signal with the right hardware and game. First, you should select and play a PS2 game that officially supports a 1080i display mode. Only four games are available: Gran Turismo 4, Jackass: The Game, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, and Tourist Trophy. Then, a PS2 HDMI upscaler is required, such as the introduced RetroTINK 5X-Pro or OSSC above.

Question 3. Is it worth getting a PS3 in 2026?

Whether purchasing a PS3 in 2026 is worth it or not depends entirely on your goal. If you want to play some specific PS3 games that haven’t been ported to modern consoles like PS4 or PS5, you need a PS3 console to play them natively. For collection or other personal reasons, you may also make your decision to get a PS3. However, these consoles are 20 years old. If you don’t have certain reasons, you are not advised to buy it.

Conclusion

This guide recommends six great PS2 upscalers for you to enjoy classic games on a modern 4K TV without blur. For the best quality and best experience, the reliable RetroTINK 5X-Pro is the gold standard. However, if you are a casual user and on a tighter budget, select generic PS2-to-HDMI dongles.