AMD is set to revolutionize its FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology with the upcoming FSR 4, incorporating artificial intelligence to enhance performance and battery life in gaming devices, particularly handheld PCs.
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A Shift in Strategy
In a surprising move, AMD has announced a significant pivot towards AI-based frame generation and interpolation for its next-generation FSR technology. This marks a departure from the company's previous stance on AI in gaming graphics enhancement.
Jack Huynh, Senior VP and GM of AMD's Computing and Graphics Group, revealed in a recent interview that the company made this strategic shift about a year ago. The decision was driven by the need to rapidly bring a competitive solution to market and address the growing importance of AI in graphics technology.
Targeting Handheld Gaming
While FSR 4 will benefit various gaming platforms, AMD is placing a particular emphasis on improving the gaming experience for handheld devices like the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go. These devices, which often use AMD chips, face significant challenges in balancing performance with battery life.
Huynh highlighted the potential for FSR 4 to dramatically improve battery efficiency in these portable gaming PCs. The technology aims to maintain playable framerates while significantly extending play time on a single charge.
Technical Approach
FSR 4 will utilize AI-based frame generation and interpolation techniques. This approach differs from previous versions of FSR, which relied on analytical and filter-based methods. By leveraging AI, AMD hopes to achieve better efficiency and image quality compared to its current offerings.
The company is exploring options such as locking frame rates at 30-35 fps to maximize battery life, though this may pose challenges for smooth gameplay and effective frame generation.
Implications for Future Hardware
This shift towards AI-based upscaling and frame generation could have significant implications for AMD's future GPU designs. While current RDNA 3 GPUs have AI-capable matrix cores, they are currently underutilized in gaming applications. FSR 4 could change this, potentially leading to more specialized AI hardware in future AMD graphics cards and APUs.
Competition and Market Position
AMD's move brings it closer to competing with NVIDIA's DLSS technology, which has been using AI for upscaling and frame generation. While AMD's solution aims to remain hardware-agnostic, the shift to AI could help close the gap in performance and image quality between FSR and DLSS.
Looking Ahead
While details on the release timeline for FSR 4 remain scarce, the technology has reportedly been in development for about a year. This suggests that we might see it implemented in games and devices in the not-too-distant future, potentially revolutionizing the handheld gaming PC market and beyond.
As AMD continues to refine this technology, gamers and tech enthusiasts alike will be eagerly watching to see how FSR 4 performs in real-world applications, particularly in the rapidly evolving space of portable gaming PCs.