AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology is expanding its capabilities by adding support for upscaling videos on popular platforms such as YouTube and VLC. This announcement, made during AMD’s presentation at CES 2024, brings exciting news for AMD GPU users and presents healthy competition for NVIDIA’s RTX Video Super Resolution.
FSR is primarily recognized as a gaming feature that enhances image sharpness and clarity by upscaling supported titles to higher resolutions. Its latest version, FSR 3.0, has shown significant improvement in frame rates for specific games, although results may vary depending on the hardware and game being played.
While AMD has not specified which version of FSR will be implemented for video playback, the company showcased a single image of video upscaling using FidelityFX Super Resolution. It is important to note that a still frame cannot fully demonstrate the capabilities of a video upscaling feature.
For those interested in utilizing AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, a supported graphics system is necessary. Surprisingly, the support extends to certain NVIDIA GPUs, widening the scope for users to benefit from this technology.
In addition to upscaling YouTube videos, AMD’s upcoming Radeon Adrenaline Software update will enable FSR for offline content playback via VLC. VLC is a widely-used free video player renowned for its versatility and extensive file format support. With the inclusion of FSR, VLC users will have the flexibility to upscale offline videos, making it an appealing feature for both personal and professional use.
While online streaming dominates the realm of video consumption, offline content still holds significance for many users, especially when it comes to personal and professional videos. As someone with an NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU, I can already enjoy upscaling local videos. However, I am eager to see how AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution compares and performs in real-world testing.
Overall, the addition of video upscaling capabilities to FSR opens up new possibilities for users across different platforms, offering enhanced visual experiences and fostering healthy competition between AMD and NVIDIA in the realm of upscaling technology.