The leaked AMD FSR 4.1 update improves image sharpness and reduces smearing compared to FSR 4.0, narrowing the quality gap with Nvidia’s DLSS 4.5, especially in motion-heavy scenes. However, these enhancements come at the cost of increased grain, shimmer, and stability issues, making DLSS 4.5 still the superior choice for consistent image quality.
The video discusses the recent leak of AMD’s FSR 4.1 upscaling DLL, believed to come from AMD’s Vanguard beta testing program, allowing early testing of the new version before its official release. The leaked file, part of AMD’s driver package, upgrades games from FSR 4.0.3 to FSR 4.1, with some titles like Spider-Man 2 and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 visibly showing the version change. This update marks the first major revision to the FSR upscaling model since FSR 4.0 launched about a year ago, aiming to close the quality gap with Nvidia’s DLSS 4.5, which has advanced image sharpness and detail reconstruction.
FSR 4.1 improves upon FSR 4.0 primarily by reducing smearing and blur, particularly in challenging scenarios like fast motion foliage, which enhances clarity and detail. This results in a noticeably sharper image during gameplay, as demonstrated in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Mafia: The Old Country. While it doesn’t quite match DLSS 4.5’s sharpness and overall image quality, FSR 4.1 narrows the gap, especially in motion where previous versions struggled. However, these improvements come with a trade-off, as FSR 4.1 introduces more grain, shimmer, and stability issues in some scenes compared to both FSR 4.0 and DLSS 4.5.
The video highlights that while FSR 4.1 enhances detail and reduces smearing, it often sacrifices image stability, leading to flickering and shimmering artifacts, especially around fine foliage and tree canopies. DLSS 4.5 generally maintains better stability while delivering superior detail, making it the preferred option in terms of consistent image quality. The trade-off between detail and stability is a common challenge for upscaling technologies, and AMD appears to have prioritized detail improvements at the expense of stability, unlike Nvidia’s approach with DLSS.
Performance-wise, FSR 4.1 runs at similar speeds to FSR 4.0 on tested hardware, such as the Radeon RX 7900 XT, indicating no additional processing cost despite the quality improvements. The video suggests that AMD should allow users to choose between FSR 4.0 and 4.1, similar to Nvidia’s model options, to accommodate different preferences and game-specific performance needs. Additionally, the presenter expresses hope that AMD will extend FSR 4.x support to older RDNA GPUs, akin to Nvidia’s broad DLSS 4.5 support across multiple GPU generations.
In conclusion, FSR 4.1 is a meaningful step forward for AMD’s upscaling technology, focusing on better detail and reduced smearing to approach DLSS 4.5 quality. However, it still falls short in image stability and overall refinement, areas where Nvidia continues to lead. The update is promising but not yet a full catch-up to DLSS, and AMD’s future efforts should prioritize balancing clarity with stability. The video closes by acknowledging the leak’s unofficial nature, the possibility of further changes before release, and encourages viewers to stay tuned for AMD’s official announcements.