Joining the list a little later than the other options, this mode offers the lowest resolution image rendering compared to the selected native resolution. As a result, you get the biggest spike in frames per second, but that often comes with a noticeable drop in visual quality.
- What is DLSS? Nvidia’s AI-powered graphics tech explained
- What is DLSS and how does it work?
- What is the best DLSS mode?
- Nvidia DLSS Quality mode
- Nvidia DLSS Balanced mode
- Nvidia DLSS Performance mode
- Nvidia DLSS Ultra Performance mode
- How good is DLSS Performance?
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Rainbow Six Siege
- LEGO Builder’s Journey
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- What is NVIDIA DSR and DLDSR?
- Windows 11 product satisfaction is highest of all Windows, says Microsoft
- Enabling NVIDIA DLSS on your GPU: Choose from four modes
- 1. Quality mode on NVIDIA DLSS
- 2. Balanced mode on NVIDIA DLSS
- 3. Performance mode on NVIDIA DLSS
- 4. Ultra-performance mode on NVIDIA DLSS
- NVIDIA DLSS-supported cards
- Availability
- AMD’s response
- What is DLSS?
- How well does the DLSS performs?
- DLSS Supported Engines
- Unreal Engine
- Unity
- Test Experimental Models for DLSS Research
What is DLSS? Nvidia’s AI-powered graphics tech explained
(Pocket-lint) – If you’ve been looking at the latest and greatest Nvidia RTX graphics cards, you may have heard the mention of DLSS. If you’re not exactly sure what it is, we’ve got the answers.
Nvidia clearly has some serious gaming hardware in the form of various graphics cards, but in recent years the company has also been working on a number of different software technologies that were aimed at making the most of this hardware.
The company places a lot of emphasis on the power of ray tracing and the experience it can add to games. This technology adds enhanced visuals thanks to realistic lighting, accurate shadows and diffused light sources. But it can also put pressure on your gaming PC and lower the FPS, which is unfortunate for any PC gamer.
This is where DLSS comes in. It is a technology that allows you to take full advantage of the amazing image fidelity while improving performance and keeping the frame rate high, so you can make the most of your fancy gaming monitor.
What is DLSS and how does it work?
Deep Learning Super Sampling (also known as DLSS) is an artificial intelligence technology developed by Nvidia to improve the performance of a gaming machine, even at higher settings.
The idea is to reduce the pressure on the GPU by rendering the original image at a lower resolution and then using artificial intelligence to upscale that image to make it appear to run at a higher resolution.
Imagine you’re playing the visually stunning triple-A title on max settings on a 4K monitor, but the game actually runs at 1080p and then is up-scaled by AI to 4K using DLSS. This means that the game can run faster and smoother, resulting in a large increase in FPS, but without suffering from visual effects.
DLSS AI basically adds extra pixels for a fantastic view, but one that is fluid and won’t make you cry from a drop in the FPS meter.
DLSS is not perfect, but it has improved over time and now Nvidia has many DLSS settings that include performance, balance and quality modes. You can switch between them based on your experience with the quality that offers the best visual enhancements, while the performance can help boost your FPS if it looks like it’s dropping.
With the Quality option, you get the best possible visual quality and the lowest efficiency gains. The Balanced option is somewhere in the middle. While the Performance option can yield a performance increase of up to 70%, the visual quality will drop significantly.
What is the best DLSS mode?
There are currently four DLSS modes to choose from: Quality, Balanced, Performance, and Ultra Performance. For the most part, they do what they say on the tin, either by prioritizing details or by placing more emphasis on frame rates. Looking at them from a technical point of view, they refer to the relationship between the rendered image and the scaled version:
Nvidia DLSS Quality mode
It provides a slight increase in the frame rate and has the least impact on the image quality.
Since the rendering resolution of this preset is closer to the native resolution than the other DLSS modes, it is the most demanding of the group and offers the smallest performance improvement but the least impact on overall quality.
This is recommended if you’re using the best gaming PC but want to squeeze out more frames without sacrificing game details, especially if you’re using the best 4K gaming monitor. It’s also a good mode to try if other presets are noticeably blurring your game because it’s sharper than the rest.
