In this article, we will discuss the compression between AMD FSR vs Nvidia DLSS so that you can understand which one is better for you. So, Both Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and AMD FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) are technologies that appear to be identical and are at the centre of a discussion regarding who provides the finest graphics cards.
We are now in a position to shed a little bit lighter on how the two technologies compare to one another as a result of the passage of several months during which FSR has been integrated into games and the passage of over three years during which DLSS has seen an increase in its use among games and game engines.
We have chosen four games, each of which is compatible with both technologies, so that we can present comparisons that are accurate and meaningful. Additionally, we have tested each game on a GPU provided by AMD as well as Nvidia. This will allow us to evaluate the performance scaling of the various rendering modes, in addition as allowing us to compare the picture quality of each option.
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Even though there is more to life than only focusing on one’s performance, we do include that metric in the hierarchy of our GPU benchmarks. The quality of the image, as well as, and maybe more significantly, the quality of the image while still achieving high frame rates, is what we truly desire. Both DLSS and FSR approach this issue in quite different ways, both of which we will briefly discuss below before moving on to the findings of our comparisons.
Nvidia DLSS Overview
Deep learning super sampling (DLSS) refers to a series of real-time deep learning picture augmentation and upscaling technologies that were created by Nvidia. These technologies are specific to Nvidia’s RTX range of graphics cards, and may be found in a variety of different video games.
The majority of the graphics pipeline will be able to operate at a lower resolution, which will result in increased performance. These technologies will then infer a higher resolution image from this, which will contain the same level of detail as if the image had been rendered at this higher resolution.
This will allow the graphics pipeline to run at a higher resolution. According to the preferences of the user, this makes it possible to have higher graphic settings and/or frame rates while maintaining the same output resolution.
AMD FSR Overview
The computing effort required by AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution is significantly lower. It is a post-processing technique that has been built to upscale and improve frames, but it does not require any of the deep learning things, tensor cores, or vast amounts of computational power.
If you want specifics, you can say that it’s Lanczos upscaling with edge detection, but in a nutshell, what it does is it takes an image and scales it up using a spatial algorithm (it only looks at the current frame), and then it applies some edge detection and sharpening filters to improve the overall appearance.
Despite the fact that this might not sound as spectacular as DLSS, FSR possesses a number of rather significant benefits this gives an upper hand to it in a fight between AMD FSR vs Nvidia DLSS. The most important benefit is that FSR can be played on virtually any GPU that is at least somewhat recent.
We tried it on the Intel UHD 630, AMD graphics processing units (GPUs) going as far back as the RX 500-series, and Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) starting with the GTX 900-series, and it worked on all of them. Additionally, FSR is open-source, which means that people are allowed to use it, alter it, or do anything else they want with it.
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The FSR method relies on shaders, which are a component of virtually every GPU manufactured in the present era, to carry out the bulk of the work. Ultra quality, quality, balanced, and performance are the four settings that are often offered, much as there are four levels for DLSS. Scaling factors used by AMD range from 1.3x for extreme quality, 1.5x for quality, 1.7x for balanced, and 2.0x for performance.
Because those scaling ratios apply in both the horizontal and the vertical dimensions, performance mode ultimately results in a 4x upscaling, which is identical to what Nvidia’s performance mode does.
AMD FSR vs Nvidia DLSS: Compression
The computing effort required by AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution is significantly lower. It is a post-processing technique that has been built to upscale and improve frames, but it does not require any of the deep learning things, tensor cores, or vast amounts of computational power.
If you want specifics, you can say that it’s Lanczos upscaling with edge detection, but in a nutshell, what it does is it takes an image and scales it up using a spatial algorithm (it only looks at the current frame), and then it applies some edge detection and sharpening filters to improve the overall appearance.
Despite the fact that this might not sound as spectacular as DLSS, FSR possesses a number of rather significant benefits. The most important benefit is that FSR can be played on virtually any GPU that is at least somewhat recent.
We tried it on the Intel UHD 630, AMD graphics processing units (GPUs) going as far back as the RX 500-series, and Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) starting with the GTX 900-series, and it worked on all of them. Additionally, FSR is open-source, which means that people are allowed to use it, alter it, or do anything else they want with it.
