AMD updates graphics drivers for older cards

AMD released the Adrenalin 26.10.1 driver on Tuesday, October 20, adding support for FSR 4.1 on Radeon RX 6000 graphics cards, which were launched in 2020. This update was shared in a blog post and a video that also covered laptops, portable consoles, and Xbox systems.

FSR 4.1 improves image quality

FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) works by having games render images in lower resolution and then upscale them to the screen's resolution, increasing frames per second. Starting with version 4, AMD has used a machine learning model for image reconstruction, unlike the classical algorithm used in FSR 3.1, resulting in sharper images and less flickering on object edges.

Older cards required adjustments

The delay in releasing FSR 4.1 for the RX 6000 was due to the model being designed for the newer RX 9000, which uses FP8, an 8-bit number format. Older RX 6000 cards use INT8, a different format, which required adaptation. AMD says it has refined the model and optimized it for RDNA 2 architecture, supporting all RX 6000 models from the RX 6900 to the RX 6400.

Lightweight models for portable devices

A lighter version of the model has been added for laptops and portable consoles, along with support for Ryzen AI Max 300 and 400, and Ryzen AI 9 300 and 400 processors. These integrate graphics processing into the chip, known as an APU. For less powerful chips, AMD has created a smaller model, targeting Ryzen AI 9 in laptops and Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Z2 A in portable consoles. AMD says it has tested this model on many configurations and plans to release more APU models in the future.

Manufacturer updates needed for portable consoles

Jack Huynh, vice president of computing and graphics at AMD, had promised support for APU by year-end. However, users of portable consoles running Windows need an update from the manufacturer, as AMD’s driver alone is not enough. Asus has confirmed FSR 4.1 for its ROG Xbox Ally, ROG Flow Z13 tablet, and TUF A14 laptop.

Performance trade-offs on PC

On PC, users may see a slight drop in frames per second compared to FSR 3.1, similar to what is seen with the RX 7000. Testing by Tom's Hardware in May showed a 10 to 20 percent drop on RX 6000 cards using non-official code, but this may change with the official driver release on Tuesday.

Xbox to get FSR 4.1 soon

Microsoft announced that FSR 4.1 will be available "soon" on Xbox Series X and Series S, which use the same RDNA 2 architecture as the RX 6000. Specific dates or games have not been given. For now, the Xbox development kit only offers FSR 1 and 2. Microsoft says FSR 4.1 is an additional tool for developers, meaning each game studio will need to integrate it. Microsoft also mentioned FSR Diamond for Project Helix, its next-generation Xbox.

Driver available now on PC and Asus devices

The Adrenalin 26.10.1 driver has been available on PC since Tuesday. On the ROG Xbox Ally, AMD announced FSR 4.1 this week through an Asus update.