AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution tested: big fps wins - but image quality suffers

Digital Foundry : AMDs FidelityFX Super Resolution is finally here, and we've been able to test it out across a number of titles. The idea here is pretty straightforward: to dramatically increase performance while minimising the hit to image quality. So the questions we had going into this one were simple enough: how does FSR actually work? How does it look in comparison to native resolution imagery? And how does it stack up against top-end temporal upscaling solutions, like the excellent technique built into Unreal Engine 4? We can answer those questions today, but what we cannot do is offer any comparisons to Nvidia's DLSS: test material simply isn't available.

[Orchard]

Still quite a bit of work to do to catch up with Nvidia & DLSS it seems, but Nvidia has also had more time... I'm sure in the future AMD will nail this.

[Neonridr]

true but then who knows what Nvidia will have by then.

[-Hermit-]

When it comes to GPU's, Nvidia's features keeps demolishing AMD. It's why I won't buy an AMD GPU. They are kicking ass in the CPU department though.

[jznrpg]

5k$ GPUs

[Sephiroushin]

I use Nvidia, and their stuff are usually great but Nvidia stuff are always hardware relate and not easy to implement (DLSS for example), they remind me of the PS3... And freesync while Gsync is better it cost a lot more and freesync madurated enough to be good... By the time FSR take over they will havee new tech hardware related that Amd will copy catch up and take over and the cicle will probably continue....

[anubusgold]

@Sephiroushin Gsync isnt better than freesync i have 4 monitors two of each and on fast paced games the Nvidia monitors seem to have more blur in games and less smoothness when gsync is on . I miss freesync with my amd cards the same games seem more clear and smoother in fast action in multiplayer.

[Vits]

Yeah, losing for TAAU is a bit rough. Not exactly the DLSS competitor that a lot of people were claming it would be. But hopefully it will improve with time.

[ocelot07]

It will improve. Dlss 1.0 was pretty much like what Fidelity FX is now. Decent FPS gains but image quality suffered.

Then they kept working in it and eventually got dlss 2.0 and it's pretty darn good.

[Qdog]

....

[Qdog]

Agreed, if we were to compare FSR 1.0 to DLSS 1.0, then FSR is superior in every way.

[metabolicfrolic]

FSR is open source and extremely easy for a developer to impliment. Since it's open source, I can foresee FSR developing at a faster rate than DLSS.

[Father__Merrin]

Will improve over time and even better it's available to all and all graphics cards we'll mainly all anyways. AMD graphics cars are excellent now

[CantThinkOfAUsername]

That's actually a win for Nvidia. Whether a developer decides to implement DLSS or FSR, RTX cards owners can run both so they aren't left out (of course it's AMD's consumer-friendly and industry-advancing move).

[Sephiroushin]

Same as freesync, in the case of FSR it might take over faster since many gamess on consoles will probaably implement it, it seems to be easy to implement too... We all win!

[Qdog]

Short of getting a big money hat from Nvidia, why wouldn't a dev use FSR which is free, open-source, can be implemented alot faster and easier than DLSS, and works on Nvida and AMD hardware? Seems like it's actually a win for AMD unless Nvidia makes DLSS open source, free, and hardware agnostic...which they would never do, since it's tied to the RTX tensor cores.

[MocBistro]

Unless you're on a bidget. Dont reach for AMD, at least until now.

[Killer73nova]

AMD cpu with Nvidia GPU is a total beast

[StoneyYoshi]

Im holding out for RDNA3. My 5700xt still does work!

[Qdog]

Nothing I love more than running a Gameworks game 4k max with all the Nvidia features enabled....on my 6900xt.

[Master-Tonberry]

So to summarize, it's crap.

[StoneyYoshi]

If you use anything below ultra quality, yes it looks like crap.

[waverider]

If this works with weaker and older GPU is still really great. getting better performance and stable game is better then a bit higher rez. For many gamers better gameplay is better then shinnier graphics! less stuter is better then a bit higher rez.

[Killer73nova]

I still have my 580 so I’m excited to see if I can hit some higher frames

[nickanasty206]

I think this tech will truly become more polished extending the life of consoles. For instance, once the Xbox Series X Pro, and PS5 pro come out, likely this tech will be relied on heavily to get games running at decent framerates to keep the older current gen consoles relevant. This will in the more immediate run assist the Xbox Series S to run truly next-gen games at a decent framerate.

[Emme]

Its about the consoles, though?