AMD did confirm an AI-based FSR4 upscaler. Announced on February 28, 2025, it uses machine learning to improve detail, temporal stability, flicker, shimmer, ghosting, and particle preservation compared with FSR3.1. But AMD’s terminology has since changed: the technology is now called FSR Upscaling and forms part of the wider FSR Redstone suite.
The efficiency claim also needs careful wording. FSR can improve performance efficiency by reconstructing a high-resolution image from a lower-resolution render, but that does not guarantee lower GPU wattage, system power, heat, or battery drain in every game.
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What AMD originally confirmed about FSR4
AMD introduced FSR4 alongside its RDNA 4 architecture and Radeon RX 9000-series graphics cards. The company described it as a machine-learning-based upscaling algorithm designed to deliver better image quality than FSR3.1.
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The original announcement focused on Radeon RX 9070-series hardware. AMD’s launch suggested prices were $549 for the RX 9070 and $599 for the RX 9070 XT, with listed board power of 220W and 304W respectively. Those were February 2025 launch figures, not verified September 2026 retail prices.
Read AMD’s original RDNA 4 and FSR4 announcement.
FSR4 is now called FSR Upscaling
As of AMD’s current documentation, FSR4 is no longer the name of the complete technology family. AMD now calls the ML-based upscaler FSR Upscaling, and places it within the broader FSR Redstone suite.
Redstone includes several separate technologies:
- FSR Upscaling: reconstructs a higher-resolution image from a lower-resolution render.
- FSR Frame Generation: creates additional displayed frames between traditionally rendered frames.
- ML-based Frame Generation: uses machine learning for frame-generation processing.
- Ray Regeneration: uses ML techniques to improve ray-traced image reconstruction.
- Radiance Caching: predicts lighting behavior to reduce some rendering work.
These features should not be treated as one interchangeable “AI mode.” They have different purposes, hardware requirements, game support, and performance effects. A game can support ML upscaling without supporting every other Redstone feature.
Check AMD’s current FSR and Redstone documentation.
What improves in the image?
AMD’s stated FSR4 goals are primarily temporal and reconstruction improvements. Compared with FSR3.1, AMD cites:
- Finer detail extraction and improved clarity
- Better temporal stability during movement
- Less flicker on thin geometry and small features
- Less shimmer on highly reflective or specular surfaces
- Reduced ghosting behind moving objects
- Better preservation of particles and other fine effects
These are meaningful weaknesses for any temporal upscaler. Foliage, hair, wires, particles, transparencies, reflections, and fine geometric details can expose reconstruction errors particularly quickly.
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However, AMD’s claims are not a guarantee that FSR Upscaling will beat native rendering, or that it will look identical in every game. Results depend on the internal resolution, selected quality mode, motion-vector quality, engine integration, camera movement, reflections, particle systems, and the game’s implementation. Frame generation can also introduce a separate class of artifacts and should be evaluated independently from upscaling.
AMD’s GPUOpen explanation of FSR4 describes the image-quality targets and developer implementation details.
Does FSR4 reduce power consumption?
Not automatically. The strongest defensible claim is that FSR can improve performance efficiency: the game renders fewer internal pixels, while dedicated ML hardware helps reconstruct the target output.
That can produce more frames at the same output resolution, or allow a higher output resolution within a similar performance envelope. But “performance efficiency” is not the same as lower electrical power.
| Metric | What FSR may do |
|---|---|
| Internal rendering workload | Usually reduces the number of pixels the game’s main renderer must process. |
| Frame rate | May increase when the workload is limited by rendering resolution. |
| GPU utilization | May fall, remain similar, or rise depending on the game and frame-rate target. |
| Board or package power | May decrease, remain similar, or increase because ML processing adds work. |
| Energy per frame | Can improve, but requires controlled measurement. |
| Battery life | Cannot be assumed to improve without testing the complete system. |
For example, a game capped at 60 frames per second may use less power if FSR allows the GPU to reach that target with substantially less rendering work. A different game may use the saved headroom to produce more frames, leaving power roughly unchanged. Frame generation adds another variable because it increases displayed frame rate without proportionally increasing the number of traditionally rendered game frames.
To test the power claim properly, compare the same game, resolution, quality preset, frame-rate cap, driver, and scene. Measure energy per frame or watt-hours over a fixed interval rather than relying only on instantaneous board power.
Which Radeon GPUs support FSR Upscaling?