Nvidia DLSS Balanced mode
It has a decent frame rate boost with little impact on quality.
You can think of balanced as a medium or “normal” setting that acts as a measure. It’s not as demanding as Quality, but it doesn’t come with the same visual sacrifices as Performance.
By its very nature, Balanced suits just about anyone, keeping as close to the selected FPS as possible. 4K users will benefit most, however, as DLSS generally performs better with more pixels involved.
Nvidia DLSS Performance mode
It offers the greatest frame rate increase but gives you a better chance of blurring.
Nvidia often uses the Performance setting when it shows how many frames a DLSS-enabled game can transfer. It has a wider range of super sampling to cover than Balanced or Quality, which offer a higher frame rate but sometimes have graphics hits, including fidelity loss.
Performance Mode is best for 1440p gamers, but it’s also useful if you’re using a slower, aging system and want to get the most out of it.
Nvidia DLSS Ultra Performance mode
Gives the biggest frame rate spike if you don’t mind blurry images.
Joining the list a little later than the other options, this mode offers the lowest resolution image rendering compared to the selected native resolution. As a result, you get the biggest spike in frames per second, but that often comes with a noticeable drop in visual quality.
This setting is more geared towards 8K users – few configurations can deliver such a high pixel count – but it also suits those who want more frames in 4K, rendering at 720p instead of 1080p.
How good is DLSS Performance?
DLSS performance varies based on your hardware configuration, the game you’re playing, and whether you’re using ray tracing, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what to expect. It’s also something that will improve over time with machine learning as the neural network improves, which means we’ll likely see these margins increase.
Let’s take a look at some of Nvidia’s internal numbers to get an idea of what to expect (let’s take them with a grain of salt):
DLSS makes ray tracing much more accessible, even when playing Doom Eternal in 4K at maximum settings. Nvidia claims DLSS speeds up the frame rate by up to 60%, with nearly all RTX graphics cards hitting over 60fps.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Open world games are often a bit more demanding than others, but Nvidia says any RTX graphics card can run Red Dead Redemption 2 in Full HD, above 60fps, at maximum settings with DLSS. It even lowers the entry barrier in 4K resolution, increasing performance by up to 45%. Moreover, this also applies to Red Dead Online.
Rainbow Six Siege
DLSS is especially useful in competitive shooters where each frame can make the difference between winning and losing. Quality Mode is probably better if you’re running Rainbow Six Siege at 1080p or 1440p, but DLSS Performance Mode lets you run into 4K without lowering your FPS. You’ll even see a 50% FPS increase when running a UHD game at maximum settings, and it even shifts the RTX 2060 to three digits.
LEGO Builder’s Journey
Some people find Lego Builder’s Journey almost unplayable at 4K at maximum settings, as even the best graphics cards don’t hit more than 20fps – unless you’re using DLSS. 60fps is still unattainable at these settings, but a potential 163% FPS increase is close enough on the RTX 3080 Ti, while other GPUs hold above 30fps. For those of you who prioritize framerate, you’ll want to downgrade your image to 1080p with DLSS quality enabled.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Frames matter in a game like Call of Duty: Warzone, and they certainly provide a performance boost. If you don’t want to settle for 1080p, Green Team AI technology can deliver FPS up to 60%. Of course, if you’re playing on competitive settings, you can squeeze even more out of your gaming PC.
That said, many gamers are still rocking their older graphics cards due to the shortage, meaning DLSS can help your hardware keep up as it waits for an update from the RTX 3000 series.
Remember, these are internal Nvidia figures and should be treated with a grain of salt. However, this shows how DLSS can also compensate for questionable optimization as well as facilitate a smoother experience in polished games.
That said, many gamers are still rocking their older graphics cards due to the shortage, meaning DLSS can help your hardware keep up as it waits for an update from the RTX 3000 series.
What is NVIDIA DSR and DLDSR?
NVIDIA Dynamic Super Resolution, also known as DSR, was introduced along with Maxwell GPUs about seven years ago, making it the most mature feature here. This allows frames rendered to the GPU buffer to have a higher resolution (up to four times the size) than the monitor and then filtered to fit the screen. The higher the resolution produces a better image which translates even while filtering.
