AMD FSR 4 vs FSR 3

At CES 2025, AMD showcased plenty of new tech, including the new Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 9900X3D processors, which will be of particular interest to gamers looking for some serious number-crunching muscle. However, AMD didn’t show off its much-anticipated RDNA 4 graphics cards, at least not as part of the main presentation. It was a slightly different story behind closed doors though, where it offered a sneak peek at what is believed to be FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 4 running on the new cards. This next iteration of AMD’s upscaling technology could signify a major leap forward, especially when compared to its predecessor, FSR 3.1, and could finally see some parity with its biggest rival, Nvidia’s DLSS.

The demonstration in question featured two systems running Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart at 4K in Performance Mode, highlighting the tricky challenge of achieving a convincing output when using 4x upscaling. On one side, the system used FSR 3.1 to deliver results that were decent but predictably littered with artifacts that come from upscaling from 1080p to 4K. Smaller objects suffer from fizzes and shimmers that anyone that has used current FSR in performance mode will have seen, along with moiré effects on some surface. Next to this machine though was one using what is assumed to be FSR 4 presented a noticeably cleaner, more detailed image. The latter benefited from AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture and its AI-driven upscaling capabilities—a first for FSR technology.

This AI-based enhancement is a departure from AMD’s approach thus far, which has always made a big thing about being platform-agnostic. FSR 3.1, for instance, can run on Nvidia and Intel GPUs, as well as its own range of graphics cards, to offer flexibility for gamers. FSR 4 potentially changes this though, requiring RDNA 4-based GPUs like the yet-to-be-released Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 to draw on its machine learning potential. This limits its accessibility compared to earlier versions, but the visual improvements might justify the trade-off for AMD’s dedicated user base.

At this stage, it’s worth quickly going over how current FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) works. It renders the game in question at a lower resolution than the display’s target resolution in order to boost performance – as rendering fewer pixels equates to higher frame rates. It then uses advanced algorithms to upscale the image, enhancing its sharpness and detail to make it look closer to native resolution. This process allows players to achieve higher frame rates while maintaining visual fidelity.

In essence, FSR analyzes the rendered frame, detects edges, and reconstructs details that would typically be lost in lower resolutions. By blending pixel data intelligently, it delivers smoother visuals and minimizes artifacts like blurriness or jagged lines, making the gaming experience more immersive even on less powerful hardware. It isn’t perfect though, especially in performance mode, where the lack of raw pixels means that the upscaling has its work cut out and artifacts are not only apparent, but annoying enough to not want to use it.

The transition from FSR 3.1 to FSR 4 brings several notable advancements:

• AI-Powered Upscaling: FSR 4 utilizes AI accelerators in RDNA 4 GPUs to enhance image reconstruction, aiming to rival Nvidia’s DLSS in recreating fine details and reducing artifacts.
• Improved Image Quality: The CES demo indicates that FSR 4 significantly minimizes artifacts, even when using performance upscaling.
• Exclusive Hardware Requirements: Unlike FSR 3.1’s open compatibility, FSR 4 requires an RDNA 4 GPU. This significantly limits its appeal but could pay off if the quality is good enough.

Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) has long been the champion of AI-based upscaling, thanks to its dedicated Tensor Cores and deep learning algorithms. The recently revealed DLSS 4, which requires Nvidia’s soon-to-be-released RTX 50 series graphics cards, continues to push the envelope, delivering exceptional image quality and performance gains.

FSR 4’s reliance on RDNA 4 AI accelerators represents a significant pivot for AMD and could undermine one of FSR’s biggest draws – it’s platform agnostic approach made it interesting to lots of gamers. The key question is whether FSR 4 can match DLSS where it counts, not just in terms of final image quality, but in frame rates too. Developers are going to need to implement support for it as well, which could be a problem given the relatively small user base that comes with a technology being tied to a specific set of graphics cards.

As these upscaling technologies continue to advance, gamers can look forward to higher frame rates and better visual fidelity without the need for top-tier native resolutions. The upscaling race is heating up, and FSR 4 suggests AMD is ready to take on Nvidia DLSS directly, which could make for some interesting times.