AMD Unveils FSR Redstone: Machine Learning Boosts Performance to Match Nvidia DLSS
At Computex 2025, AMD offered gamers a preview of the next significant update to its FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology, named FSR Redstone. This upgrade aims to rival Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) by introducing several advanced features, including neural radiance caching, machine learning ray regeneration, and machine learning frame generation. The most recent version, FSR 4, launched alongside the Radeon RX 9700 series, specifically the Radeon RX 9070 and Radeon RX 9070 XT, a few months ago. Initially, FSR 4 supported about 30 games, but AMD plans to expand this list to 60 titles by June 5, coinciding with the release of the Radeon RX 9060 XT. Despite this expansion, the company is already working on FSR Redstone to further enhance the technology. Neural radiance caching, one of the key features of FSR Redstone, involves machine learning algorithms that predict how light interacts within a scene. By storing these predictions in a cache, the system can efficiently generate additional rays, significantly speeding up path tracing and improving lighting realism. This technique is similar to Nvidia’s approach in DLSS, where indirect lighting is predicted and cached to enhance performance. Another feature, machine learning ray regeneration, mirrors Nvidia’s ray reconstruction. It uses a trained neural network to accurately regenerate pixels that were not fully traced, thereby reducing noise and enhancing image quality in real time. This process involves predicting and filtering out grainy elements, making the final output cleaner and sharper. FSR Redstone also introduces machine learning frame generation, a capability previously lacking in AMD’s offerings. Prior versions of FSR relied on non-AI methods to create intermediate frames, but the new technology will utilize machine learning to predict and generate these frames. This improvement should result in better performance and visual quality, bringing AMD’s solution closer to Nvidia’s DLSS. AMD has announced that FSR Redstone will be available later this year but has not specified an exact release date. The technology will be natively compatible with RDNA 4-powered graphics cards, which suggests that it will likely offer the best experience with AMD’s latest hardware. Whether it will be backward compatible with previous generations of RDNA cards remains unknown. Given that FSR 4 is exclusive to RDNA 4, the prospects for FSR Redstone support on older cards seem slim. For those eager to stay informed about the latest developments in graphics technology, keeping an eye on platforms like Tom’s Hardware is essential. Their up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews can help you monitor the progress and potential impact of FSR Redstone as it nears release. In summary, AMD’s FSR Redstone represents a major leap forward in its FSR technology, incorporating cutting-edge machine learning techniques to compete with Nvidia’s DLSS. Gamers can expect improved performance, enhanced visuals, and broader game support, albeit primarily aimed at users of the latest AMD graphics cards.