AMD’s current compatibility information, as of August 18, 2026, lists ML-based FSR Upscaling for Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 graphics cards. RX 6000 support is listed by AMD as arriving in 2027.
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| Feature or capability | AMD-listed status |
|---|---|
| ML-based FSR Upscaling | Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 |
| ML-based upscaling on RX 6000 | Listed for 2027 |
| Broader Redstone ML features | More closely associated with RX 9000 and RDNA 4 hardware |
| FSR features generally | Require game integration or a qualifying driver-level upgrade path |
This means two common statements are both misleading: “FSR4 only works on RX 9000” is incomplete under AMD’s current upscaling documentation, while “all Redstone features work on RX 7000” is too broad. Compatibility must be checked feature by feature.
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Which games support it?
FSR features normally require developer integration. Some games expose the technology directly in their graphics menus. In other cases, AMD Software can provide a driver-level upgrade path for qualifying games that already contain the required FSR3.1 support.
AMD’s current documentation says some games using FSR3.1.4 or later with frame generation may be eligible for ML-based frame-generation upgrades. That does not mean every FSR3.1 game supports every FSR Redstone feature.
The original 2025 announcement cited more than 30 games at launch and 75 planned during 2025. Those are historical launch figures, not a current September 2026 supported-game count.
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How to enable FSR Upscaling
For a qualifying game and supported Radeon GPU:
- Install the game and update AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Close the game completely.
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Open the Gaming tab, then the Graphics sub-tab.
- Enable AMD FSR Upscaling and, where available, AMD FSR Frame Generation.
- Launch the game.
- Enable FSR3.1 or the relevant FSR option in the game’s graphics or video settings.
- Select the desired quality preset.
AMD recommends Radeon Anti-Lag 2 in games that support it. A game may still label the setting “FSR4,” even though AMD’s current website calls the technology “FSR Upscaling.” Native game integration and a driver-level upgrade are separate paths, so the presence or absence of one does not necessarily indicate whether the other is available.
What to do when it does not work
- FSR is missing: Check the GPU, driver, game version, and required FSR integration. The game may not support the needed feature.
- The driver toggle has no effect: Close the game before applying the upgrade, then relaunch it.
- The game crashes: Disable the driver-level override and return to the game’s native implementation.
- Artifacts appear: Try a higher-quality preset, update the game, disable frame generation, or revert to the original FSR3.1 path.
- Performance is worse: ML inference may add enough overhead to outweigh the rendering savings. Test native FSR3.1, a higher internal resolution, or no upscaler.
- Input feels delayed: Frame generation increases displayed frames but does not create additional responsive, traditionally rendered game frames. Anti-Lag 2 may help where supported, but cannot eliminate every latency trade-off.
- The game has an FSR4 label but no driver option: It may use native integration rather than the driver-level upgrade path.
Should you use it?
Radeon RX 9000 owners
FSR Upscaling and the broader Redstone feature set are the most natural fit for RDNA 4 owners, particularly when native rendering cannot sustain the desired resolution or frame rate. Test upscaling and frame generation separately rather than assuming both should be enabled.
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Radeon RX 7000 owners
AMD currently lists RX 7000 support for ML-based FSR Upscaling. That makes it a potentially useful upgrade for existing owners, but feature support is not identical to RX 9000 support across the Redstone suite.
Radeon RX 6000 owners
AMD lists ML-based upscaling support for RX 6000 as arriving in 2027. Until then, conventional FSR3.1 remains the relevant fallback where supported.
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Use native rendering when the GPU can sustain the target frame rate and you are particularly sensitive to reconstruction artifacts. Otherwise, compare FSR quality modes in the specific game; implementation quality matters as much as the feature name.
Battery-conscious laptop and handheld users
Do not assume FSR automatically improves battery life. Lower internal rendering work may help, but ML processing, frame-rate targets, display refresh, and system power limits can change the result. Measure battery runtime or system energy under a fixed gaming scenario.
Bottom line
AMD’s original FSR4 announcement was genuine: the upscaler uses machine learning and RDNA 4 acceleration to target better detail, temporal stability, flicker control, ghosting reduction, and particle preservation than FSR3.1.
In 2026, the feature is officially presented as FSR Upscaling within FSR Redstone. Its compatibility is broader than the original RX 9000-only framing for upscaling, but the complete Redstone feature set remains more segmented.
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