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Nvidia says DLSS 5 update doubles performance and cuts 4K VRAM usage by a fifth

Neural rendering model shrinks to 118 million parameters, with new 'Preset C' mode for faster frame generation

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Nvidia has announced its DLSS 5 neural rendering technology is now twice as fast as the current model, a tenfold performance leap since March, while using up to 20% less VRAM at 4K resolutions. The update also shrinks the model's footprint by nearly a quarter to 118 million parameters.

Nvidia has announced that DLSS 5, its AI-powered neural rendering technology for gaming, is now two times faster than the current model, marking a 10x performance improvement since March. The company attributes the gains to "systematic pipeline optimizations and neural model refinements."

The October update shrinks the overall DLSS 5 model's footprint by nearly a quarter to 118 million parameters and reduces VRAM usage at 4K by 20%. According to Nvidia, the GPU overhead versus the September model has been halved at similar visual fidelity, and the change can boost frame rates by up to 1.4x.

The faster model will debut in NBA 2K27 on October 16, with Hogwarts Legacy set to receive DLSS 5 next month. The technology continues to be supported on RTX 50-series GPUs, as well as GeForce NOW and the new RTX Spark lineup.

Nvidia is also introducing a faster Performance Mode for Frame Generation on RTX 50 and RTX 40 series GPUs, plus RTX Spark laptops. A new "Preset C" mode replaces the AI model previously used to calculate optical flow for elements such as UI or ray-traced effects with a lighter, faster algorithm. The company says this delivers a 35% speed improvement on the RTX 5060.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Gaming performance improvements come without requiring new hardware, extending the useful life of existing RTX 50 and 40 series cards and RTX Spark laptops.
  • Smaller models and lower VRAM use make high-fidelity AI rendering more accessible, including on lower-tier GPUs.
  • DLSS 5 continues to be a point of debate in the gaming community over reliance on AI upscaling over native rendering.

Background

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is Nvidia's suite of AI-driven rendering technologies for games, including upscaling, ray reconstruction and frame generation. It has been a flagship feature of Nvidia's RTX graphics cards. The technology draws some controversy among gamers who question AI-generated frames versus natively rendered ones, a debate that has only intensified as frame generation has expanded.

Key Perspectives

Nvidia: Positions the update as a major efficiency win, delivering better performance and lower memory overhead while maintaining visual fidelity. Gamers and hardware reviewers: Benefit from higher frame rates and reduced VRAM demands, though the value depends on whether visual quality holds up in practice. Skeptics: Continue to question whether AI-assisted and AI-generated frames should count toward "true" performance and whether the gains mask reliance on upscaling.

What to Watch

  • Independent benchmarks of NBA 2K27 on October 16 to verify the claimed frame rate and VRAM improvements.
  • Visual quality comparisons of Preset C versus earlier frame generation modes.
  • Broader adoption of DLSS 5 in upcoming titles such as Hogwarts Legacy next month.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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