AMD FSR 4 Runs on RDNA 3 GPUs: RX 7800 XT Reaches 100+ FPS at 1440p

AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) has been marketed as an exclusive feature for the upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs, the Radeon RX 9000 series. However, recent community testing challenges that official stance, showing that RDNA 3 cards can, in fact, run FSR 4 – even if not natively supported.

This discovery adds a new layer of intrigue to the already heated upscaling battle between FSR 3.1, Intel XeSS, and NVIDIA’s DLSS.

Traditionally, FSR 4 relies on FP8 AI hardware acceleration, something only RDNA 4 is equipped with. RDNA 3 lacks this specialized hardware, meaning that enabling the feature on current cards requires emulation. On Linux, developers have managed to achieve this through Mesa, which emulates FP8 using FP16 instructions. It’s not a flawless solution, but it has opened the door for experimentation – and the results are surprising.

One of the first public reports comes from a tester known as @uzzi38, who ran AMD’s newest upscaler on a Radeon RX 7800 XT using the game Clair Obscur. The setup involved the Optiscaler tool, a popular swapper that recently integrated FSR 4 support. The native 1440p Ultra Quality benchmark produced around 95 FPS. Once FSR 4 was enabled, the performance climbed above the 100 FPS mark. While that boost might sound modest, the significance lies in the fact that RDNA 3 managed to run a feature it wasn’t officially designed for.

That said, comparisons matter. When the same GPU ran FSR 3.1 and Intel’s XeSS, frame rates pushed closer to 120–130 FPS. The reason is simple: emulating FP8 with FP16 is less efficient, costing a few precious frames. Yet, performance isn’t the whole story. Testers noted that FSR 4’s visual quality, even on its Balanced and Quality presets, surpassed the older FSR 3.1 Ultra Quality mode, offering cleaner edges and more stable imagery during fast-paced sequences. In other words, you trade a little performance for noticeably improved visuals.

This raises important questions for RDNA 3 owners. Should they stick with older upscalers for raw FPS, or experiment with FSR 4 for better image quality? Right now, the results are game-dependent. In Clair Obscur, the uplift was measurable but not transformative. In other titles, the balance could shift further. The absence of official support means quirks and caveats are inevitable, but early adopters are proving that the barrier isn’t as absolute as AMD’s spec sheets suggest.

As with many unofficial features, broader testing across more games is needed before drawing firm conclusions. Still, the breakthrough demonstrates the resilience of RDNA 3 and the creativity of the PC gaming community. For players on a Radeon RX 7800 XT or similar hardware, FSR 4 might not redefine their performance charts, but it does promise a fresh upgrade path that was previously off the table.