Xbox Series X/S and ROG Xbox Ally X to officially get FSR 4.1

Microsoft and AMD announced support for FSR 4.1 on Xbox Series X/S. The AI upscaler will improve image quality on current-generation consoles and compete with the PSSR technology on PS5 Pro.

An answer to Sony’s PSSR and QSSR technologies

FSR 4.1 (FidelityFX Super Resolution) uses a neural network to reconstruct high-resolution images from frames that a game initially renders at a lower resolution. This reduces the load on the GPU and frees up resources for higher frame rates or improved graphics.

Unlike FSR 3.1, the new version relies on machine learning rather than traditional reconstruction algorithms. AMD promises sharper fine details, less ghosting behind moving objects, a more stable image in motion, and improved particle handling. Support for dynamic resolution has also been enhanced.

Sony already has two competing solutions. The PS5 Pro uses PSSR, which received a major update in March 2026, improving image detail and stability. On October 1, neural upscaling also came to the standard PS5. Sony developed Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR) for the console, a streamlined version of PSSR with a simplified neural network. The technology is already available in Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei.

PSSR and QSSR are based on Project Amethyst, a joint Sony and AMD project. The work developed through this collaboration is also used in FSR, so the competing upscalers share a technological foundation.

What will change on Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S has an advantage over the base PS5 in hardware support for AI computing. Microsoft’s GPUs accelerate INT8 and INT4 operations, while QSSR on the standard PS5 uses FP16 computing. For example, the Xbox Series X’s peak performance on 4-bit operations exceeds 97 TOPS (trillion operations per second).

This gives Xbox a potential advantage when running neural networks. However, high computing performance alone does not guarantee that FSR 4.1 will outperform QSSR or deliver better image quality. Only comparative tests will show the real results.

FSR 4.1 could be especially useful for Xbox Series S, which has significantly fewer graphics resources than Series X. Developers will be able to lower the internal rendering resolution, while the neural network reconstructs missing details. This approach will improve image sharpness without significantly increasing the GPU load and could help maintain a stable frame rate in some games.

That said, FSR 4.1 does not make the GPU itself faster. The result depends on the game, graphics settings, and the resources required to run the upscaler. So don’t expect an automatic FPS boost in every game.

FSR 4.1 release timeline

Xbox technical director Scott Van Vliet confirmed that Microsoft and AMD have jointly adapted FSR 4.1 for Xbox devices. In addition to Series X/S, the handheld ROG Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally X20 will get support.

The technology is expected to arrive on handheld devices before home consoles. Exact dates and the list of the first compatible games have not yet been announced. Steam Machine previously received support for FSR 4.1.

Microsoft and AMD are also developing the more advanced FSR Diamond technology for the next-generation Xbox, codenamed Project Helix.