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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 25.12.1 launched FSR Redstone on December 10, 2025. At launch, its machine-learning upscaler—then commonly called FSR 4—required a Radeon RX 9000-series GPU based on RDNA 4, plus a compatible game integration. Installing the driver alone does not add ML upscaling to every FSR game.
Redstone is also broader than FSR 4: it is AMD’s umbrella for ML upscaling, ML frame generation, ray regeneration, and radiance caching. The exact feature available depends on the GPU, driver, game integration, graphics API, and—in some cases—the game’s own FSR implementation.
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What Adrenalin 25.12.1 introduced
Adrenalin 25.12.1 was AMD’s launch driver for FSR Redstone. AMD released it on December 10, 2025, for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Its headline feature was Redstone support; the release notes also added support for the Radeon AI PRO R9600D and R9700S and documented the usual fixed and known issues.
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The driver package itself supports a much wider range of Radeon hardware, including RX 5000, RX 6000, RX 7000, and RX 9000 families. That does not mean every supported card can use every Redstone feature. Driver installation compatibility and feature compatibility are separate questions. See AMD’s 25.12.1 release notes for the package’s operating-system and product requirements.
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FSR 4 versus FSR Redstone
AMD originally presented its ML upscaler as FSR 4. Redstone became the broader family name, while AMD’s current terminology separates the technologies into distinct paths:
- FSR Upscaling (ML): neural-network image reconstruction.
- FSR Upscaling (Analytical): the conventional algorithmic path used by earlier FSR generations.
- FSR Frame Generation (ML): ML-based intermediate-frame generation.
- FSR Frame Generation (Analytical): the earlier non-ML frame-generation path.
Therefore, “FSR Redstone” is not simply a new driver name for one upscaler, and older FSR implementations do not become ML-based merely because the driver uses the FSR branding. AMD describes the branding and developer model in its Redstone developer overview.
What ML upscaling changes
Upscaling renders a game internally below the display resolution, then reconstructs a higher-resolution output. Conventional FSR uses an analytical algorithm. Redstone’s ML upscaler uses neural-network inference trained on high-quality game data, with temporal information helping it reconstruct detail across successive frames.
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AMD says the ML approach is intended to improve ghosting on moving objects, preserve particles and fine detail, and provide greater temporal stability. In practice, the most revealing comparisons are not static screenshots. Examine camera movement, foliage, hair, particles, transparent effects, reflections, thin geometry, and HUD treatment.
That does not make “native quality” a universal guarantee. Results vary with the game, internal resolution, quality mode, motion, scene complexity, ray-tracing settings, and the quality of the game’s integration. ML inference also consumes GPU resources, so the same nominal quality mode may not deliver the same frame rate as analytical FSR.
For a meaningful comparison, hold resolution, preset, ray tracing, quality mode, and frame-generation settings constant. Compare:
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- Native rendering.
- Analytical FSR.
- ML FSR.
- ML FSR with frame generation, where supported.
Record average FPS, 1% lows, frame-time consistency, base rendered FPS, displayed/generated FPS, latency, and visible artifacts separately. Generated frames increase displayed smoothness; they do not proportionally increase game simulation or input responsiveness.
Hardware compatibility
At the 25.12.1 launch, ML-based FSR Upscaling required a Radeon RX 9000-series GPU. The later compatibility situation is different, so older statements that RX 7000 cards can never use Redstone are now too broad. AMD’s current supported-games documentation identifies FSR Redstone Upscaling support on RX 7000 with Adrenalin 26.6.2 or newer.
| GPU family | 25.12.1 installs? | ML upscaling at launch | Current qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| RX 9000 / RDNA 4 | Yes | Yes | Primary Redstone hardware; current Redstone support remains tied to the relevant driver and game. |
| RX 7000 / RDNA 3 | Yes | No | AMD later documented FSR Upscaling-only support from Adrenalin 26.6.2 and newer. |
| RX 6000 / RDNA 2 | Yes | No | Analytical FSR paths remain relevant. |
| RX 5000 / RDNA 1 | Yes | No | Driver compatibility does not imply Redstone feature support. |
| Laptops and all-in-ones | Varies | Not guaranteed | Prefer the manufacturer’s driver where vendor-specific features matter. |
| Handhelds | Not generally through the standard package | Not guaranteed | Use the handheld manufacturer’s driver. |
AMD’s maintained supported-games page is the best reference for the current feature and driver boundary. The standard 25.12.1 package is not a universal handheld driver.
Game compatibility: the driver is not a universal patch
A game must expose the data and integration that Redstone needs. For the driver-upgrade path, AMD requires a supported FSR 3.1 integration and DirectX 12 for ML upscaling. ML frame generation has a distinct FSR 3.1.4 integration requirement. An FSR label in a game’s settings does not automatically mean every Redstone feature is available.
Native Redstone integration
In a native integration, the developer has incorporated the relevant Redstone SDK or API. This is the intended path and may provide game-specific tuning and access to multiple Redstone technologies.
