AMD FSR 4 Reportedly Tested on Older RDNA 2 GPU, Shows Promise Despite Performance Cost

AMD’s next-generation FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) technology has been unofficially enabled on an older graphics card. A user successfully ran it on a Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU. This test provides an early look at the upscaler’s performance on non-native hardware.

The experiment follows a recent leak of the FSR 4 source code. Enthusiasts have since been modding game files to activate the unreleased technology. This marks its first known operation on the previous-generation RDNA 2 architecture.

Early Tests Reveal a Trade-Off Between Quality and Speed

The user on Chiphell Forums tested FSR 4 in the game Stellar Blade. They used a custom modded DLL file to replace the game’s native FSR 3 implementation. The “Model 3” version of FSR 4 was activated for this experiment.

Initial results indicate a noticeable improvement in image quality. Visuals appeared sharper and more stable compared to FSR 3. However, this enhancement came with a significant performance penalty on the older GPU.

Frame rates dropped between 10% and 20% when switching from FSR 3 to FSR 4. Performance fell from over 110 frames per second to around 100-107 FPS in Quality mode. This suggests the new technology demands more from the hardware.

Hardware Limitations Explain the Performance Hit

The performance decrease on RDNA 2 hardware is expected. According to technical analysis, FSR 4 utilizes new Wave Matrix Multiply-Accumulate (WMMA) instructions. These instructions are native to the upcoming RDNA 4 architecture.

Older GPUs like the RX 6800 XT lack these dedicated cores. They must emulate the required operations using general-purpose integer units. This process is inherently less efficient and consumes more computational power.

This aligns with reports from Wccftech showing smaller performance impacts on newer cards. RDNA 4 GPUs may see only a 2-4% cost. Current RDNA 3 GPUs experience a more moderate 7-10% performance drop with the mod.

The early activation of AMD FSR 4 on an RDNA 2 GPU demonstrates strong community interest. It highlights a clear trade-off between superior image quality and a higher performance cost on older hardware. The final optimized version for a wider range of GPUs remains highly anticipated.

Info at your fingertips

What is AMD FSR 4?

FSR 4 is AMD’s next-generation upscaling and frame generation technology. It is designed to boost gaming performance and image quality. It is the successor to the current FSR 3 standard.

Will AMD officially support FSR 4 on older GPUs?

AMD has not yet announced official support details for FSR 4. The company typically aims for wide compatibility across its own and even competitors’ GPUs. However, optimal performance may require newer hardware architectures.

Why does FSR 4 lower performance on older cards?

Older GPUs lack the specific hardware instructions that FSR 4 is built upon. They must use less efficient software emulation to run the technology. This process uses more processing power, reducing overall frame rates.

Is it safe to use modded DLL files to enable FSR 4?

Using modded game files from unofficial sources carries risks. It can potentially trigger anti-cheat software or cause game instability. It is recommended to wait for an official release from AMD and game developers.

Trusted Sources

Chiphell Forums, Wccftech