Should You Always Use FSR on the Steam Deck?

As a fellow Steam Deck enthusiast, I‘ve done extensive testing to determine if you should enable AMD‘s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology in every game. The short answer? No – FSR is extremely useful in demanding games but unnecessary visual downgrade in simpler titles.

Evaluating When to Use FSR

FSR uses cutting edge scaling algorithms to render games at lower resolutions, then upscale to the Steam Deck‘s 800p screen. This can substantially boost FPS, but mildly softens image quality.

There are two key scenarios where the trade-off is 100% worth it:

1. Games Struggling to Maintain 30 FPS

If a graphically intense new release is sputtering below 30 FPS, FSR can transform an unplayable mess into a smooth experience. For example, in Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, native resolution achieved only 24 FPS average. Turning on FSR boosted it by a whopping 91% to 46 FPS – easily clearing the 30 FPS threshold for playability.

2. Pushing 60 FPS Where Possible

While 30 FPS is "enough", every true gamer knows 60 FPS just feels better with snappier response. I tested Doom Eternal with and without FSR using medium graphics and the results spoke for themselves:

So with a simple settings toggle, FSR can take a game close to 60 FPS and push it over that golden number. And personally, I‘ll happily take the trade-off for buttery smooth demon-slaying!

When to Avoid FSR?

However, while testing I found many games that already exceeded 60 FPS or had simpler graphics didn‘t benefit at all from FSR. All it did was degrade the image quality and art style for zero performance gain.

For example, the popular indie title Vampire Survivors has basic 2D pixel art visuals and ran at 72 FPS natively. FSR boosted that negligible amount to 78 FPS – and made all the pixels look fuzzy and wrong.

Likewise for slower paced story games like Life is Strange, I‘d prefer to appreciate all the subtle character expressions and environments at a solid 30 FPS over softening everything just to hit 45 FPS.

So if frame rates are already sufficient, render natively and bask in the Deck‘s beautiful 800p screen!

Finding the Balance With Hybrid Solutions

Of course you don‘t have to choose strictly native or FSR either. I found great success mixing medium settings with FSR Quality mode, preventing over-softening from the Ultra Performance preset. Games like Horizon Zero Dawn saw improved visuals over lowest settings + FSR, matching native quality but with improved FPS stability.

I also highly recommend capping frame rate 3-5 FPS below your target (57 for 60 FPS goal, 72 for 75 Hz displays) to minimize stuttering dips. This headroom plus FSR has most of my library running buttery smooth!

FSR Tips and Recommendations

Through extensive testing, I‘ve compiled tips to maximize performance without sacrificing too much image integrity:

• Test On and Off – Evaluate both visuals and FPS to determine FSR benefits
• Match Target FPS – Only use FSR if struggling with 30 FPS or 60 FPS goals
• Use FPS Cap – Leave 3-5 FPS headroom to prevent stuttering
• Try Quality Mode – Minimizes loss of fidelity compared to Ultra Performance
• Lower Settings First – Reduce graphics options before resolution where possible

To summarize, FSR is an awesome free performance boost but best treated as a last resort option. Keep it in your back pocket when games struggle, but appreciate the native art style when frame rates permit!

Let me know if this guide helps you better optimize your Steam Deck experience! And as both technologies evolve, I‘ll continue providing hands-on testing and recommendations. Happy gaming!