Jack Huynh, AMD’s senior vice president and general manager of Computing and Graphics, said that FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 will reach handheld devices, handheld gaming PCs, and current APUs before the end of 2026. This could give current Ryzen devices a software-based graphics upgrade at no additional cost and narrow the gap with newer Intel devices.
AMD plans to expand its FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 upscaling technology, commonly abbreviated as FSR 4, to include current accelerated processing units (APUs), handheld gaming devices, and handheld gaming PCs before the end of 2026. Jack Huynh, AMD’s senior vice president and general manager of Computing and Graphics, confirmed that the technology will reach the company’s “full product stack,” according to TheElec.
FSR 4 is officially available today on the discrete Radeon RX 9000 and Radeon RX 7000 graphics cards, while handheld gaming devices equipped with AMD Ryzen APUs still rely on FSR 3. According to the source, this includes devices such as the ROG Xbox Ally X and Legion Go.
A Software Upgrade for Existing Devices
FSR 3 uses a manually tuned upscaling method, while FSR 4 relies on machine learning to improve image quality. Some users have managed to run a leaked version of FSR 4 on hardware officially intended for earlier releases, but the experience was accompanied by negative effects on performance.
According to Huynh, AMD will rely on a new dedicated model to run FSR 4 across a broader range of graphics processors. Earlier this year, when introducing FSR 4.1 for Radeon RX 7000 cards, the company had hinted at developing a lightweight alternative, noting that it needed more time to complete it.
What Will Actually Change for Gamers?
If AMD carries out its plan, owners of many current handheld gaming devices will receive official support for machine-learning-based upscaling through a software update, without buying a new device or paying an additional cost. However, the source does not precisely identify the compatible devices, nor does it clarify the performance requirements or the detailed launch schedule for each category.
The move takes on greater significance as competition from Intel intensifies in the handheld-device market. The source pointed to devices using Intel G3 and G3 Extreme chips, including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Acer Predator Atlas 8, and OneXPlayer 3, with support for XeSS 3 for multi-frame generation and low latency. Intel says that this platform delivers approximately 42% higher performance than the Ryzen Z2 Extreme at 35 watts, although the source did not independently detail its testing methodology.
Benefits and Limitations
The arrival of FSR 4 on current AMD APUs could help keep Ryzen devices competitive, especially since newer Intel handheld devices appear to be more expensive according to the source. However, the ultimate benefit will depend on the quality of the new model, its effect on power consumption and performance, and the list of devices that will receive official support. The announcement therefore represents a clear direction from AMD, but it still leaves the implementation and compatibility details open.