AMD FSR 4: Bridging the Gap with Nvidia in the Upscaling Technology Battle

AMD FSR 4: Bridging the Gap with Nvidia in the Upscaling Technology Battle

DLSS, FSR, and XeSS are advanced scaling technologies aimed at improving graphics card performance, with Nvidia currently leading the market. During CES, AMD showcased its new FSR 4 technology, compatible only with the latest Radeon RX 9070 series, enhancing image quality and reducing latency. FSR 4 significantly improves visual fidelity, particularly in moving objects and color accuracy, although it currently supports only two games. Despite these advancements, Nvidia remains ahead in overall image quality and performance.

DLSS, FSR, and XeSS are cutting-edge scaling technologies designed to enhance the performance of graphics cards. Currently, Nvidia leads the pack, excelling in both the efficiency of its technology and the extensive array of games that support it.

During CES in Las Vegas, the Australian YouTuber Hardware Unboxed had the opportunity to explore AMD’s booth and experience the newly unveiled FSR 4 technology, which was announced just last Monday during the company’s conference.

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FSR 4, which replaces the existing FSR 3.1, is exclusively compatible with the latest Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT graphics cards (the earlier Radeon RX 7900 is not supported). This upgrade leverages a blend of Machine Learning to greatly enhance image quality while boosting fluidity through a refined Frame Generation component. Additionally, AMD has integrated its Anti-Lag 2 technology into FSR 4 to reduce latency.

In practice, FSR 4 seems to prioritize visual quality enhancements. At AMD’s exhibit, the comparative screens for FSR 3.1 and FSR 4 did not display any FPS counts, suggesting that FSR 4 may not dramatically alter gameplay performance compared to FSR 3.1. Meanwhile, Nvidia continues to hold a substantial lead with its DLSS 3.5 and even DLSS 4 solutions. However, the visual quality improvement between the two FSR versions is quite pronounced.

FSR 4’s Striking Image Quality

Currently, FSR 4 is supported by only two titles: Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the latter of which was showcased at the event.

In Performance mode, which scales content from 1080p to Ultra HD with a factor of x2, FSR 4 delivers impressive results.

When compared to FSR 3.1, significant enhancements can be observed in moving objects, a marked reduction in visual artifacts and distortions, and improved color accuracy. FSR 4 also showcases advancements in rendering transparent surfaces compared to its predecessor.

This generational leap is substantial enough to be directly noticeable in the video captured by Hardware Unboxed, even with YouTube’s compression, as the videographer filmed the two displays. This is a promising sign.

This progress is particularly beneficial as it will likely enhance the upcoming generation of home consoles. FSR 4 appears to provide a much “cleaner” upscale to 4K, helping AMD close the gap with Nvidia’s DLSS solutions. However, Nvidia still holds the upper hand, especially in terms of image quality.