AMD FSR 4: Significant Improvement in Image Quality Over FSR 3 and DLSS Using CNN Technology

AMD FSR 4: A Significant Advancement in Upscaling Technology

AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 4 marks a substantial upgrade in upscaling technology, offering improved image quality compared to its predecessor, FSR 3. However, it still does not quite match the performance of NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 4 with its new Transformer architecture, according to a recent analysis.

Performance Insights from Digital Foundry

This morning, the tech analysts at Digital Foundry provided an initial assessment of AMD’s latest upscaling technology. Specifically designed for the RDNA 4 GPU architecture, FSR 4 is more demanding than the previous version, as evidenced in the opening sequence of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Here, the new upscaling method displayed an average performance approximately 8% slower than that of FSR 3 when set to Performance presets.

Enhanced Image Quality Features

Despite the slight performance tradeoff, Digital Foundry emphasizes that the benefits of FSR 4 far outweigh its costs. The latest version addresses numerous image quality issues encountered in FSR 3. Key improvements include:

Particle Effects: Reduced ghosting artifacts, enhancing clarity.
Transparent Surfaces: Better detail preservation compared to the previous generation.
Low Motion Object Quality: Enhanced surface details for stationary objects.
Complex Motion Handling: A significant upgrade, outperforming prior FSR iterations.

Comparative Analysis with NVIDIA’s Upscaling Technology

Interestingly, in specific scenarios, AMD FSR 4 can outperform NVIDIA’s older CNN DLSS model, especially with stationary or low-velocity objects, where it captures finer details more effectively. However, it still lags behind NVIDIA’s latest Transformer-enhanced DLSS model in detail resolution.

When it comes to moving objects, FSR 4 performs comparably to the CNN model, which is a remarkable improvement considering the visual quality disparities between FSR 3 and DLSS in earlier reviews. This progress solidifies FSR 4 as a viable upscaling option for users of RX 9000 series GPUs.

Availability and Compatibility

As previously mentioned, AMD FSR 4 is exclusive to the RDNA 4 series GPUs, specifically the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT models. This exclusivity positions these GPUs as key players in the gaming landscape, particularly for those seeking high-quality visuals.