What is DLSS?

Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) has become one of the most important technologies for gamers seeking better performance without sacrificing visual quality. Developed by NVIDIA, DLSS uses AI and machine learning to boost frame rates and create sharper images, all while reducing the workload on your graphics card.

The different technologies under DLSS

DLSS now refers to several different techniques that work together to enhance gaming visuals. DLSS Super Resolution upscales lower-resolution frames to higher resolutions using AI, while DLSS Ray Reconstruction replaces traditional denoisers to improve lighting and shadows. DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) focuses purely on smoothing edges at native resolution, offering stunning clarity without changing the image size.

With DLSS 3, NVIDIA introduced DLSS Frame Generation, inserting AI-predicted frames between real ones to dramatically boost motion smoothness. DLSS 4 pushed this further with Multi Frame Generation, capable of creating up to three AI frames for every one engine frame.

When and how to use DLSS

In nearly all cases, it’s beneficial to enable DLSS. It uses dedicated AI hardware that doesn’t affect other processes, delivering higher frame rates at minimal cost. However, if your GPU already exceeds your monitor’s refresh rate, DLSS may not offer visible improvements. Rare visual artifacts can still appear, especially on fine details, though these issues have been reduced in recent versions.

Most games offer different DLSS modes, such as Quality, Balanced, Performance, and Ultra-Performance. It’s best to start with Quality mode and only lower it if you need more frames. While DLSS support is widespread, some games might perform better with alternatives like AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution or Intel’s XeSS.