The FSR method relies on shaders, which are a component of virtually every GPU manufactured in the present era, to carry out the bulk of the work. Ultra-quality, quality, balanced, and performance are the four settings that are often offered, much as there are four levels for DLSS.
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Scaling factors used by AMD range from 1.3x for extreme quality, 1.5x for quality, 1.7x for balanced, and 2.0x for performance. Because those scaling ratios apply in both the horizontal and the vertical dimensions, performance mode ultimately results in a 4x upscaling, which is identical to what Nvidia’s performance mode does.
FSR vs. DLSS: Performance
The whole idea of FSR and DLSS is to increase your gaming performance, so why not start there? At the moment, AMD has two versions of FSR, with significant variances. Deathloop is one of the rare games that offers both FSR and DLSS versions, therefore we utilised it to test performance.
FSR 1.0 offered the most advantage when using the Quality mode for both, which applies a 1.5x scaling factor. Although every game is different, our FidelityFX Super Resolution review found that FSR 1.0 typically outperforms DLSS but at the expense of visual quality. This is especially true in the higher quality options.
Moving to the Performance mode, which uses a 2x scaling factor, the same stack is present: FSR 1.0 leads in performance, DLSS comes in second, and FSR 2.0 comes in close behind. However, the performance of native resolution must be considered. DLSS is approximately 2% quicker than FSR 2.0, although both provide roughly double the frame rate of native resolution.
Although FSR 1.0 has the best performance, it is not the best solution. It is vital to remember that both FSR 2.0 and DLSS are substantially superior at retaining image quality. FSR 1.0 may improve performance even more, but lowering your resolution will improve performance even more. it’s all about balancing performance and visual quality.
FSR vs. DLSS: Image quality
Although performance is the goal of FSR and DLSS, it cannot be considered in isolation from picture quality. We’ll use Deathloop as an example again, although FSR and DLSS have been tried in a variety of games, including God of War and Rainbow Six Extraction. To view the full visual changes, we recommend clicking or touching on the photos below.
In image: FSR 1.0 (on the left), FSR 2.0 (in the centre), and DLSS (Right)
Even from a single screenshot, it is clear that there are two camps here: FSR 2.0 and DLSS, and FSR 1.0. FSR 1.0 employs an out-of-date supersampling method and a sharpening filter. It’s less sophisticated beneath the hood, and it shows in the image quality, with jumbled objects in the distance and a softer overall look.
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Look at the sign and cables in the backdrop for further details. FSR 1.0 displays a jumble of pixels, but FSR 2.0 and DLSS clearly represent these features. It’s difficult to identify the difference between DLSS and FSR 2.0. These images were captured with the Quality setting, and DLSS and FSR 2.0 are nearly identical.
In image: FSR 1.0 (on the left), FSR 2.0 (in the centre), and DLSS (Right)
When you switch to the more aggressive Performance mode, the distance between FSR 1.0 and the other two grows wider. We’ve zoomed in 267% to observe the changes, and it’s evident how far FSR 1.0 lags in image quality. Nonetheless, FSR 2.0 and DLSS are startlingly close. If it’s difficult to identify distinctions here, imagine how difficult it is to see them when playing.
Supersampling is prone to visual artefacts outside of still image quality. The issue with DLSS, particularly earlier versions, is ghosting. Nvidia has attempted to improve DLSS to eliminate these abnormalities, however they still appear in games on occasion. FSR 2.0 has a similar problem, however we’ve just looked at it in Deathloop.
In image: DLSS (on the right), FSR 1.0 (left)
It’s simpler to predict a loss than a winner in this situation. FSR 1.0 lags so far behind FSR 2.0 and DLSS that the increased performance is meaningless. Because FSR 2.0 and DLSS are too comparable to proclaim a winner, it will primarily depend on whatever upscaler you have access to.
FSR vs. DLSS: Compatibility
One of the most significant distinctions between FSR and DLSS is compatibility. Because DLSS is an RTX feature, it can only be found on RTX 20- and 30-series graphics cards. FSR, on the other hand, works with AMD and Nvidia GPUs since it does not require specific Tensor cores.
