In a twist that’s shaking up the GPU landscape, AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4)—originally locked to RDNA 4 hardware—has been successfully enabled on RDNA 3 GPUs, thanks to a combination of community ingenuity and a leaked source code drop.
Despite AMD’s official stance that FSR 4 requires FP8 support, modders have proven that INT8-based versions of the upscaler can run on RDNA 3 cards like the RX 7900 XT and RX 7800 XT, delivering impressive visual upgrades with only modest performance trade-offs.
How FSR 4 Works on RDNA 3
FSR 4 was designed to leverage FP8 instructions for faster AI-based upscaling. RDNA 3 lacks native FP8 support, but modders have found a workaround by emulating FP8 using FP16, allowing the upscaler to run—albeit with slightly higher computational cost.
- OptiScaler is the key tool enabling this hack. It lets users swap FSR 3.1 DLLs with custom FSR 4 builds compiled from AMD’s leaked source code.
- The result: RDNA 3 GPUs can now run FSR 4 in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Clair Obscur, and Space Marine 2, with sharper visuals and reduced shimmering.
Performance & Visual Gains
- In FSR 4 running on RDAN3 GPUs?!?!? And so much more PC …, benchmarks show FSR 4 delivering cleaner motion and better detail retention compared to FSR 3—even on older cards.
- AMD RDNA 3: Were Buyers Screwed Over in Hindsight? dives into the architectural limitations of RDNA 3 and why AMD didn’t officially support FSR 4, despite having AI accelerators.
- WHY don’t AMD RDNA3 GPUs support FSR4?… Yet… explains the FP8 vs FP16 emulation challenge and how Linux users got FSR 4 working first via Mesa drivers.
- Guide to Using AMD FSR 4 Upscaler & Intel XeSS Frame Gen … offers a hands-on tutorial for enabling FSR 4 on RDNA 3 GPUs, including setup steps and compatibility notes.
- FSR4 just keeps GETTING BETTER on AMD RX 7000 GPUs … showcases visual comparisons between FSR 4 and DLSS 3/4, highlighting how AMD’s upscaler is catching up fast.
- AMD’s FSR 4 Is Incredible… Unless You Own The WRONG GPU critiques AMD’s decision to restrict FSR 4 to RDNA 4, despite RDNA 3’s capability to emulate it effectively.
- Expedition 33: How to get FSR 4 Running on RDNA 3 iGPU walks through enabling FSR 4 on integrated RDNA 3 graphics using Linux and Mesa-git.
What This Means for Gamers
- RDNA 3 owners now have access to AMD’s latest upscaling tech, unlocking better image quality in supported titles.
- Performance trade-offs are minimal in most cases—typically a 5–7 FPS drop compared to FSR 3.1, but with noticeably cleaner visuals.
- AMD’s silence on the leak has left users wondering whether official support might eventually arrive, especially given the community’s success.
his breakthrough redefines what RDNA 3 GPUs are capable of—and puts pressure on AMD to reconsider its hardware gating strategy. Want help writing a tutorial or benchmarking guide for your readers? I can build that next.