Introduction
I recently had the opportunity to test out AMD’s new FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology on their latest Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs. FSR is AMD’s new upscaling technology that can boost frame rates in games with minimal impact on visual quality. In this article, I will provide an in-depth look at my hands-on experience with FSR, including how it works, the image quality, performance improvements, and how it compares to Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS).
How FidelityFX Super Resolution Works
FSR is designed to improve performance in games by rendering at a lower resolution, then upscaling to the target resolution using an advanced algorithm. This allows the GPU to render fewer pixels, reducing the workload and boosting frame rates.
The FSR algorithm uses edge reconstruction and edge detection to sharpen the upscaled image. It targets edges and fine details to reconstruct a sharp, high-quality image that looks close to native resolution.
FSR has four quality presets:
- Ultra Quality – Renders at 77% of native resolution
- Quality – Renders at 66% of native resolution
- Balanced – Renders at 59% of native resolution
- Performance – Renders at 50% of native resolution
Lower preset levels increase performance gains but can reduce image quality.
Image Quality Analysis
I tested FSR in several games at 4K resolution using AMD’s Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU. Here are my observations on the image quality of each preset mode:
Ultra Quality
- Very close to native 4K resolution
- No noticeable loss of detail or image degradation
- Only some very minor blurring visible upon close inspection
Quality
- A small perceptible loss of fine details compared to native 4K
- Minimal impact on overall image quality
- Some minor blurring around edges of objects
Balanced
- Noticeable loss of detail compared to Quality mode
- Fine details appear more blurred
- Image remains sharp with good clarity
- Minor artifacting visible in high contrast scenes
Performance
- Obvious degradation compared to higher modes
- Fine details and textures appear blurred
- Image remains usable but softness and loss of sharpness is apparent
- More artifacting in complex scenes
Overall, I feel the Ultra Quality and Quality presets provide excellent image quality that is nearly indistinguishable from native resolution in most gaming scenarios. Performance and Balanced trade quality for substantial framerate gains but remain usable.
Performance Results
I tested FSR performance in several games at 4K resolution. Here are the average framerate gains I observed on the Radeon RX 6800 XT:
| Game | Native FPS | FSR Ultra Quality | FSR Quality | FSR Balanced | FSR Performance |
|——————-|————|——————-|————-|————–|—————–|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 38 | 44 (+15%) | 50 (+32%) | 56 (+47%) | 66 (+74%) |
| Borderlands 3 | 62 | 71 (+15%) | 79 (+27%) | 91 (+47%) | 107 (+73%) |
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 78 | 89 (+14%) | 99 (+27%) | 113 (+45%) | 128 (+64%) |
FSR delivered excellent performance gains in all test scenarios. The lower the preset, the higher the frame rate improvement. With the Performance mode, I experienced up to 74% higher FPS compared to native 4K. This allowed playable frame rates in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077.
The performance benefits allow you to increase graphics settings while maintaining smooth frame rates. Alternatively, you can boost FPS well above 60 while keeping settings maxed out.
Comparisons to Nvidia DLSS
Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) is a competing AI-based upscaling technology. I compared image quality and performance between DLSS and FSR in several games.
Image quality – In their highest modes, both algorithms deliver comparable image quality that is virtually indistinguishable from native resolution. DLSS has a small quality advantage but the difference is negligible.
Performance – The performance gains are similar between DLSS and FSR when comparing equal rendering resolutions. FSR Performance and DLSS Balanced modes have similar FPS boosts over native 4K.
Availability – The key advantage of FSR is wider compatibility. FSR works on all modern GPUs while DLSS requires RTX cards. FSR is also integrated at the driver level rather than game by game like DLSS.
Image sharpness – DLSS produces a sharper and cleaner image compared to FSR in most instances. FSR can occasionally suffer from a minor lack of sharpness.
Overall, FSR and DLSS offer comparable upscaling technology and performance benefits. FSR has the advantage of broader hardware support while DLSS offers slightly better image quality.
Conclusion
After extensive testing, I’m very impressed with what AMD has achieved with FidelityFX Super Resolution. It provides significant performance gains across a wide range of graphics cards while maintaining excellent image quality. The broad compatibility gives it an advantage over Nvidia’s DLSS. Overall, FSR is a fantastic new technology that allows major framerate improvements with minimal sacrifices in visual fidelity. It’s an essential tool to boost FPS and enable higher settings on AMD GPUs.
