Leaked AMD Driver Hints at FSR 4.0 and AFMF 2.1
The internet is abuzz with a reportedly leaked AMD Adrenalin driver from late December 2024. This early driver build, spotted by tech enthusiasts like @GawroskiT, could offer an early look at future graphics tech from AMD. The focus is specifically on FidelityFX Super Resolution and Fluid Motion Frames.
FSR 4.0 in Plain Sight
The most interesting discovery is a large DLL within the driver package. This 17MB DLL appears to contain the implementation for FSR 4.0. In comparison, the current FSR 3.1 DLL is about 6.5MB. This size increase may indicate significant rewriting or added functionality in the upcoming FSR version.
Furthermore, the DLL also contains code for FSR 3.1. It includes what seems to be a mechanism for the driver to swap in the active FSR implementation used by games dynamically. This level of driver-side control could be a game changer for handling upscaling technologies in the future.
FP8 and the Hardware Implications
Delving into technical details, FSR 4.0 might utilize an FP8-based machine learning model. This leads to interesting hardware considerations:
- RDNA 4: AMD's next RDNA 4 architecture is expected to feature dedicated hardware in the form of WMMA for FP8 operations. This would make FSR 4.0 very efficient on these future GPUs.
- RDNA 3 and Ryzen AI (XDNA 2): Native FP8 WMMA is not available on RDNA 3, but BF16 is. BF16 could be fast enough for FSR 4.0 on current generation RDNA 3 GPUs and potentially integrated ones like Ryzen AI's XDNA 2. Re-quantization to INT8 is another possibility.
- RDNA 2 and Older: It seems RDNA 2 and older architectures may not effectively use FSR 4.0. This could indicate a major architectural leap in this technology.
Driver Source and Caveats
The driver source is reportedly a leaked driver on a guru3d forum page, linked to Station-Drivers. However, caution is advised. The original investigator states:
"I did not try it and won't, I won't install a driver not downloaded from the vendor's official download server or provably uploaded by their staff."
Downloading drivers from unofficial sources can be risky. It is always recommended to download drivers only through official channels to avoid potential instabilities or security issues.
CES 2025 Speculation
Given the late December build date, speculation suggests this driver might have been used for AMD's tech demos at CES 2025. The newer Adrenalin 25.1.1 driver release lacks this FSR provider DLL, further suggesting its pre-release or experimental nature.
Final Thoughts: AMD Upscaling Advancement
This information is based on a leaked driver and remains unconfirmed by AMD. However, it presents an exciting prospect. If FSR 4.0 utilizes FP8 and delivers significant gains, alongside AFMF development, it could help AMD narrow the gap in upscaling and frame generation. As with all leaks, approach with caution, but this leak provides an interesting outlook for 2025.
