Night City, August 6, 2025 – In a move that’s set fire to the forums, AMD dropped its Adrenalin Edition 25.8.1 driver today, and the headline feature is official, built-in support for FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) in CD Projekt Red's sprawling dystopian RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. For players wielding Radeon RX 7000 series cards (or even older supported Radeon GPUs and GeForce RTX 30-series and up), this promises a significant visual and performance leap – but early adopters are reporting it comes with a few… Night City-esque quirks.
The promise of FSR 4 is tantalizing. Building on FSR 3's frame generation tech, FSR 4 incorporates advanced temporal upscaling and enhanced anti-aliasing algorithms. The goal? Sharper image quality, reduced shimmering and flickering (especially notorious on fine details like chain-link fences or distant power lines), smoother motion, and of course, that all-important frame rate boost, particularly when frame generation is enabled.
So, does it deliver? Initial reports from players diving into Night City post-update are largely positive on the visual front. Many note a perceptible improvement in overall image stability. Distant objects appear cleaner, textures look crisper during fast movement, and the dreaded "shimmerfest" in dense urban areas seems significantly tamed. The integration appears solid, offering similar visual fidelity uplifts as its main competitor, DLSS, but now accessible to a much wider range of graphics cards.
The Frame Gen Payoff: Activating FSR 4 Frame Generation is where the real magic (and potential chaos) happens. Players with high-refresh-rate monitors or powerful CPUs bottlenecking their GPU are seeing frame rates effectively double in demanding scenarios. Cruising through the bustling Japantown market or engaging in a high-octane firefight in Dogtown can feel significantly smoother, pushing gameplay closer to that coveted "buttery smooth" experience.
But Here's the Rub – The Quirks: It wouldn't be a cutting-edge tech launch without a few hiccups, right? Several users across Reddit and tech forums are reporting noticeable stuttering or micro-stutter when FSR 4 Frame Generation is active. This seems more prevalent during specific actions like rapid camera pans, driving at high speeds, or transitioning between interior and exterior cells. While not universal, it's a common enough complaint to warrant attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbELOHoCJU
Want to see FSR 4 in action yourself? Check out this fresh comparison video showcasing the visual differences and performance uplift (and the occasional stutter) on an RX 7800 XT. Pay close attention to the fine detail stability and the fluidity during combat around the 4:08 mark.
The cause of the stuttering isn't entirely clear yet. It could be related to the inherent latency introduced by frame generation, driver-level teething problems, specific in-game engine interactions, or a combination of factors. AMD is typically quick to address major issues with follow-up drivers, so a fix might be on the horizon.
Should You Enable It? If you're rocking a supported AMD (RX 7000 series recommended for best Frame Gen experience) or NVIDIA (RTX 30-series and up) GPU and crave higher frame rates or a cleaner image in Cyberpunk 2077, FSR 4 is absolutely worth trying. The visual improvements are tangible. However:
- Benchmark & Test: Don't just enable it mid-playthrough. Jump into a demanding area, try turning Frame Gen on and off, and see if the potential stuttering is noticeable and bothersome to you personally. Some report it's minor, others find it immersion-breaking.
- Tweak Settings: Experiment with different FSR 4 quality modes (Quality, Balanced, Performance). Sometimes a higher base resolution before upscaling can mitigate issues.
- Check for Updates: Keep an eye out for potential game patches or newer AMD drivers specifically addressing the stuttering reports.
The Bottom Line: AMD's 25.8.1 driver bringing native FSR 4 support to Cyberpunk 2077 is a big win for players seeking enhanced visuals and performance without vendor lock-in. The image quality uplift is real and welcome. However, the current implementation of Frame Generation seems to introduce some instability for a portion of users. It delivers on its promise of higher frame counts, but the path there might feel a little bumpy for now. As with any new tech in Night City, expect some turbulence alongside the breathtaking views. Dive in, test it for yourself, and see if the visual splendor outweighs the occasional jitter for your personal ride through the neon jungle.
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