Sony’s QSSR sharpens PS5 images with a game-dependent processing cost
Sony introduced QSSR, a neural image-upscaling method for the standard PlayStation 5. Independent Digital Foundry tests found steadier small objects and foliage in Wolverine, alongside additional processing time. Ghost of Yotei showed a smaller visual improvement and a cost closer to its previous method. The streamlined network uses existing console hardware, with results tied to each game’s implementation.
Artificial Intelligence··Evening
A streamlined network reaches the standard console
Sony introduced Quick Spectral Super Resolution, or QSSR, an AI method that reconstructs larger images from lower-resolution frames on the standard PlayStation 5. Initial support covers Wolverine and Ghost of Yotei. An October 2 update adds the method to the games’ graphics settings.[1], [2]
The standard console lacks the dedicated machine-learning hardware used in PS5 Pro. QSSR instead uses FP16 processing and a streamlined neural network adapted to the existing hardware.[2]
Wolverine gains steadier detail at an extra processing cost
Digital Foundry, a technical game-analysis outlet, tested the two implementations for about six hours. In Wolverine, small objects and moving foliage appeared more stable, with fewer artifacts. In uncapped performance mode, reconstruction from 864p to 1440p took about 1.5 to 1.8 milliseconds more than the earlier Insomniac method, corresponding to roughly eight to ten fewer frames per second under the tested conditions.[2]
At a locked target of 60 frames per second, dynamic resolution can lower the internal rendering resolution to offset the added work. A 4K fidelity-mode test measured QSSR processing at about 4.4 milliseconds.[2]
Ghost of Yotei shows a smaller change
Ghost of Yotei’s existing image quality was already good, and the visual improvement was smaller. Its uncapped-mode processing cost stayed close to the earlier FSR 3 upscaler. The observations concern these first two implementations; the tests do not establish a uniform image improvement or processing expense across other PlayStation 5 games.[2]
