PlayStation’s new PSSR AI upscaling looks set to compete with Nvidia’s DLSS - while AMD falls behind yet again
AMD fans, you might want to look away
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The brand newPSSR AI upscaling methodbuilt for the PS5 Pro appears to defeatAMD’s FSR 3.1, taking a leap closer toNvidia’s DLSS- perhaps giving gamers another reason to purchase Sony’s enhanced console.
After its reveal during a presentation by PlayStation Lead Designer Mark Cerny, reception towards the PS5 Pro was somewhat negative - largely due to its pricing, which positioned it as comparable to apre-built gaming PC. The main differences between the upcoming console and its base model are PSSR, 28% faster RAM, and a claim of 67% more compute units for better performance (while using ray-tracing), but all while still using the same internal CPU.
Scrutiny aside, the PSSR AI upscaling method may easily become the main talking point - a hands-on experience fromDigital Foundryproves that PSSR at ‘Performance Mode’ is much clearer and detailed in comparison 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 convincing and a drastic step in the right direction forSony- especially if many games run at a smooth 60 frames per second - it still won’t justify the $699.99 price tag (£699 / AU$1,199.95) for many users. Other than the recent reveal of Sucker Punch’sGhost of Yotei, Bungie’sMarathon, Insomniac’sWolverine, and other timed exclusives, there aren’t many other exclusive first-party titles coming to the platform in 2025 that we know of at present, a key pull factor that could help sell the Pro.
A plethora of PlayStation exclusives are making their way to PC, some of which will launch simultaneously on the PS5 - such as the aforementionedMarathon- and it further supports the idea of opting for a pre-built system over Sony’s updated console. WhileGTA 6won’t be coming to PC until some time after launch, there is currently no guarantee that the PS5 Pro will provide 60 frames per second, which will certainly leave many disappointed.
As for AMD, it’s a defeat yet again as Team Red appears to be overtaken in three regions -their next-gen graphics cards will steer away from high-end, along with Nvidia continuing to dominate in the gaming laptop market, while also losing to both PlayStation’s PSSR and Nvidia’s DLSS.
We will have to wait and see just how impactfulAMD’s newfound focus on AI for FSR 4will be - it’s claimed that battery life and performance for gaming handhelds will see big improvements using theRyzen Z2 Extreme APU, which is hopefully a sign of bigger things to come in 2025.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
You might also like…
•Are you as horrified by the PS5 Pro pricing as I am? Just buy a gaming laptop instead, seriously•New PS5 games 2024: most anticipated PS5 release dates•PS5 Pro pre-order guide: the latest and best places to find stock
Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He’s spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off atGameRantin 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing atPC Guidewhich included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren’t a complete mess.
The PS5 Pro’s PSSR upscaling gives multiple games a huge visual upgrade – can it compete with Nvidia’s DLSS 3 successor?
I’m a Nintendo Switch expert, here are the best early Black Friday deals right now
England vs Australia live stream: how to watch 2024 rugby union Autumn International online from anywhere
