The PS5 Pro's upgraded PSSR has been put to the test, and the results are in. In this article, we'll dive into the performance of this enhanced feature across several top-tier games, exploring the improvements and the impact it has on the overall gaming experience.
The Promise of PS5 Pro
Sony's PS5 Pro made some bold promises, including an upgraded GPU, enhanced ray tracing, and machine learning upscaling via PSSR. While the initial implementation of PSSR fell short, especially at lower resolutions, the recent upgrade has sparked curiosity and raised expectations.
Testing the Upgraded PSSR
We had the opportunity to test the upgraded PSSR on a range of games, including Silent Hill f, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Each game presented a unique challenge and showcased the capabilities of the new technology.
Silent Hill f: A Transformed Experience
Silent Hill f, in particular, stood out as a testament to the power of the upgraded PSSR. The original implementation struggled with fine details, resulting in shimmering vegetation and unstable images. However, the new PSSR resolves these issues, delivering a crisp and consistent rendering of foliage and an overall more stable and attractive image on 4K displays. It's a remarkable transformation, turning a game that showcased PSSR's failures into a shining example of its potential.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: Intriguing Improvements
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, known for its high base resolutions and content choices, also benefited from the upgraded PSSR. The new version addressed noise issues and improved texture detail, resulting in crisper edges and reduced aliasing. It's an intriguing development, as the game already had one of the finest implementations of the original PSSR.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Monster Hunter Wilds: Steady Improvements
Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Monster Hunter Wilds, while not showing a night-and-day difference, still exhibited noticeable improvements. Foliage quality was enhanced, noise was reduced, and reconstruction artefacts were minimized. Monster Hunter Wilds, an open-world game, demonstrated improved anti-aliasing and more stable screen-space reflections, especially in the performance mode targeting 60 frames per second.
Performance and Cost
One of the most intriguing aspects is the performance impact of the upgraded PSSR. Monster Hunter Wilds' extended intro cutscenes revealed that the frame-time cost of the new PSSR is similar to the original version. This suggests that gamers won't have to sacrifice frame rates for improved image quality, a pleasant surprise indeed.
The Future of ML Features
As we look ahead, the question arises: Will the ML features of PS5 Pro continue to evolve? Will we see advancements like FSR Redstone ML frame generation or ray reconstruction? Or will these features be reserved for the PlayStation 6? While these questions remain unanswered, the PS5 Pro has taken a significant step towards fulfilling its initial promise.
Conclusion
The upgraded PSSR on PS5 Pro delivers on its promise of enhanced image quality. It transforms games, addressing issues and showcasing the potential of machine learning upscaling. With steady improvements across various titles and no apparent performance hit, the future looks bright for PS5 Pro owners. The ML features of this console have the potential to continue growing, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.
