Sure, Nvidia DLSS 4 is incredibly impressive - but AMD's improved upscaling tech could be a real game-changer

The Nvidia and AMD logos clashing with lightning bolts around them.

(Image credit: Shutterstock, AMD, Nvidia)

AMD's FSR 4 has dethroned FSR 3 and Nvidia's DLSS CNN model, according to Digital Foundry
FSR 4 has significantly reduced ghosting and improved image stability, especially at long draw distances
DLSS 4's transformer model is still the victor over AMD's new upscaling method

AMD has been taking full advantage of its rival Nvidia’s controversial RTX 5000 series launch, with Team Red's new Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs launching today. With affordable pricing and great performance, the new lineup could provide strong competition in the GPU market - and the new-and-improved FSR 4 upscaling method may have a much greater impact than anticipated.

According to Digital Foundry, AMD's FSR 4 offers a significant leap over the previous FSR 3 model, while simultaneously dethroning Nvidia's former DLSS CNN model (in some cases), most notably when compared in their respective ‘performance’ modes as reported by Wccftech. FSR 4 makes outstanding improvements over its predecessor in retaining image stability at longer draw distances, by removing ghosting of objects in motion - this was a big issue in some games for both FSR 3 and Team Green's DLSS 3 when using performance mode.

An important note is that FSR 4's performance mode is slightly slower in terms of frame rates compared to FSR 3's (evident in Digital Foundry's video below) - this was also previously observed in DLSS 4's transformer model, but it only applies in some titles where we see a minor performance drop. FSR 4's frame rate in performance mode is typically 5-10fps slower than FSR 3’s (based on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in DF's video), but in my opinion, it’s ultimately a worthwhile tradeoff for such significant image quality improvements.

FSR 4 is off to a great start

It's safe to say that DLSS 4's new transformer model still leads as the best upscaling method, and FSR 4 doesn't quite match it. However, the leap over the CNN model may be enough to catch the attention of gamers - especially since with upscaling, the Radeon RX 9070 XT provides fantastic 4K performance at a shockingly affordable $599 / around £510 / AU$870) price. Compared to Nvidia's RTX 5000 series GPUs, which are either hard to find or have absurdly inflated prices, it feels like a no-brainer.

It's also important to note that AMD is at a slight disadvantage - FSR 4 (as of now) is only available on RDNA 4 GPUs, whereas Nvidia's DLSS 4 is available retroactively on all RTX GPUs. But this doesn't matter much if you can't find any older RTX cards that aren't already discontinued or at MSRP (unless overpaying isn’t a big deal for you, but like… come on, don’t do that).

Despite FSR 4's current-gen exclusivity, AMD's midrange GPU focus for this generation is looking great so far, and the RX 9070's price and FSR 4's current image quality capabilities are a strong starting point.

AMD FSR 4 Upscaling Tested vs DLSS 3/4 - A Big Leap Forward - RDNA 4 Delivers! - YouTube

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It's time to show AMD love

I must admit, it feels refreshing to congratulate the perennial underdog AMD on its latest GPU efforts, considering Nvidia's total domination of the market over the years. It's obvious that the new Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT won't compete with the likes of Team Green's RTX 5090 or RTX 5080, but this was never Team Red's intention.

I'm happy to say that AMD has delivered at a time when PC gamers need it most - the RTX 5000 series launch is nothing short of a mess (despite its flagship GPU's admittedly monstrous performance capabilities), and as I've said previously, what good is a Blackwell GPU if you can't find one?

AMD's FSR 4 is another testament to how impressive its RDNA 4 architecture is, since FSR 3 was quite a long way behind DLSS 3's competing CNN model. If there are no supply chain or price inflation issues (though there still could be), I don't see how it isn't a clear win in the midrange space for Team Red over its fiercest rival.

Patience is a virtue, I must admit - you could easily decide to play the waiting game for RTX 5000 series GPU prices to drop, but there is no guarantee that this will happen (the RTX 4090 is a prime example, with prices still over MSRP even now). With this strong showing from AMD, I’m hoping it’ll give Nvidia more to worry about with gamers considering a switch - and competition is good for the consumer, so long may it continue.