PlayStation 5 Pro upscaling tech will move closer to AMD's FSR 4 in 2026

PS5 Pro aims to integrate AMD's FSR4 tech for enhanced upscaling by 2026.

: Mark Cerny announced that by 2026, PlayStation 5 Pro will utilize AMD's FSR4 through PSSR for improved machine learning-based upscaling. This collaboration with AMD, leveraging RDNA 4 architecture elements, aims to enhance image quality beyond current spatial and temporal upscaling methods. PS5 Pro's progress is part of Sony's broader plan that anticipates incorporating advanced AI in future devices like the PlayStation 6. Sony and AMD's ongoing partnership, founded upon shared technological expertise, underscores the continuous evolution of console gaming upscaling technologies.

Sony's collaboration with AMD marks a significant step forward in console gaming, promising notable advances by 2026. Mark Cerny, PlayStation console architect, unveiled plans to integrate AMD's FSR4 upscaler within PlayStation 5 Pro's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology. This integration expects to deliver high-quality image outputs leveraging machine learning, a substantial upgrade from existing console upscaling techniques. The timeline reveals that significant changes might emerge as early as the next year, setting expectations for a surge in performance and capability.

The transition involves leveraging aspects of AMD's latest RDNA 4 architecture, despite the current absence of some specific functionalities like sparsity in PS5 Pro, which optimizes upscaling tasks on RDNA 4 and Nvidia platforms. Nonetheless, Cerny emphasizes the potential of achieving robust performance without these elements. The close collaboration with developers and the strategic adoption of AMD's neural network indicates a structured path toward achieving this technological enhancement.

AMD, a longstanding partner in Sony's console adventures, has designed architectures for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. This synergy continues with speculation that PlayStation 6 might employ upcoming technologies such as the Zen 6 CPU and UDNA-based GPU. It underscores not only their technological compatibility but also foresight in evolutionary console gaming hardware. Sony's adoption of AMD's advancements in AI illustrates a future pathway of innovation, blending improved game optimization and graphics rendering.

Additionally, AMD's recent venture into machine learning with Radeon RX 9000 cards has introduced their first upscaler based on this technology. The anticipations around FSR4 align with reviews indicating improved performance over traditional spatial and temporal techniques. Mark Cerny has pointed out that integrating these elements into PlayStation 5 Pro is only the beginning of an onward path in refining machine learning-based technologies.

With the gaming industry moving toward machine learning advantages, this development forms a part of broader technological shifts both within and outside gaming domains. Moreover, next-generation devices from competitors such as Nintendo indicate an industry-wide trend. The Nintendo Switch 2, expected soon, proposes utilizing Nvidia's Ampere architecture reserved for RTX 30 series GPUs, which may include DLSS or similar variants, indicating machine learning's expansive influence.

Sources: TechSpot, Eurogamer, AMD, PlayStation

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