DSR is supported at the driver level and is best used when your GPU has some performance load. If your GPU is already working as hard as it can render frames in 1080p, rendering frames in 2K or 4K will seriously lower the frame rate. DSR works with all modern NVIDIA GPUs and can even be enabled with DLSS. You should be able to use DSR to some extent in most PC games as there aren’t any special requirements to be gratinated on the game side (as is the case with DLSS).
source: NVIDIA
NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Dynamic Super Resolution (DLDSR) technology is an upgrade to DSR with the goal of increasing process efficiency while achieving the same end product. This method still renders the frames at a higher resolution before shrinking them to match the monitor’s resolution, but uses NVIDIA’s powerful AI and Tensor cores in RTX GPUs to shrink images more efficiently.
NVIDIA claims that 4x DSR (rendering frames at four times the resolution your monitor supports) is roughly the same as 2.25x DLDSR, making it almost twice as efficient. This is to take the strain off the GPU. Since DLDSR relies on Tensor cores – the same ones used in DLSS – it will only be available on NVIDIA RTX 20 and 30 series GPUs. If you don’t have an RTX card, you can still use the standard DSR in games.
DLDSR will also work together with DLSS, upscaling images up before DLDSR starts up to get a higher resolution which will be downscaled again. And like DSR, DLDSR is best used by those who have a GPU with some performance load available. You still render the frames at a higher resolution before scaling them up, and the impact to the GPU is the same.
DLDSR, a driver-based feature, is available January 14, 2022. Update your NVIDIA drivers if you want to test it! And if you’re still looking for a new card, be sure to check out our collection of the best NVIDIA graphics processors and top graphics cards.
Windows 11 product satisfaction is highest of all Windows, says Microsoft
According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is being rolled out twice as fast as Windows 10. In addition, the offer of upgrades to Windows 11 is entering its final phase of availability, which Microsoft did not expect until mid-2022.
Nvidia often uses the Performance setting when it shows how many frames a DLSS-enabled game can transfer. It has a wider range of super sampling to cover than Balanced or Quality, which offer a higher frame rate but sometimes have graphics hits, including fidelity loss.
Enabling NVIDIA DLSS on your GPU: Choose from four modes
NVIDIA DLSS allows you to choose from four quality adjustment modes that control the internal rendering resolution of the game, determining the relationship between rendered images and their scaled versions. Each mode focuses the power of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX tensor core on a specific attribute, emphasizing frame rates or image details.
1. Quality mode on NVIDIA DLSS
Quality mode renders games closer to native resolution than the other modes in NVIDIA DLSS. In this mode, visual quality and actual pixel count over FPS are prioritized, offering a slight increase in FPS. However, this does not affect the overall image quality, although it does provide a higher image quality than the Balanced and Performance modes.
Quality mode works well for people who use powerful 4K monitors and computers, and also for those who play 1080p (Full HD) looking to optimize their images. When playing in 1080p (Full HD) and 1440p (Quad HD), the quality mode increases the performance by up to 76%.
2. Balanced mode on NVIDIA DLSS
Balanced mode offers the perfect combination of optimized performance and image quality. It is not as demanding as Quality Mode, nor does it impact performance as much as DLSS Performance Mode.
The balanced mode allows you to get as close as possible to the native refresh rates of the display, as well as the refresh rates of your choice in the game. While this mode works at all resolutions, people who use 4K monitors and play at 1440p are likely to benefit most from having Balanced Mode turned on.
3. Performance mode on NVIDIA DLSS
The performance mode provides higher performance than the quality and balanced modes. While it prioritizes FPS over resolution, the Performance Mode allows up to four times the AI super resolution. This is 1080p rendering resolution greater than or equal to 2160p (4K.
Performance mode boosts performance by 2 to 3 times when playing at 2160p (4K), allowing games using the GeForce RTX 2060 to run at their maximum settings while playing FPS.
Recommendation: NVIDIA recommends using Performance mode for gaming at 1440p (Quad HD.
4. Ultra-performance mode on NVIDIA DLSS
Ultra-performance mode offers the highest increase in performance compared to all other modes including Performance Mode. It offers the greatest frame rate gain compared to the other modes, but does not prioritize visual output. In fact, it offers the lowest image rendering quality compared to the native resolution selected.
