AMD Announces FSR 4.1 for Xbox Series X|S, RX 6000 GPUs, and Handhelds

AMD has announced that its latest upscaling technology, FSR 4.1, will be available on a wider range of devices, including Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards, and select gaming handhelds. The announcement was made by AMD senior vice president Jack Huynh, who stated that the technology is coming to five new platforms: Radeon RX 6000-series graphics cards; Gorgon Halo and Strix Halo mini PCs and mobile workstations; Gorgon Halo and Strix Halo Ryzen 9 laptops; Z2 Extreme and Z2A handhelds; and Xbox Series X and Series S.

Expansion to Older Hardware and Handhelds

FSR 4.1 extends support to RDNA 2-based RX 6000 series graphics cards, covering models from the RX 6900 series down to the RX 6400 class. According to AMD, the company has refined its machine learning model and optimized the code path for this older hardware to improve image quality and performance. The Radeon RX 6800 XT is specifically highlighted for improved clarity and 4K performance.

For handhelds and laptops, AMD has developed a smaller machine learning model for devices powered by Z2E and Z2A chips, as well as Strix and Gorgon Ryzen 9 processors. AMD says this new model is "less than half the size of its original M8 model" and has been tested across hundreds of configurations. ASUS has confirmed plans to bring FSR 4.1 to its ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, with support also planned for compatible systems like the ROG Flow Z13 and TUF A14.

Xbox Integration and Future Plans

Xbox Chief Technology Officer Scott Van Vliet joined Huynh to announce that FSR 4.1 is coming to Xbox consoles. Van Vliet stated, "Today, we're excited to take another step forward together with FSR4.1 coming to Xbox. Now, we've worked very closely with AMD to optimize this technology, giving developers another powerful tool for great performance and visual quality for players."

While FSR 4.1 support is coming "soon" to Xbox Series X and Series S, there is no specific timeline for implementation. The announcement also confirmed that AMD's next-generation technology, FSR Diamond, will be supported on Xbox's Project Helix "family of devices." Van Vliet noted, "And there's even more ahead with Project Helix, leveraging FSR Diamond to power what comes next."

Vulkan Support and Driver Updates

AMD also announced that FSR support is coming to the Vulkan graphics API. While FSR 3 and earlier versions supported Vulkan, FSR 4 initially lacked this feature. According to OC3D, this support will be available with the FSR SDK 2.4 update within the next few weeks. Digital Foundry notes that it is not clear how quickly developers will be able to add FSR 4.1 support to their Vulkan games.

For PC users, official support for FSR 4.1 requires installing Adrenalin Edition version 26.10.1. This driver update also adds support for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and Final Fantasy Resonance.

Why it matters

The expansion of FSR 4.1 to older GPUs and Xbox consoles significantly broadens the reach of AMD's machine learning-based upscaling technology. By bringing FSR 4.1 to the Xbox Series X|S, AMD provides Microsoft's consoles with a tool that may rival Sony's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR) technologies. This move aims to improve visual fidelity and performance for a larger base of gamers, including those using hardware dating back to 2020.

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Sources

• digitalfoundry.net: AMD Announces FSR 4.1 for Xbox Series X/S, Z2 Extreme and Z2A Handhelds, RX 6000 GPUs and More | Digital Foundry
• thurrott.com: AMD Announces FSR Upscaling 4.1 for Xbox Consoles and the ROG Xbox Ally - Thurrott.com
• purexbox.com: AMD FSR 4.1 Announced For Xbox Series X|S And ROG Xbox Handhelds | Pure Xbox
• twistedvoxel.com: AMD Announces FSR 4.1 for Radeon RX 6000 GPUs, Xbox Series X|S, and Handhelds
• overclock3d.net: AMD launches FSR 4.1 for Xbox, APUs, and RX 6000 series GPUs - OC3D
• vgchartz.com: AMD FSR Upscaling 4.1 Coming to Xbox Series and Xbox Ally, FSR Diamond Coming to Project Helix

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.