It's looking bleak for AMD's older GPUs - a file spotted in unofficial Radeon drivers further hints at FSR 4's RDNA 4 exclusivity

(Image credit: AMD / TechPowerup)

Unofficial AMD Radeon drivers reveal FSR 4 DLL file
The file suggests RDNA 4 GPUs will have access to FP8 WMMA, which may be a prerequisite for FSR 4
Games that already have FSR 3.1 will have FSR 4 implemented instantly

While AMD has already confirmed that the new FSR 4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution) upscaling method will be exclusive to RDNA 4 GPUs, some gamers were holding out hope that older GPUs could one day benefit from its addition - but a recent revelation may have shut that possibility down entirely.

As reported by VideoCardz, an FSR 4 DLL file was spotted in unofficial Radeon drivers.

According to Osvaldo Pinali Doederlein on X, FSR 4 uses a machine learning algorithm with an 8-point floating-point implementation - and reports are also suggesting that RDNA 4 GPUs will use FP8 WMMA (Wave Matrix Multiply Accumulate that helps to accelerate AI applications), which is what is supposedly required for FSR 4 to function.

With this in mind, it would mean older GPUs won't be able to take advantage of FSR 4, as RDNA 3 GPUs (like the RX 7900 series) reportedly won't receive the full optimization of FP8 WMMA, while older RDNA 2 GPUs won't receive any FP8 support at all.

Since rival Nvidia's DLSS 4 upscaling tech will be available for all RTX GPU users, this could easily lose Team Red some fans.

The AMD Logo with the Ryzen and Radeon brand logos underneath on a spotlit wall

(Image credit: Joseph GTK / Shutterstock)

What does this mean for RDNA 3.5 handheld gaming PCs?

It remains to be seen whether RDNA 3 GPUs will be able to make the cut for AMD's new FSR 4, so I fear for what this may mean for handheld gaming PCs. Upcoming devices like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 will be using the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APUs, which are likely built-in RDNA 3.5 architecture.

If it wasn't clear enough already, upscaling will be an important feature for games going forward, especially graphically-intensive ones. If new handhelds can't take advantage of what Team Red's new frame generation will have to offer in terms of performance enhancements, then the ability of these handhelds to be able to play the latest AAA games will be compromised.

Games that already have FSR 3.1 support will instantly have FSR 4 implemented once it becomes available - so it begs the question of whether this could mean older GPUs could still use FSR 4 super-resolution, but lose out on potential improved frame generation tech, similar to Nvidia's DLSS 3 and 4 with RTX 3000 and 2000 series GPUs. Hopefully, older AMD GPUs can get something out of this...