NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 vs AMD FSR 4 “Redstone” Upscaling Comparison: Is NVIDIA Leading the Way Again?

Last year’s introduction of FSR 4 marked AMD’s long-awaited entry into the realm of upscaling technology, finally bringing its capabilities on par with Nvidia’s established DLSS framework after nearly six years of absence. Reviews have largely celebrated FSR 4, positioning it between DLSS 3’s “CNN”model and the more advanced DLSS 4’s “Transformer”approach in image fidelity, albeit with slightly reduced performance relative to DLSS 4. Nevertheless, with the debut of DLSS 4.5 at CES 2026, Nvidia appears set to re-establish its dominance in the domain of upscaled image quality.

Delving into DLSS 4.5: The Next-Gen Transformer

DLSS 4.5 introduces several enhancements over its predecessor, DLSS 4. Key improvements include:

Second-generation Transformer architecture
Extensive and high-fidelity training data set
Substantially increased computational demands (5X that of DLSS 4)
Utilization of FP8 on RTX 4000 and 5000 series, compensating for performance impact

To enable DLSS 4.5 for specific games, users can access the Nvidia App, select the desired game, and adjust the Driver settings by altering the DLSS Override – Model Presets to either Preset M (Performance) or Preset L (Ultra Performance).For today’s analysis, we’ll concentrate on the M preset.

NVIDIA GeForce Experience showing DLSS Override settings — Nvidia App showing DLSS Override – Model Presets menu.

Testing Framework

To evaluate the leading upscaling technologies from Nvidia and AMD, I employed the RX 9060XT 8GB for FSR 4 and the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB for DLSS 4.5. Both GPUs were integrated into my test rig with the following specifications:

Intel i7 13700k (configured to MSI Performance Settings)
MSI Z790MPower motherboard
32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 7200 RAM
Seasonic Focus V3-GX 1000W PSU
Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420MM AIO cooler
Two SN850X 1TB SSDs
Windows 11 24H2
AMD Radeon Adrenaline Driver 25.12.1
NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.74

The majority of the games tested feature native FSR 4 integration, either available directly in the in-game settings (such as in Cyberpunk 2077) or included via an in-driver update (like in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33).Additionally, I experimented with enabling FSR 4 in Forza Motorsport through Optiscaler, utilizing DLSS inputs.

It’s important to note that Black Ops 7 does not reveal the Driver Settings options in the Nvidia App when acquired via Game Pass. Consequently, I had to resort to DLSS Swapper to enable the M preset for this game, although this method is not advised for multiplayer titles.

All captured footage was recorded using the hardware encoders of each GPU, as I do not possess a dedicated capture card setup at this moment. As such, the footage from the 5060 Ti might exhibit sharper visuals in various scenes due to the enhanced encoding capabilities of that GPU. The games were evaluated at a resolution of 1440P with performance mode upscaling active, equating to a 720P internal resolution.

Performance Insights

The demands of Preset M can be taxing on pre-Lovelace generation hardware, owing to its reliance on native FP8 architecture, which necessitates precision format translation for running on older models. On the 5060 Ti, the performance cost is on par with conventional Transformer presets, while FSR 4 operates similarly in this respect. Given the comparable raw rasterization power of the 9060XT and 5060 Ti, neither GPU presents a significant advantage in terms of frame rates, thus providing both upscaling models with ample motion data for processing.

Testing Cyberpunk 2077

Commencing with Cyberpunk 2077, I noted similar impressions regarding image quality between both FSR and DLSS solutions. While performance-mode upscaling at 1440P yields less sharpness compared to native 1440P quality, both technologies deliver an entirely functional image, albeit with some artifacts.

Video Comparison of Cyberpunk 2077 Upscaling

Elements such as neon signs and textured surfaces exhibited noticeable shimmering, yet edge aliasing was effectively managed. A standout area where DLSS earned an advantage was in mitigating disocclusion artifacts around foliage. With DLSS 4.5, these artifacts became less prominent and were only detectable upon close inspection, contrasting with FSR 4, which exhibited them even during fast motion. In conclusion, I would categorize the performance in this title as a tie.

