AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology has been making waves in the gaming industry since its launch in 2021. With the release of FSR 3, AMD is taking image upscaling to the next level. In this article, I will provide an in-depth look at FSR 3 and my experience testing it out.
What is FSR 3?
FSR 3 is AMD’s latest iteration of its spatial upscaling technology. Spatial upscaling takes lower resolution images and uses advanced algorithms to upscale them to a higher resolution. This allows games to render at lower resolutions, boosting performance, while still outputting sharp, high-resolution images.
FSR 3 utilizes temporal data to boost image quality. Temporal data refers to motion between frames over time. FSR 3 uses this temporal data along with spatial data to reconstruct high quality frames. This results in even sharper images with fewer artifacts compared to previous versions of FSR.
Some key capabilities and benefits of FSR 3 include:
- Sharper image quality – Leveraging temporal data improves clarity and reduces artifacts. FSR 3 can match native resolution image quality in many instances.
- Wide compatibility – FSR 3 works across thousands of game titles, regardless of the GPU or engine used.
- Performance boost – By rendering at lower resolutions, FSR 3 provides a significant FPS boost over native rendering.
- Ease of integration – FSR 3 uses open standards and is easy for developers to implement.
Overall, FSR 3 aims to provide near-native image quality with the performance benefits of upscaling. Next I’ll cover my hands-on testing.
My Testing Process
I tested FSR 3 using a system equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU and Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU. For testing, I used a selection of games that support FSR 3, including Spiderman Remastered.
To evaluate image quality and performance, I tested each game extensively at various resolutions with FSR 3 enabled versus native rendering. My testing process consisted of:
- Using built-in benchmark tools and playing through game sections multiple times.
- Capturing screenshots and comparing image quality between FSR 3 and native rendering side-by-side. I looked closely at textures, edges, and overall sharpness.
- Measuring average FPS using benchmark tools at various resolutions with FSR 3 versus native rendering.
- Checking for visual artifacts, blurring, and other image quality issues.
I also experimented with the three quality modes FSR 3 offers: Ultra Quality, Balanced, and Performance. These allow tuning the upscaling algorithm for prioritizing image quality or performance as needed.
FSR 3 Image Quality Analysis
Overall, I was very impressed with the image quality provided by FSR 3 in the games tested. With the Ultra Quality mode enabled, FSR 3 was nearly indistinguishable from native rendering in static scenes.
Even during fast motion, image quality held up very well. I had to zoom in and analyze scenes closely to notice any differences from native rendering. FSR 3 did an excellent job preserving textures and fine details.
There were a few minor issues noticed when scrutinizing image quality up close:
- Slightly softer edges – Edges had a subtle softness to them in some cases when viewed up close.
- Occasional shimmering – Some faint shimmering could be seen in detailed textures during motion.
- Rare artifacts – In some complex scenes, minor artifacts could be seen in low contrast areas.
However, these issues were very minor and did not noticeably detract from the overall visual experience. In terms of sharpness and detail preservation, FSR 3 delivers a major leap over FSR 2 and other upscaling solutions.
FSR 3 Performance Results
In addition to great image quality, FSR 3 also provided a sizable performance boost in the games tested. The performance uplift ranged from 20-40% at 4K resolution depending on the game and GPU-bound settings.
For example, here are benchmark results in Spiderman Remastered at 4K highest settings:
| Rendering Method | Average FPS |
|-|-|
| Native 4K | 48 FPS |
| FSR 3 Ultra Quality | 62 FPS |
FSR 3 increased average FPS by 29% in this test while providing near-native 4K image quality. The performance margins become even greater at higher graphics settings and resolutions.
Lowering the FSR 3 quality mode can further improve performance if desired. Overall, the performance gains are significant and make high fidelity gaming more accessible.
Final Impressions
FSR 3 delivers a massive generational leap in image upscaling technology. It sets a new bar for image quality and performance from an upscaler.
In my testing, FSR 3 matched and even exceeded native rendering in many cases. Minor quality imperfections were hard to notice during regular gameplay.
Meanwhile, the fps boost FSR 3 provides is immense, allowing modern games to be played at high resolutions and settings on a wide range of GPUs.
FSR 3 proves AMD is leading the way with cutting-edge upscaling. Its image reconstruction comes incredibly close to high-quality native rendering while boosting fps by up to 40%. FSR 3 is a game changer for high fidelity gaming.
