Early Access to Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Benchmark Reveals Performance Metrics Ahead of Launch

Square Enix has offered players an early glimpse at the performance of the upcoming expansion, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, by releasing a benchmark tool several months before the official launch. This move allows gamers to assess both the graphical enhancements and the new system requirements introduced with the expansion.

During the benchmark conducted on a high-end system equipped with an Intel Core i9-13900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the results showcased a minimum frame rate of 85 FPS and an average of 156 FPS. These tests were performed at maximum graphical settings in 4K resolution, highlighting the demanding nature and quality of the new graphical improvements.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail introduces a range of graphical updates, including enhanced ground textures, more detailed foliage, and realistic interactions with grass. The update also features improved models for characters and objects, increased quality of shadows and reflections.

A key innovation is the introduction of a new anti-aliasing technology, Temporally Stable Conservative Morphological Anti-Aliasing (TSCMAA), developed by Intel for virtual reality applications, which is incompatible with AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS upscalers. These upscalers have also been updated for the expansion but offer users a "frame rate threshold" setting instead of the usual performance, balanced, and quality presets.

The release of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is scheduled for July 2nd, and thanks to the early benchmark access, players can now prepare their systems for the new requirements and fully appreciate the upcoming enhancements.