AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution: What it is and how to use it

At Computex 2021, AMD finally revealed FidelityFX Super Resolution, which had been teased for quite some time. Its upscaling feature is designed to compete with Nvidia’s deep learning super sampling (DLSS), boosting frame rates by more than 200 percent in some games at 4K with ray tracing enabled.

Super Resolution is a significant step forward for AMD, giving the RX 6000 graphics cards a much-needed boost with ray tracing and providing gamers with older cards with a helping hand at a time when purchasing new GPUs is difficult. Super Resolution, on the other hand, isn’t a carbon copy of DLSS. Super Resolution uses a different upscaling technique that could dethrone DLSS as the go-to upscaling option, in addition to supporting AMD and Nvidia hardware.

Now that FidelityFX Super Resolution is widely available, here’s everything you need to know about what FSR is and how to use it.

What is AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, and how does it work?

AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling is FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) (DLSS). FSR is an image upscaling feature similar to DLSS that makes a game appear to render at a higher resolution than it actually is. As a result, the engine may render the game at 1080p, with FSR filling in the gaps to make it look like a 1440p output.

FSR, on the other hand, isn’t just a clone of DLSS. The technology from Nvidia works by offline training an artificial intelligence (A.I.) model with high-quality scans (say, a 16K still frame). DLSS can then use the A.I. to fill in the extra information in a frame. model. FSR is a little different in that it doesn’t use machine learning and doesn’t require per-game training. It can be implemented independently of AMD, with no need for special network drivers or hardware.

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In contrast to DLSS, AMD is taking an open stance on FSR. The complete FidelityFX suite, including FSR, is compatible with several versions of AMD and Nvidia GPUs. The capability is currently available on the RX 6000, RX 5000, RX 500, and RX 400 GPUs, as well as the Nvidia GTX 10-series, 16-series, and RTX 2000, 3000 cards. Also supported are Ryzen processors with Radeon graphics.

Ultra Quality, Quality, Balanced, and Performance are the four quality settings offered by FSR. Frame rates are increased while maintaining as much detail as possible with ultra quality. Each performance setting lowers the frame rate at the expense of image quality by rendering at lower resolutions and compensating with more harsh sharpening.

 How does FidelityFX Super Resolution work?

FidelityFX Super Resolution is a shadow-based upscaling technique used at the conclusion of the rendering pipeline. It does two passes on an image generated at a lower resolution than the gamer’s native resolution to increase its visual quality and make it more akin to the original resolution. The first is an edge-reconstruction upscaling technique, which tries to reproduce the image at a greater quality than it actually is. The image is then given a second sharpening process to give it even more clarity.

The algorithm’s input resolution is determined by the FSR quality mode selected by the user. FSR Ultra Quality renders at 2954 x 1662 for a 4K output, where the native resolution is 3840 x 2160. Quality mode utilizes 2560 x 1440 pixels, Balanced mode uses 2259 x 1270 pixels, and Performance mode uses 1920 x 1080 pixels.

To compensate for the reduced input resolution in lower-quality settings, developers may choose to utilize more extreme sharpening. As we discovered during our testing, this can cause sharpening artifacts to occur.

At higher native resolutions, the approach, like DLSS, is best effective when the upscaling algorithm has more information to work with. FSR, on the other hand, can run in 1080p or even lower resolutions, allowing some of the older GPUs it supports to play games that would otherwise be difficult to play.

When can FidelityFX Super Resolution be used?

Immediately! FSR was first shown during AMD’s keynote at Computex 2021, and it was released to the public on June 22. All you need is one of the many supported GPUs, the latest Radeon driver, and one of the games with an FSR setting to take advantage of it.

The capability is now only accessible on PC, but AMD is expected to bring it to the RDNA 2-based Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 at some point in the future. FSR will become a key element of the game production pipeline when and if it arrives to consoles. Console games are already pushing their machines to their limitations, so as the consoles get older, a powerful upscaling mechanism will become necessary. Hopefully, this will lead to widespread adoption, which is great news for PC gamers.

Which games are compatible with FidelityFX Super Resolution?

The following games are currently available in FidelityFX Super Resolution:

The current list of FidelityFX Super Resolution games includes:

Anno 1800

Evil Genius 2

Godfall

Kingshunt

Terminator Resistance

The Riftbreaker

22 Racing Series

This will be extended with a further 12 games “soon.” Though they have no firm release date, upcoming confirmed FSR games include:

Asterigos

Baldur’s Gate III

DOTA 2

Edge of Eternity

FarCry 6

Farming Simulator 22

Forspoken

Myst

Necromunda: Hired Gun

Resident Evil: Village

Swordsman Remake

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodhunt

Blood hunt is a Vampire The Masquerade game.

AMD has apparently collaborated with over 40 large firms, including EA Frostbite, Obsidian Entertainment, Focus Home Interactive, Capcom, Larian Studios, and Turtle Rock, among others, to implement FSR in the future.

If you’d want to see FSR in your favorite game, submit a request via the AMD FSR wishlist.

A DLSS killer?

There are already significant disparities in quality and support between DLSS and FSR. DLSS 2.0 is by far the more spectacular upscaling method, providing incredible speed gains with minimal visual distortions. It also has a large number of supporting games, with over 40 titles now supporting DLSS 1.0 or 2.0 in some form or another, with another 20 planned for the following year.

However, DLSS is only available on Nvidia’s RTX graphics cards, which are extremely expensive and in low supply. FSR is supported by almost every graphics card launched in the last five years, and its upscaling is both effective and has a low visual impact at higher resolutions. This might be a game-changer for individuals with older or weaker graphics cards, and AMD fans with high-end GPUs will benefit from increased ray tracing performance.

The only issue is that there are only a few games available right now. However, with its more open approach and broader hardware support base, this appears to be changing. Consider that FSR may make an appearance on home consoles, and it has all the potential in the world to become the more popular — albeit less successful — up