About this video

• Video Title: Testing FSR On The Steam Deck
• Channel: PCWorld
• Speakers: None explicitly named, likely a single narrator.
• Duration: 00:06:23

Overview

This video explains and tests AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) feature as integrated into the Steam Deck's operating system. It clarifies the difference between FSR and Radeon Super Resolution (RSR), demonstrates how to enable and configure FSR on the Steam Deck for games that don't have built-in support, and evaluates its impact on image quality and performance using "Days Gone" as an example.

Key takeaways

• FSR vs. RSR: FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) is a rendering technique that works during game rendering, while Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) is a driver-level spatial upscaler that cleans up the post-rendered scene.
• Steam Deck's Integrated FSR: The Steam Deck has a global FSR integration that applies to the entire scene, functioning differently than in-game FSR implementations. It's recommended to use in-game FSR if available.
• Enabling FSR on Steam Deck: To enable it, navigate to the performance menu, select FSR under "Scaling Filter," ensure the game is in full-screen mode, and reduce the game's render resolution (e.g., from 1280x800 to 960x540).
• Performance and Quality: While FSR on the Steam Deck may not achieve 60 FPS in demanding games like "Days Gone," it significantly improves performance beyond 30 FPS, making gameplay smoother. When combined with a 40Hz refresh rate lock, it provides a much better experience than default settings.
• Visual Impact: At a comfortable viewing distance, the upscaled image from 960x540 using FSR is often indistinguishable from native 1280x800, with even text and HUD elements appearing well-restored, though these can be indicators it's not true native resolution.

When testing "Days Gone" on the Steam Deck with FSR enabled, the performance improved from a struggling 35 FPS to well past the 40 FPS mark, significantly smoothing out gameplay. While it didn't reach 60 FPS, this improvement made actions like aiming much easier and created a more enjoyable experience compared to the native 30 FPS. When coupled with a 40Hz refresh rate lock, the experience was substantially better.

For "Days Gone" on the Steam Deck, the recommendations for settings when using FSR are:

• Set the "Scaling Filter" to FSR in the Steam Deck's performance menu.
• Ensure the game is running in full-screen mode.
• Reduce the game's render resolution from native (1280x800) to a lower resolution, such as 960x540.
• Couple the FSR setting with the new adjustable refresh rate of 40Hz.
• Lock the framerate to 40FPS.