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AMD is bringing its FSR 4 upscaling technology to handheld gaming PCs by the end of 2026, potentially giving portable devices a welcome boost in gaming performance. The catch? It is still unclear whether existing devices such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally will get the upgrade or whether gamers will need to buy new hardware.

AMD consumer chip chief Jack Huynh confirmed the expansion in comments to South Korean publication The Elec. The company plans to bring its machine-learning-based FSR 4 technology to APUs, gaming laptops and handheld devices, expanding it beyond the desktop graphics cards it initially supported.

FSR 4 is AMD’s AI-based upscaling technology. It can render a game at a lower resolution and use machine learning to reconstruct a sharper image, potentially improving frame rates without requiring the GPU to render every pixel at the display’s native resolution.

That matters on handheld gaming PCs, where performance, battery life and heat are constant balancing acts. These devices have limited space for cooling and smaller batteries than gaming laptops, so squeezing more performance out of existing hardware can make a real difference.

However, AMD has not confirmed which handhelds will support FSR 4. The company previously warned that older devices might not have enough computing power to deliver the intended image quality and performance. That leaves owners of existing handhelds wondering whether the update will arrive through software or become a reason to upgrade.

AMD’s announcement comes alongside plans for new FSR 4-capable chips and a lighter version of the technology for APUs. According to The Elec, both a new APU and a lightweight FSR 4 model are expected by the end of the year, although it remains unclear whether the lighter version will specifically support handhelds. AMD’s upcoming Ryzen Z3 and “Gainsborough” chips could be involved, but that has not been confirmed.

There is some reason for optimism. It is already possible to get FSR 4 working on handhelds as old as the Steam Deck through unofficial methods, but that does not guarantee official support from AMD. Valve has also worked with AMD to bring FSR 4 to its upcoming Steam Machine, without committing to the same technology for Steam Deck handhelds.

AMD has yet to clarify which devices will qualify. Until it does, handheld gamers should hold off on assuming their current hardware will get the upgrade. The technology is coming, but whether it arrives as a free performance boost or a perk of buying a new device remains the big question.

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Moinak Pal is has been working in the technology sector covering both consumer centric tech and automotive technology for the…