Further Cyberpunk 2077 Video Analysis

Analyzing Hogwarts Legacy

Shifting our focus to Hogwarts Legacy, DLSS clearly outshines FSR in this instance. The overall clarity benefits from the aggressive sharpening found in the M preset. While both upscalers manage ghosting effectively, FSR struggles particularly with foliage textures: as demonstrated in the footage, even slight camera movements introduce excessive “background noise”to the foliage, requiring a second or two of stabilization to clean up.

Hogwarts Legacy Video Test

This behavioral pattern has persisted since the initial release of FSR 4, confirming the lack of updates in this regard. Although DLSS also encounters issues with dynamic foliage, it is far less pronounced than with FSR, leading me to concede victory to DLSS 4.5 in this test.

Hogwarts Legacy Comparison Analysis

Testing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Next on the slate is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a title known for its subpar native graphics primarily due to heavy processing effects that blur details. Therefore, the quality of the upscaler becomes critical.

Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 Comparison

In this case, FSR4 often produced a slightly softer image compared to the heavily sharpened Preset M. Both technologies manage to deliver a near-native experience (noting that the base native quality is notably poor) without introducing significant ghosting or shimmering issues, except for some noisy reflections attributed to Lumen.

Extended Gameplay Footage

Both upscalers suffered from the same inherent image quality shortcomings existing in the game’s native representation, such as noisy reflections, multiple disocclusion artifacts, and shimmering around hair and fabric elements. Yet, I would argue that Preset M’s additional sharpening provided an advantage in this scenario, allowing it to clinch a narrow victory.

Evaluating Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Testing Black Ops 7 proved to be more challenging since its built-in benchmark emphasizes rapid action with quick camera movements and intense effects like explosions in close proximity. I meticulously analyzed the footage frame by frame in search of motion clarity differences, ultimately identifying that both upscalers maintained comparable performance; any minor discrepancies may be more discernible to FPS specialists.

Black Ops 7 Upscaling Comparison

As observed in the footage, both upscaling methods preserve impressive levels of sharpness and motion clarity, despite the limitations of a 720P internal resolution.

Further Insights on Black Ops 7

Experimenting with Forza Motorsport

I decided to put Forza Motorsport to the test as an unconventional application since it does not have native FSR 4 support. Using Optiscaler to enable FSR 4 via DLSS inputs, I was reminded of my experience with the 9070XT, which performed effectively at 1440P with FSR 4 Quality.

Forza Motorsport Testing

However, I was taken aback by the significant decrease in image quality when employing the 1440P FSR 4 Performance mode. The reconstruction quality of landscapes and foliage fell short of expectations, a peculiar phenomenon for FSR 4 Performance at this resolution. Additionally, I noticed ghosting from the taillights of nearby cars, a rarity for FSR 4. Overall, the experience lagged significantly when compared with DLSS 4.5, underscoring the necessity for official upscaling support from developers, as community-driven solutions can falter under certain conditions.

Comprehensive Forza Motorsport Analysis

It’s crucial to treat these results with caution, as the FSR 4 setup here was not officially supported.

Conclusion: DLSS 4.5 Shows Improvement Without Disregarding FSR 4

After conducting tests across five different games at 1440P performance upscaling using both the DLSS 4.5 M preset and FSR 4, it is evident that DLSS takes a narrow lead. The M preset maximizes sharpening, providing benefits for games with weaker native visuals, thereby granting it a competitive edge.

That said, it is not an all-encompassing solution, and the overall quality of both systems generally remains comparable. The standout feature of DLSS upscaling continues to be its superior game support. Although Optiscaler can facilitate FSR 4 in titles lacking native support, results may be inconsistent, as illustrated in Forza Motorsport.

Source & Images