PlayStation’s new PSSR AI upscaling looks set to compete with Nvidia’s DLSS – while AMD falls behind again
The brand new PSSR AI upscaling method built for the PS5 Pro looks to beat AMD’s FSR 3.1 and be a leap closer to Nvidia’s DLSS – perhaps giving gamers yet another reason to buy Sony’s improved console.
Following its unveiling during a presentation by PlayStation lead designer Mark Cerny, reception to the PS5 Pro was somewhat negative – largely due to its price, which made it comparable to a pre-built gaming PC. The main differences between the upcoming console and the base model are PSSR, 28% faster RAM and a claimed 67% more compute units for better performance (when using ray-tracing), but all this while still using the same internal CPU.
Apart from the research, the PSSR AI scaling method could easily become the main topic of conversation – a hands-on experience of Digital foundry proves that PSSR in ‘Performance Mode’ is much clearer and detailed compared to FSR 3.1 in ‘Performance Mode’ while playing Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift apart.
What does this mean for AMD?
While the PS5 Pro’s PSSR may be compelling and a drastic step in the right direction for Sony – especially when many games run at a smooth 60 frames per second – it still doesn’t justify the $699.99 (£699/£699) price tag AU$1,199.95) for many users. Except for the recent reveal of Sucker Punch’s Spirit of YoteiBungies MarathonInsomniaWolverineand other timed exclusives, as far as we currently know, there aren’t many other exclusive first-party titles coming to the platform in 2025, a key draw that could help sell the Pro.
A plethora of PlayStation exclusives are making their way to PC, with some arriving on PS5 at the same time – like the ones mentioned above Marathon – and it further supports the idea of opting for an off-the-shelf system over Sony’s updated console. While GTA6 won’t be coming to PC until some time after launch, there’s currently no guarantee that the PS5 Pro will deliver 60 frames per second, which will certainly leave many disappointed.
As for AMD, it’s another defeat as Team Red appears to have been overtaken in three regions – their next-gen graphics cards will stay away from the high-end, while Nvidia continues to dominate in the gaming laptop market as they also losing to both PlayStation’s PSSR and Nvidia’s DLSS.
We’ll have to wait and see how impactful AMD’s renewed focus on AI for FSR 4 will be – it’s claimed that battery life and performance for gaming handhelds will see big improvements using the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU, which is hopefully a sign is of greater things will come in 2025.
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