AMD has unveiled a significant enhancement for gamers, introducing the ability to enable FSR 4 in nearly any title that already supports FSR 3.1. This advancement promises a remarkable improvement in image quality, particularly for users of the AMD Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs. By simply downloading the latest AMD Adrenalin 25.9.1 driver update, gamers can now toggle FSR 4 on and off directly through the driver interface, eliminating the need for a driver whitelist or waiting for official game support.
Expanding Game Support
Currently, AMD boasts that FSR 4 is compatible with 85 games, a respectable figure, yet it pales in comparison to the over 175 titles that have adopted Nvidia’s DLSS 4 technology, which features multi-frame generation. While there is still considerable room for growth in terms of game support, initial tests of AMD FSR 4 have yielded impressive results. In our review of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, we observed that games utilizing this technology exhibit a marked enhancement in visual fidelity, showcasing sharper images and reduced digital noise around moving objects.
Since its announcement, AMD has indicated that FSR 4 could serve as a straightforward replacement for FSR 3.1 in compatible games. However, not all titles supporting FSR 3.1 have implemented this feature, and previously, there was no official method for gamers to activate FSR 4 themselves. Now, akin to Nvidia’s DLSS Override system, users can easily toggle FSR 4 in supported games via the driver application, provided that FSR 3.1 is enabled within the game settings before launching.
Limitations and Compatibility
There are some notable exceptions to this new functionality. AMD has clarified that FSR 4 will not function with FSR 3.1 titles utilizing the Vulkan API. Additionally, games that employ non-standard methods of integrating FSR 3.1—such as those relying on third-party plugins or methods that do not utilize the signed FSR 3.1 DLL—will also be incompatible. Therefore, users should focus on titles that support DirectX 12 and include an integrated, signed FSR 3.1 DLL file.
With FSR 4, AMD has finally transitioned to a machine learning-based upscaling model, leveraging the AI cores present in its latest RDNA 4 GPUs. This marks a significant step forward, as Nvidia has been utilizing Tensor cores for its DLSS technology for several years. AMD’s previous RDNA 1 and 2 GPUs lacked AI hardware entirely, while the RDNA 3 generation featured limited AI capabilities compared to the current offerings.
Despite these advancements, AMD has yet to introduce a machine learning-based frame generation system that can compete with Nvidia’s DLSS technology. The current implementation of FSR frame generation has yielded mixed results in our testing, with frame rates in certain games, such as Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, exhibiting erratic behavior. However, the upcoming AMD Redstone technology appears poised to address these challenges, potentially allowing AMD to close the gap with Nvidia in this domain.
For those contemplating a GPU upgrade, our guide to purchasing the best graphics card could prove invaluable. AMD’s latest offerings are indeed impressive, and for budget-conscious gamers, our review of the Radeon RX 9060 XT highlights why this card has become one of our top recommendations.
As the landscape of gaming technology continues to evolve, one may wonder if this new FSR 4 driver feature will sway your decision towards an AMD GPU over Nvidia. We invite you to share your thoughts on our community Discord server.