FSR is suggested by AMD, although it should work on other graphics cards, including integrated GPUs in many circumstances. FSR is also available on the Xbox Series X, and because it doesn’t require any special hardware, it can also operate on platforms like as the PlayStation 5 (though it isn’t officially supported).
FSR is free for developers and is created using open-source code. For a time, DLSS was kept behind Nvidia’s fortified walls. However, increasing pressure from FSR compelled Team Green to follow suit. This is a significant improvement over DLSS 1.0, which required developers to collaborate closely with Nvidia and train the A.I. model game by game.
Nonetheless, there is an obvious winner here. Although DLSS is now simpler to access for developers, the fact that it only works on modern Nvidia GPUs is a severe limitation.
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FSR vs. DLSS: Game Support
DLSS appears in considerably more games than FSR. We identified roughly 180 titles that support DLSS at the time of writing, but the number is expanding every month. FSR is available in around 60 games, with the list growing month by month.
Aside from raw stats, DLSS is accessible in many more popular games than FSR for example, Rainbow Six Siege and Fortnite. Large AAA games with ray tracing often choose DLSS as well, with the RTX branding including both ray tracing and DLSS.
FSR lacks figures, but AMD is making gains. Many titles now support both DLSS and FSR, rather of simply one or the other. God of War, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Cyberpunk 2077 are recent examples. Older titles, such as Marvel’s Avengers, have also gotten FSR and DLSS support via updates.
DLSS has the advantage here simply because it has been around for a longer period of time. The typical tendency among developers is that both DLSS and FSR are provided, rather than one or the other. It’s difficult to predict if this trend will continue, but creators strive to please as many people as possible. Furthermore, not everyone possesses an Nvidia GPU.
Conclusion:
Through this compression in AMD FSR vs Nvidia DLSS, we have concluded that Overall DLSS is the superior choice than FSR. That was notably true for the first version of FSR, which still accounts for the vast majority of supported games. FSR 2.0, on the other hand, is a real contender, and it should become the default option for developers in the future.
You should utilise DLSS if you have access to it. However, the days of purchasing an Nvidia GPU particularly for DLSS are passed. You may still enjoy high-quality super sampling with FSR 2.0’s excellent image quality, regardless of the manufacturer of your gaming PC.
In a nutshell, IT’S A TIE!
Frame Generation gives DLSS some merits, although it has flaws and is not accessible on the RTX 3000 and 2000 Series.
To summarize, if you already have an RTX GPU, stick with DLSS if it is offered in-game. In circumstances where it isn’t, utilise FSR. People who have an AMD card should utilise FSR when necessary.
However, if your graphics card is fast enough to give a pleasant gaming experience, it may be wise to avoid using any upscaling technologies for the time being. Why? Because neither DLSS nor FSR are ideal at the present, native resolution remains the best option.
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FAQS for AMD FSR vs Nvidia DLSS
Is FSR better than DLSS?
The second most notable distinction is how FSR 2.1 handles ghosting. FSR 2.1 handles ghosting difficulties even better than DLSS during the day, however when there is insufficient lighting in the scene, the FSR 2.1 image may exhibit black smearing behind moving objects at extreme angles.
Is AMD FSR the same as DLSS?
One of the most significant distinctions between FSR and DLSS is compatibility. Because DLSS is an RTX feature, it can only be found on RTX 20- and 30-series graphics cards. FSR, on the other hand, works with AMD and Nvidia GPUs because it does not require dedicated Tensor cores.
Is FSR 2.0 better than DLSS?
The FSR 2.0 performance boost is a significant improvement over the game’s native resolution, and it functions identically to DLSS 2.4 in terms of performance gain.
Can I use FSR with DLSS?
FSR is supported by both old and modern AMD cards. FSR is also supported by RTX GPUs and the last two GTX versions. DLSS, on the other hand, is only supported by the RTX 2000 and 3000 series GPUs.
Does FSR reduce quality?
FSR 1.0 anti-aliased before upscaling, which degraded image quality if the game had a weak implementation. FSR 2.0 does. After upscaling, TAA is used instead of anti-aliasing.
