The video presents Digital Foundry’s first in-depth analysis of AMD’s FSR Redstone, a machine learning-based ray regeneration technology recently added to Call of Duty Black Ops 7. The implementation is described as unusual and limited, as it only applies to the multiplayer zombie mode rather than the entire game, making it challenging for reviewers to capture consistent footage. Additionally, the technology currently only addresses reflections in ray tracing, unlike Nvidia’s DLSS ray reconstruction, which covers a broader range of ray tracing effects such as shadows and indirect lighting. This partial implementation limits the ability to make comprehensive comparisons between AMD and Nvidia’s solutions.
A notable issue highlighted is the inconsistency in visual presentation between AMD and Nvidia GPUs when running the game on the same settings. Differences in shadow rendering, lighting, and even decals were observed, complicating direct comparisons and benchmarking. These discrepancies might be due to bugs or differences in the game’s implementation on each platform, further clouding the evaluation of FSR Redstone’s effectiveness. This inconsistency raises questions about the maturity and readiness of the technology as it stands.
FSR Redstone’s ray regeneration differs significantly from Nvidia’s DLSS ray reconstruction. While DLSS combines upscaling and denoising in a single, resource-intensive process, AMD’s solution operates independently of FSR4 upscaling and can be used alongside other upscaling methods like FSR3 or XSS. This results in reflections that appear softer and lower resolution compared to DLSS, which integrates upscaling to maintain sharpness. Consequently, FSR Redstone feels more like an early-stage technology rather than a fully competitive alternative to Nvidia’s mature ray reconstruction.
Despite its shortcomings, FSR Redstone shows strengths in handling motion within reflections, particularly with moving objects and animated billboards, where it avoids the ghosting artifacts seen in DLSS. However, it struggles with occlusion and certain reflection details, such as contact hardening, which are absent or less refined. Performance-wise, the technology has a similar cost to the game’s base denoiser, which is promising for future improvements, but the current visual and feature limitations suggest that this is more of a work-in-progress than a finished product.
In conclusion, the video frames AMD’s FSR Redstone as a somewhat puzzling and premature debut of a promising technology. Its limited application, visual inconsistencies, and incomplete feature set make it difficult to fully assess its potential. The reviewers express hope that future updates, broader game support, and clearer communication from AMD will clarify the technology’s direction and capabilities. They anticipate a development trajectory similar to Nvidia’s DLSS ray reconstruction, which improved significantly over time through iterations and refinements. For now, FSR Redstone remains an intriguing but unfinished step in ray tracing enhancement.
