A Journey Through the Evolution of Upscaling Technology
As a self-confessed engineering nerd, I’ve always been fascinated by the constant advancements in PC gaming technology. And when it comes to the recent developments in upscaling algorithms, the story of AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) has particularly piqued my interest.
Let me take you on a journey through the evolution of this cutting-edge rendering technology. Back in June 2021, AMD introduced FSR 1.0 – a spatial upscaler that, while not a perfect substitute for native resolution, offered a significant performance boost without completely sacrificing image quality. It was a solid stopgap solution, beating out previous spatial upscalers in games with “easy” rendering [1]. But as games became more visually complex, with particle effects, fast animations, and intricate geometry, the limitations of FSR 1.0 became more apparent.
The real game-changer, however, arrived in May 2022 with the introduction of FSR 2.0 [2]. This temporal upscaler, which leverages data from previous frames, motion vectors, and other techniques, was a massive step up. Suddenly, I could play demanding titles like Deathloop at 3440×1440 with only minor compromises in quality – a far cry from the drastic settings adjustments I’d have to make to achieve the same performance without upscaling.
Closing the Gap with DLSS
As impressive as FSR 2.0 was, it still had to contend with NVIDIA’s highly acclaimed Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology. DLSS had a clear advantage, relying on machine learning to produce stunningly accurate results. But AMD wasn’t about to let that gap remain unchallenged.
The subsequent iterations of FSR 2, namely versions 2.1 and 2.2, have continued to chip away at DLSS’s lead [3]. In my own testing, I found that FSR 2.2 now matches DLSS 2 in quality mode – a remarkable achievement considering the computational cost difference [4]. And the performance scaling of FSR 2.2 is simply unparalleled, leaving DLSS and Intel’s XeSS in the dust [5].
The Battle for Ray Tracing Performance
But the real battleground for upscaling technologies has been in the realm of ray tracing. As games incorporate more and more of these advanced rendering techniques, the demand for performance-boosting solutions has skyrocketed. And this is where AMD’s latest efforts with FSR have really shone.
By combining the power of the Radeon RX 7900 series GPUs with the efficiency of FSR 2, I’ve been able to achieve 4K gaming at 60 FPS or higher, even with ray tracing cranked up to the max [6]. The numbers speak for themselves – in titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX can deliver nearly 60 FPS on average at 4K with the “Ray Tracing: Ultra” preset, all thanks to the magic of FSR 2 [7].
And the best part? You don’t need to break the bank to experience this level of performance. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX starts at just $999, making it a remarkably affordable entry point into the world of high-end, ray-traced gaming [8].
The Future of Upscaling
As impressed as I am with the current state of FSR, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds. AMD has already announced FSR 3.0, which promises to bring advanced frame generation capabilities to the table. Combined with the company’s continued efforts to refine the underlying algorithms, I have a feeling we ain’t seen nothing yet.
The battle for upscaling supremacy is far from over, with NVIDIA, Intel, and even Unreal Engine 5 all vying for a piece of the pie. But if AMD’s past performance is any indication, I have a good feeling about where FSR is headed. Bring on the next generation of mind-blowing visuals and silky-smooth frame rates, I say! This engineering nerd is more than ready.