Driver-upgraded integration
Some eligible games already contain supported FSR 3.1 components. AMD’s driver feature can replace an eligible component with the ML Redstone version. It cannot create missing motion vectors, depth data, API support, or game integration, and not every FSR 3.1 implementation qualifies.
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A game can therefore support analytical FSR while lacking ML Redstone support, support ML upscaling but not ML frame generation, or use a native implementation that behaves differently from the driver-upgraded path. Check AMD’s current list rather than assuming that “FSR 3.1” means “Redstone.”
How to enable ML upscaling
- Confirm that your GPU and driver meet the relevant AMD requirement.
- Install Adrenalin 25.12.1 or a newer compatible driver. If a newer driver is required for your game or operating system, use the newer driver rather than downgrading solely for the launch package.
- Restart Windows after installation.
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and select the game under Gaming.
- Enable the game’s own FSR 3.1 upscaling option when required.
- Look for the AMD FSR upgrade or override control in the game profile.
- Launch the game in DirectX 12 and verify the selected FSR mode and feature path through the game or overlay diagnostics.
Menu names and locations can change between Adrenalin releases. AMD documented the original upgrade-toggle model in the 25.3.1 release notes, but that does not guarantee an identical label in every later driver.
If the upgrade option is missing
- Confirm the game uses DirectX 12 rather than DirectX 11 or Vulkan.
- Confirm the title contains the required FSR 3.1 integration and is fully updated.
- Check that the GPU and driver are eligible.
- Make sure Adrenalin has detected the correct game executable.
- Check whether the game has replaced or modified its FSR binaries.
- Consider whether an anti-cheat system or launcher blocks altered or injected components.
- On a laptop or handheld, check the OEM driver instead of assuming the generic package is appropriate.
To recover, disable the override, reset the game profile, verify the game files, or clean-install the driver. When downgrading, AMD recommends using its AMD Cleanup Utility.
The other Redstone technologies
ML Frame Generation
FSR Frame Generation 4.0 uses an ML model to create intermediate frames. It requires suitable game integration, including motion-vector and depth information. It is not identical to analytical FSR 3 frame generation, Radeon Fluid Motion Frames, or Nvidia DLSS Multi Frame Generation. Displayed FPS can rise while base-frame input latency remains limited by the underlying rendered frame rate—and can feel worse if the base rate is too low.
Ray Regeneration
FSR Ray Regeneration 1.0 is an ML-assisted denoising and reconstruction technology for ray-traced rendering. It is not a general-purpose upscaler and requires developer integration plus suitable ray-tracing data.
Radiance Caching
FSR Radiance Caching was a technical preview at the Redstone launch. It is intended to estimate lighting or radiance earlier in the ray path, not to act as a normal consumer graphics-setting switch. AMD described production availability as planned for 2026.
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The initial Redstone component versions were FSR Upscaling 4.0.3, FSR Frame Generation 4.0, FSR Ray Regeneration 1.0, and Radiance Caching in preview, according to AMD’s FSR Redstone SDK 2.1 announcement.
Should you install 25.12.1?
RX 9000 owners
Install 25.12.1 or a newer suitable driver if you want to test Redstone and your games appear on AMD’s supported list. The game’s integration remains decisive, so do not expect the driver to add ML upscaling to unsupported titles.
RX 7000 owners
Do not install 25.12.1 specifically expecting the later ML-upscaling support. Use a current driver meeting AMD’s documented 26.6.2-or-newer requirement for FSR Upscaling, and do not assume that this provides the complete original RX 9000 Redstone feature set.
RX 6000 and RX 5000 owners
25.12.1 may install and may contain ordinary fixes, but it is not a reason by itself to expect ML Redstone upscaling. Your relevant choices remain analytical FSR and other features supported by the game and driver.
Laptop and handheld users
Prefer the system manufacturer’s driver when it includes power, display, or device-specific behavior. Handheld support is not guaranteed by the standard desktop Adrenalin package.
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Buy an RX 9000 card for its overall performance and feature set—not solely because a favorite game might gain Redstone. The strongest reason to move to RDNA 4 is a combination of the desired game support, sufficient raw GPU performance, and a real benefit from ML reconstruction. If your games lack the required FSR integration or your current card already meets your target frame rate, Redstone alone is a weak upgrade justification.
For buyers focused on the complete RDNA 4 Redstone feature story, the RX 9070 XT is the higher-performance mainstream option; the RX 9070 and RX 9060 XT provide lower-cost entry points depending on workload and local pricing. Prices vary by country, board partner, stock, memory configuration, retailer, and date.
Bottom line
Adrenalin 25.12.1 was the launch vehicle for AMD’s ML-based FSR Redstone on December 10, 2025. At launch, ML upscaling was an RX 9000/RDNA 4 feature—not a universal benefit for every Radeon card or every FSR game. Redstone is broader than “FSR 4,” and practical results depend on the game’s FSR integration, DirectX 12, driver eligibility, and the difference between native and driver-upgraded implementations. Check AMD’s current supported-games list and compare base FPS, latency, frame pacing, and moving-scene artifacts before deciding whether the feature justifies a driver change or a GPU upgrade.
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