NVIDIA's DLSS has consistently pushed the boundaries of gaming performance, and DLSS 4.0 is no exception. Promising even greater frame rate boosts and visual fidelity, but is it the revolution we've been waiting for? In this post, we’ll dive into the new features, performance improvements, and whether DLSS 4.0 truly lives up to the hype.
What is DLSS?
For those unfamiliar, Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) is NVIDIA's groundbreaking upscaling technology. It uses artificial intelligence to generate higher-resolution images from lower-resolution frames, allowing your GPU to render fewer pixels while maintaining stunning visual quality. This leads to smoother performance, especially in demanding games.
With DLSS 4.0, NVIDIA introduces some exciting new features, further optimizing frame rates and enhancing visual quality—without demanding the kind of processing power normally needed for high-res gaming.
DLSS 4.0: What's New?
DLSS 4.0 brings several advancements over previous iterations. While the fundamental concept of upscaling remains, the technology has evolved to offer even greater benefits for gamers. Here’s a breakdown of the key features:
Core Features of DLSS 4.0
- Ray Construction: This improves the efficiency of ray-tracing calculations, leading to more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows with minimal performance overhead.
- Super Resolution: The main DLSS feature, where a lower-resolution image is upscaled to a higher resolution, maintaining visual fidelity while boosting performance.
- Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA): This AI-powered feature smooths jagged edges and reduces visual artifacts, providing even cleaner images without traditional anti-aliasing methods.
- Frame Generation: An AI-driven method that creates additional frames in real-time, improving perceived frame rates and overall smoothness in demanding scenes.
Exclusive New Features in DLSS 4.0
The real star of DLSS 4.0 is Multi-Frame Generation, which builds upon the existing Frame Generation technology:
Frame Generation (available on RTX 4000 series and newer): Uses AI to insert intermediate frames between the original frames. This smoothens gameplay, particularly during GPU-bound scenes.
Multi-Frame Generation (exclusive to RTX 5000 series): Takes the process a step further by utilizing data from a larger range of past frames, leading to more accurate and stable frame generation. Instead of generating one frame, it makes better use of temporal data from multiple prior frames, improving frame pacing and reducing visual artifacts.
Supported Graphics Cards and Feature Breakdown
DLSS 4.0 is compatible with all NVIDIA RTX series graphics cards from the 2000 series onward, but the features vary depending on the GPU model.
All RTX Cards (2000 Series and Newer):
- Ray Construction: Improves ray tracing efficiency.
- Super Resolution: AI-powered upscaling for enhanced performance.
- DLAA: Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing to reduce visual noise and jaggies.
RTX 4000 Series and Newer:
- In addition to the core features, these cards also support:
- Frame Generation: AI-generated intermediate frames to improve frame rates and smoothness.
- In addition to the core features, these cards also support:
RTX 5000 Series:
- The flagship feature, Multi-Frame Generation, is exclusive to these cards, taking frame generation to the next level by utilizing data from more frames to improve stability and frame pacing.
DLSS 4.0 vs. Previous DLSS Versions
What makes DLSS 4.0 stand out from its predecessors is not just the new features but also improvements in the AI model itself. The AI is now more finely tuned, likely trained on a larger dataset to generate better results, particularly when it comes to multi-frame data. This allows for more accurate frame generation and less perceptible ghosting, especially in fast-moving scenes or games with high graphical demands.
Performance Gains: Real-World Impact
While benchmarks for DLSS 4.0 are still emerging, the theoretical benefits of Multi-Frame Generation are clear. The new technology should dramatically boost frame rates, especially in GPU-bound scenarios where the CPU can’t keep up with the demand for frames. Early tests and reports from tech enthusiasts suggest that frame rates could increase by 50-70% in demanding games, especially those with complex ray-tracing or open-world environments.
For example, in games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the enhanced frame pacing and smoother transitions between frames could make a substantial difference, especially when playing at higher resolutions like 4K.
What About AMD Graphics Cards?
Unfortunately, DLSS is exclusive to NVIDIA GPUs. AMD users are left out of the loop here, as NVIDIA has not made DLSS available on AMD cards. AMD does offer its own upscaling technology, FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), which competes with DLSS but lacks the same AI-powered features and is not as efficient in generating frame rates in GPU-heavy games.
Supported Games: What Titles Benefit from DLSS 4.0?
As of January 2025, DLSS 4.0 is already supported in a wide range of popular titles, including:
- Alan Wake 2
- Diablo 4
- Cyberpunk 2077
- God of War Ragnarok
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Need for Speed Unbound
- Silent Hill 2
- Dune: Awakening
A complete list of supported games can be found on NVIDIA.com
Notably, open-world games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy benefit greatly from DLSS 4.0, as they are highly GPU-demanding and can run much smoother with Frame and Multi-Frame Generation. Similarly, simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator can also achieve higher frame rates at ultra settings, thanks to the reduced workload on the GPU.
The Impact of Multi-Frame Generation on Frame Rates
Multi-Frame Generation is one of the key selling points of DLSS 4.0. By utilizing data from multiple previous frames, it allows NVIDIA’s GPUs to generate additional frames with greater accuracy and stability, especially in fast-paced or complex scenes. The result? Even higher frame rates and smoother gameplay, especially at higher resolutions like 4K or during ray-traced scenes.
In other words, DLSS 4.0 makes it easier to push your GPU to its limits without losing performance or visual quality.
Is DLSS 4.0 a Game-Changer?
DLSS 4.0 is undoubtedly a game-changer, especially for gamers with RTX 4000 and RTX 5000 series cards. The addition of Multi-Frame Generation significantly improves the gaming experience, particularly for demanding titles. If you’re an enthusiast who wants to run the latest games at 4K or with ray-tracing enabled without compromising on frame rates, DLSS 4.0 is a must-have technology.
For those with older RTX cards, DLSS 4.0 will still provide great performance gains, but you’ll miss out on the full benefits unless you upgrade to a newer card.
Are You Ready for DLSS 4.0?
DLSS 4.0 is a powerful tool that can unlock a whole new level of performance and visual fidelity for your games. Whether you're gaming at 4K, exploring an open world, or enjoying a ray-traced environment, this technology can make a huge difference.
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