Ultra-efficient mode is intended for those looking for the fastest possible frames per second who don’t mind losing visual fidelity. People who use 4320p (8K) monitors or 1080p monitors with high refresh rates (ie 144 Hz) will fully benefit from enabling this mode.
Combine the GeForce RTX 3090 with NVIDIA DLSS Ultra-performance mode to create 8K game content.
Recommendation: NVIDIA recommends using Ultra-Performance gaming at 4320p (8K.
NVIDIA DLSS-supported cards
NVIDIA DLSS is available for all NVIDIA RTX graphics processors at all resolutions. This includes the first generation of the RTX 20 series and the latest series of RTX 30 GPUs. As NVIDIA RTX 2000 and 3000 graphics cards contain tensor cores that support DLSS, you just need to search for the “RTX” prefix to know if your NVIDIA GPU will work with NVIDIA DLSS.
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and RTX 2060 Super
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 and RTX 2070 Super
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Super
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
- NVIDIA Titan RTX
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 3070 Ti
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is being rolled out twice as fast as Windows 10. In addition, the offer of upgrades to Windows 11 is entering its final phase of availability, which Microsoft did not expect until mid-2022.
Availability
Something else to note is that DLSS must be manually implemented in each video game with the help of the developers. While the implementation process has been greatly simplified with DLSS 2.0 and other updates, it still reduces its availability.
At the time of writing, there are approximately 30 to 40 video games that have successfully implemented DLSS. This is not a small number and should continue to grow in the future, but with how many games are available and how many more are released each year, it’s not enough to meet everyone’s needs.
We cannot be sure that NVIDIA will make the implementation process even simpler (and free) for developers, which would allow independent studios to harness the power of DLSS.
Here are some of the more popular games that support DLSS:
- Extended edition of Metro Exodus
- Watch Dogs: Legion
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- War zone
- Control
- death Stranding
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Minecraft for Windows 10
- monster Hunter: World (1.0)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1.0)
- Nioh 2
Many new video games have added DLSS support, including F1 2021, Red Dead Redemption 2, Rust, Doom Eternal, Myst, No Man’s Sky, Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, Chernobylite, and more.
Additionally, accessibility is hampered by the fact that DLSS can only be used by RTX GPUs. No NVIDIA GPU older than this or AMD CPU can take advantage of this option.
AMD’s response
It is no surprise when competitors come up with a response to this kind of new technology. We saw this when AMD responded to NVIDIA’s G-Sync with a cheaper and equally powerful alternative, FreeSync. It also happened when NVIDIA responded to the AMD Anti-Lag solution with Reflex technology.
AMD’s alternative to DLSS is called FSR or FidelityFX Super Resolution.
FSR takes a completely different approach to DLSS. Rather than relying on hardware, it’s a software-based solution that can run on multiple series of GPUs. At the time of writing, AMD has confirmed that the FSR can run on the RX 6000, RX 5000, RX 500 and even GTX 1000 series GPUs.
NVIDIA has already scrapped its older GTX cards while AMD is providing new features for them.
We assume that more GPUs will support this feature once it has been properly tested worldwide.
It should also be noted that AMD is rather slow to respond. Only supports a few games at the time of release.
We look forward to seeing more of AMD’s approach and how they will develop their idea.
NVIDIA DLSS is now natively supported for HDRP in Unity 2021.2b. Unity developers can take advantage of the increased frame rates and beautiful, sharp images that DLSS enables. Unleash the power of NVIDIA’s deep learning neural network today.
What is DLSS?
DLSS or Deep Learning Super Sampling is NVIDIA’s alternative to TAA (temporal anti-aliasing). DLSS is an AI technology that smooths the jagged edges of rendered graphics. The technology helps improve the graphics by reducing the pressure on the GPU and rendering the original image at a lower resolution. It then uses DLSS to upscale the image to make it appear as if the game is running at a higher resolution.
What NVIDIA DLSS does is add extra pixels to the output image, which produces amazing visuals without straining the GPU and framerate drops. For example, imagine that you are playing a game on a 4K monitor; while the game runs natively at 1080p, DLSS technology boosts upscaling and presents the same in 4K, making it better to look at without compromising on FPS.
