Just one implementation in one game - but the results are compelling.
To what extent can PSSR best the FSR-level technology typically used by consoles?
And how close is PSSR to the acknowledged state-of-the-art: Nvidia DLSS?
First of all, let’s discuss caveats and limitations.
For now though, it’s very much just a Ratchet and Clank head-to-head.
I began by looking for ‘disocclusion fizzle’.
PSSR does a comparatively superior job and actually seems to present with more confetti.
Hologrammatic signs also look better with PSSR.
Machine learning-based upscalers tend to discriminate better and PSSR tries to clamp down that issue.
It’s at 1080p - and even lower - where PSSR truly needs to prove its worth.
Comparisons against Nvidia DLSS perhaps have less practical use.
Unlike FSR 3.1, you will never see a Sony console using this upscaling technology.
Across all my test clips, I noted a kind of moving fizzle.
This also bears out when you compare a rapidly moving object.
PSSR does a better job than FSR in movement, but against DLSS it does not anti-alias as well.
Another thing you’re able to notice about PSSR is how it produces a softer image than DLSS.
Of course, the resolve of a reconstruction technique is essentially subjective and a matter of personal taste.
Insomniac says that the sampling pattern is customised for PSSR to better mesh with it.
Even if the reflections in movement have negative aspects, there can be better stability in certain aspects.
For example, on lower quality configs, checkerboard RT reflections clearly shows checkerboard artefacts with DLSS.
PSSR merges the checkerboard correctly, delivering a higher resolution output.
Assuming these differences translate to other games, PS5 Pro owners can appreciate significantly improved upscaling quality.
