AMD FSR 4.1 Performance Mode Delivers Near Native Image Quality With Minimal Performance Cost

AMD FSR 4.1 performance mode demonstrates near native image quality while maintaining stable frame rates on ultra graphics settings.

Hardware by Okazaki on Mar 15, 2026

In some cases, a game running in FSR performance mode can look almost as good as native resolution. Modern upscaling technology is designed to keep images clear while boosting performance, so you can keep high graphics settings and visual effects on without losing much frame rate.

We tried FSR 4.1 on a SteamOS computer, and the results were the same each time. The game was running with FSR 4.1 in performance mode, with ultra graphics settings and all RTX effects enabled. It was hard to tell the difference between native resolution and FSR performance mode.

AMD, FSR 4.1 Performance Mode, Delivers Near Native Image Quality, With Minimal Performance Cost, NoobFeed

The machine was hooked up to an ultrawide 1440p monitor with ultra settings turned on. The game still ran at more than 60 fps, even with these settings and RTX effects turned on. It wasn't necessary to use frame generation to get that level of performance.

Cost of Performance and Use of Resources

We saw a little performance hit when we turned on FSR 4.1. The performance loss was about 5% in FPS.

The upscaling process also required about 1GB more VRAM and about 1GB more system RAM. But there was no increase in CPU utilization. In certain circumstances, CPU consumption appeared to be slightly lower.

CPU Overhead in Relation to DLSS

In games that already use a lot of CPU, lower CPU overhead can be important. DLSS can sometimes use more CPU power, which can hurt performance in some cases.

Switching from an RTX 4070 Super to a Radeon 9070 XT made a big difference in FPS in a CPU-heavy game like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The improvement was primarily due to less CPU work.

Stability of the Image While Playing

FSR 4.1's picture stayed constant while playing. The picture stayed the same even when trees or things were moving quickly. We didn't see any flickering, visual abnormalities, or instability that can happen with older upscaling solutions.

How to Install FSR 4.1

We learned that to install FSR 4.1, you need to download the required files and place them in the game's directory. You need to put the DLL file next to the game's .exe file in the game folder. After that, the game settings menu should show the FSR4.1 option. Sometimes, the option may only say "FSR4," but it still means version 4.1.

Performance in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as an example

We tried out FSR 4.1 in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The upscaled image stayed clear even in performance mode. There was no blur or flickering, and the screen appeared to be at its native resolution during typical gaming. Even when the camera moved, scenes with trees and plants stayed constant.

AMD, FSR 4.1 Performance Mode, Delivers Near Native Image Quality, With Minimal Performance Cost, NoobFeed

Using FSR on Older GPUs

We tried to run FSR 4.1 on an older laptop's GPU. Even though the game settings said FSR 4.1 was enabled, the picture quality didn't match what I saw on the desktop with a Radeon 9070 XT. FSR 4.0 still works with many games, and older GPUs can still run it.

Final Thoughts

For the past few months, we've been employing the FSR 4.0 O model in a variety of games. The experience stayed the same throughout all of the games. There were slight differences between FSR 4.1 and FSR 4.0 when placed side by side. The older version had a little more blur and a little less detail. These variations stay small during typical gameplay. It is hard to see the change without directly comparing them or looking at the pixels.

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