How well does the DLSS performs?
According to NVIDIA, DLSS 2.0 can increase the frame rate by 200% -300%; while the older version of DLSS is found in a handful of games, AI can increase FPS by over 70%. As for older NVIDIA GTX graphics cards, DLSS is not available; Artificial Intelligence to enhance graphics is only available with NIVIDA RTX series graphics cards.
Additionally, Ray Tracing puts pressure on graphics cards, resulting in unstable performance. NVIDIA’s DLSS solution solves this problem by allowing users to play smooth and crystal clear. DLSS offers three default setting modes: performance, quality, and balance.
While their naming is fairly straightforward, the Performance Mode is optimized for increasing FPS. On the other hand, the quality mode activates all to bring out amazing visuals and provide crystal clear 4K images. Finally, the balance is the best of the two, for those who want the best of both worlds, better visuals with a decent frame rate.
While DLSS is not perfect, the technology has shown potential and is constantly improving. With NVIDIA, it provides many settings for users to work and adjust DLSS performance to their liking. NVIDIA’s DLSS technology is not just limited to games, but the technology also takes advantage of rendered images and 3D videos in areas such as architecture and media.
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DLSS Supported Engines
Unreal Engine
Unity
DLSS is now available in Unreal Engine 5, 4.27 and 4.26 via our official EU DLSS plugin. Unreal Engine developers can take advantage of the increased frame rate and beautiful, sharp images enabled by DLSS technology. Unleash the power of NVIDIA’s deep learning neural network today.
Captured from Epic’s Fortnite
NVIDIA DLSS is now natively supported for HDRP in Unity 2021.2b. Unity developers can take advantage of the increased frame rates and beautiful, sharp images that DLSS enables. Unleash the power of NVIDIA’s deep learning neural network today.
Test Experimental Models for DLSS Research
NVIDIA enables developers to research and evaluate experimental artificial intelligence models for DLSS. Developers can download experimental dynamic link libraries (DLLs), test how the latest DLSS research improves their games, and provide feedback on future improvements.
“DLSS changes the rules of the game”
Richard Leadbetter, Technology Editor, Digital Foundry
“NVIDIA DLSS in 2020: stunning results. It could change the rules of the game”
Tim Schiesser, product reviewer
“DLSS is silently the biggest graphic revolution in computer games”
Alex Donaldson, assistant editor
“DLSS changes the rules of the game because it improves rendering results while lowering performance costs. It has become an integral part of our rendering pipeline,”
Dennis Bolesławski, head of virtual production at HYPERBOWL.
“DLSS is a really powerful way to make the more demanding rendering of Unreal Engine deliver the high enough performance-to-noise ratio needed for live virtual production,”
Adrian Pueyo, Virtual Production Manager at Orca Studios.
“DLSS enables higher quality and higher FPS to create an unprecedented visual experience for home buyers, with almost no additional development time on our part,”
Paul Hellawell, project manager at Away Digital Home.
A: DLSS is a deep learning neural network that uses the power of NVIDIA RTX TensorCore processors to increase frame rates and produce sharp frames that approach or exceed native rendering.
A: DLSS technology is supported by NVIDIA RTX Tensor cores. Using a deep learning neural network, DLSS is able to combine anti-aliasing, feature enhancement, image sharpening, and display scaling that traditional anti-aliasing solutions cannot. Thanks to this approach, DLSS technology provides up to 2 times greater performance with comparable image quality to native full resolution rendering.
A: You can access the Unreal Engine DLSS binary plug-in here. You can also get the source via GitHub. Follow the instructions on the EU / GitHub website to link your Epic Games and GitHub accounts for access. The plug is compatible with UE5 and UE4.26.
A: DLSS is available for all NVIDIA RTX graphics processors and all resolutions.
A: Yes, NVIDIA® Image Scaling (SDK) is an open source best-in-class spatial scaling and sharpening algorithm that runs on multiple platforms on all GPUs. The NVIDIA® Image Scaling SDK is the perfect complement to NVIDIA DLSS for developers looking for a solution that supports non-RTX GPUs. Find out more here.