AMD FSR 3.1 Super Resolution: Looks Very Promising

AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) is a cutting-edge open upscaling technology that has been making waves in the gaming world. The latest version, FSR 3.1, was announced at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) 2024. This update brings significant improvements, new capabilities, and updates.

You can pay more for Nvidia, Jensen doesn’t mind 😀

What’s New in FSR 3.1?

 It was last September when AMD unleashed FSR 3 on the gaming world, delivering massive FPS improvements in supported games. FSR 3 added advanced frame generation technology for significant framerate boosts in supported games and a new “Native AA” quality mode for enhanced image quality, all supported across a wide range of graphics cards, from both AMD and other vendors.

Upscaling Image Quality Improvements

One of the key improvements in FSR 3.1 is the enhancement of upscaling image quality. The update promises improved temporary stability at rest and in movement, resulting in less flickering and/or shimmering and “fizziness” around objects in motion. It also aims to reduce ghosting and better preserve detail.

TEMPORAL STABILITY
AMD FSR 2.2	AMD FSR 3.1

GHOSTING REDUCTION
AMD FSR 2.2	AMD FSR 3.1

Source: AMD:
Footnotes – These GIF examples were taken from video captures of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart running at 1080p using AMD FSR 2.2/3.1 Performance mode.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be getting FSR 3.1 in a game update coming in later this year.

Decoupling FSR 3 Upscaling from Frame Generation

FSR 3.1 introduces a significant change by decoupling FSR 3 upscaling from frame generation. This allows FSR 3.1 frame generation technology to work with other upscaling solutions. This is a major step forward, providing developers with more flexibility and options.

New AMD FidelityFX API

FSR 3.1 introduces a new AMD FidelityFX API. This API makes it easier for developers to debug and allows forward compatibility with updated versions of FSR.

Vulkan® and Xbox Game Development Kit (GDK) Support

FSR 3.1 extends its support to Vulkan® and the Microsoft Xbox GDK, broadening its reach and usability.

Issues in FSR 3

While FSR 3 significantly improved gaming, it was not without its issues. One of the main problems was the shimmering effect. Despite enabling native FSR, the overall image was sharper but still had shimmering issues, disocclusion artifacts, and pixelated particle effects. These issues were less visible but still present.

Another issue was that FSR 3 frame generation required FSR 3 upscaling. This meant that users were tied to FSR if they wanted to access AMD’s frame gen tech, and it could not be enabled with native rendering or DLSS upscaling.

Quality and Shimmering in FSR 3

The quality of FSR 3 was generally good, but the shimmering effect was a notable drawback. The shimmering, or “fizziness,” around objects in motion was one of the main issues that users reported. However, AMD’s Frame Generation solution did not have any issues with the in-game on-screen UI.

Conclusion

AMD’s FSR 3.1 is a promising update that addresses some of the issues found in FSR 3 and introduces new features and improvements. The decoupling of FSR 3 upscaling from frame generation is a significant step forward, providing more flexibility for developers. The improved upscaling image quality, including reduced shimmering and better detail preservation, is another major improvement.

However, it remains to be seen how well these improvements will translate into real-world gaming experiences. As always, the true test will be in the hands of the gamers. FSR 3.1 will be available for developers on GPUOpen in Q2 and will be coming to games later this year.