DLSS and FSR: How Upscaling Works and Which to Choose

What is upscaling and why does it matter?

Modern games render millions of pixels per frame. At 4K resolution, a single frame contains over 8 million pixels, and ray tracing adds even more computational load. Rendering at full native resolution with ray tracing enabled can push frame rates below playable levels, even on powerful hardware.

Upscaling solves this by rendering the game at a lower internal resolution, for example 1440p, then using an algorithm to reconstruct the image to your display's native resolution, such as 4K. The result is a frame rate close to what you would get at the lower resolution, with image quality that approaches native rendering. Both DLSS and FSR work this way, but they use very different methods to reconstruct the image.

How DLSS works and its generations

DLSS is a suite of neural rendering technologies that uses AI to boost FPS, reduce latency, and improve image quality, according to NVIDIA. The key components are Super Resolution, Frame Generation, Ray Reconstruction, and DLAA. Super Resolution reconstructs higher-resolution frames from a lower-resolution input, which is the core upscaling feature. Frame Generation uses AI to generate additional frames between rendered frames. Ray Reconstruction replaces hand-tuned denoisers with an AI network trained to generate higher-quality pixels in ray-traced scenes.

DLSS has evolved across GeForce generations. The NVIDIA comparison page shows that RTX 20 and 30 Series support DLSS 2, which includes Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. RTX 40 Series adds DLSS 3 with Frame Generation. The RTX 50 Series introduces DLSS 5, which adds 3D-Guided Neural Rendering and Dynamic Multi Frame Generation. Multi Frame Generation uses AI to generate up to five frames per rendered frame, while Dynamic Multi Frame Generation adjusts the multiplier on the fly to maximize smoothness across different games and scenes.

These newer features require the fifth-generation Tensor Cores found in RTX 50 Series cards. If you own an older RTX card, you still get the DLSS features that match its generation: Super Resolution on RTX 20 and 30 Series, Frame Generation on RTX 40 Series, and the full DLSS 5 suite on RTX 50 Series. The NVIDIA 50 Series page also mentions DLSS 5 is available on all RTX 50 Series cards, from the RTX 5050 to the RTX 5090.

How FSR works and how it differs

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution is AMD's upscaling technology. It also renders at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs the image, but it does not rely on dedicated AI hardware like NVIDIA's Tensor Cores. This makes FSR compatible with a much wider range of graphics cards, including older AMD GPUs, some Intel Arc GPUs, and even integrated graphics.

The practical difference is in image quality and feature availability. DLSS's AI-based reconstruction can produce sharper edges and more stable temporal detail, especially in motion. FSR uses a spatial and temporal algorithm that is less demanding on hardware but may show softer images in some scenes. Frame generation is available on both, but DLSS Frame Generation works with NVIDIA Reflex to maintain responsiveness, as noted on the DLSS technology page.

For ray tracing, DLSS Ray Reconstruction is a distinct advantage on GeForce RTX cards. It generates higher-quality pixels between sampled rays, improving lighting accuracy and clarity in motion. FSR does not have an equivalent feature. If ray tracing matters to you, see our ray tracing requirements guide for more detail.

Which upscaling technology should you choose?

Your choice is largely determined by your graphics card. If you own a GeForce RTX card, DLSS is the recommended path because it is tightly integrated with the hardware and offers the full feature set, including Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction. On RTX 50 Series cards, DLSS 5 with Multi Frame Generation can multiply performance substantially, according to NVIDIA.

If you own an AMD Radeon card, an Intel Arc card, or an older GPU without Tensor Cores, FSR is your upscaling option. Many games support both DLSS and FSR, so check the game's settings for whichever your hardware supports. FSR also works on GeForce GTX cards, which do not support DLSS, as the NVIDIA comparison page confirms that GTX 16 Series lacks DLSS entirely.

When choosing a graphics card for upscaling, consider the VRAM capacity as well. Upscaling reduces the internal resolution, which lowers VRAM usage, but ray tracing and high-resolution textures still benefit from 8GB or more. For guidance, see our 8GB graphics cards guide or the 16GB graphics cards guide.

Upscaling and your system's other requirements

Upscaling helps with GPU load, but it does not change your system's other requirements. A CPU that is too slow can still bottleneck frame generation, and Windows 11 requires a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card with a WDDM 2.0 driver, as listed on Microsoft's system requirements page. DLSS and FSR both require DirectX 12 or Vulkan support from the game, which is standard for modern titles.

Your display also matters. Upscaling is most beneficial at high resolutions like 1440p and 4K, where the reconstruction quality is high and the frame rate gains are large. At 1080p, the lower internal resolution has fewer pixels to work with, so image quality may suffer. If you are choosing a monitor, read our resolution and refresh rate guide to understand how resolution interacts with GPU performance.

Intel Arc GPUs offer their own upscaling technology called XeSS, which uses XMX AI engines. If you are considering an Intel card, XeSS is similar in concept to DLSS and FSR. The Intel Arc overview page mentions XeSS and frame generation as part of its gaming feature set.

What to pick for your use

Questions

Is DLSS better than FSR?

In most cases, DLSS offers better image quality because it uses dedicated AI hardware and a transformer model trained on supercomputers. FSR is more compatible but may look softer. If you have an RTX card, DLSS is the better choice.

Does FSR work on NVIDIA cards?

Yes. FSR works on a wide range of GPUs, including GeForce GTX and RTX cards. Many games let you choose between DLSS and FSR. If you have an RTX card, DLSS is usually preferred, but FSR is a good fallback for GTX cards that do not support DLSS.

What is Multi Frame Generation in DLSS 5?

Multi Frame Generation is a DLSS 5 feature on RTX 50 Series cards that uses AI to generate up to five frames per rendered frame, boosting FPS significantly. Dynamic Multi Frame Generation adjusts the multiplier on the fly to maximize smoothness, according to NVIDIA.

Does upscaling reduce input lag?

Upscaling itself reduces the GPU workload, which can lower input lag. DLSS Frame Generation works with NVIDIA Reflex to maintain responsiveness, as stated on NVIDIA's DLSS page. FSR does not have an equivalent latency-reduction feature tied to the upscaler.

Can I use DLSS on a GTX card?

No. DLSS requires Tensor Cores, which are only on GeForce RTX cards. GTX 16 Series cards do not support DLSS, as the NVIDIA comparison page confirms. FSR is an option for GTX owners in games that support it.