I was an Nvidia DLSS 5 sceptic —but here are 5 reasons why I'm now hopeful that it'll revolutionize graphics in PC games

Following the leak of the tech and a raft of unofficial mods, this week saw Nvidia's official launch of DLSS 5, with the company showing it off in NBA 2K27 at Gamescom 2026 and providing some further illuminating details.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>Following the leak of the tech and a raft of unofficial mods, this week saw Nvidia's official launch of DLSS 5, with the company <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/i-played-nba-2k27-with-nvidias-dlss-5-at-gamescom-and-i-was-genuinely-impressed-with-it-but-one-thing-still-worries-me">showing it off in NBA 2K27 at Gamescom 2026</a> and providing some further illuminating details. </p><p>Before, after Nvidia's initial DLSS 5 reveal in March, I was skeptical on some points, but I wasn't <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/why-do-gamers-already-hate-dlss-5-here-are-3-key-reasons-and-why-history-suggests-nvidia-will-win-them-over-eventually">tearing holes in the idea like some gamers were</a>. However, this week, we've seen a <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/nvidia-dlss-5-leak-sparks-major-turnaround-among-pc-gamers-as-some-brand-it-an-insanely-huge-graphical-update-that-means-theres-no-going-back">rapid shift in opinions and the general online sentiment around DLSS 5</a> — and I'm a good deal more excited about this AI trickery myself. </p><p>Indeed, I think there are a number of reasons to be hopeful that DLSS 5 could prove to be a compelling step forward for PC gaming, from Nvidia's clarification on support for GPUs, through to what modders have shown that the tech can achieve since it was leaked — some of which is truly eye-opening.</p><p>Here are my five reasons why Nvidia's incoming neural rendering model could turn out to be a very literal game-changer.</p><h2 id="1-nvidia-has-clarified-that-dlss-5-won-39-t-just-be-for-rtx-5000-gpus">1. Nvidia has clarified that DLSS 5 won't just be for RTX 5000 GPUs</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2000px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="jazqoAny9gwRcbgjkaJLiB" name="nvidia-geforce-rtx-4070-vs-rtx-4080-tall.jpg" alt="An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card standing upright next to the RTX 4080" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jazqoAny9gwRcbgjkaJLiB.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2000" height="1125" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)</span></figcaption></figure><p>While DLSS 5 is currently only supported by RTX 5000 graphics cards — the tech went live this week in NBA 2K27 — Nvidia has confirmed that it will come to older GeForce GPUs. Indeed, we won't have to wait that long before wider support is ushered in, which is good news.</p><p><a href="https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-dlss-5-launches-in-nba-2k27-rtx-40-support-is-officially-coming" target="_blank">VideoCardz spotted</a> an update from an <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1w6ton0/official_nvidia_will_bring_support_for_dlss/" target="_blank">Nvidia rep on Reddit</a> which stated: "Our current focus is on optimizing performance for the GeForce RTX 50 Series with model updates expected later this fall. Once RTX 50 Series performance is more fully tuned, we plan to work on expanding official support to the GeForce RTX 40 Series."</p><p>So, we could be looking at early 2027 for work to begin on bringing DLSS 5 to RTX 4000 models — and possibly previous generations of GPUs will be in line for the same treatment. Modders have already got the tech working on RTX 3000 and 2000 models, after all — although the performance levels could well be the sticking point here.</p><p>At any rate, this puts paid to fears that DLSS 5 could remain locked to just the latest Nvidia RTX 5000 graphics cards.</p><h2 id="2-continual-optimization-should-improve-performance-a-good-deal">2. Continual optimization should improve performance a good deal</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2560px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="igyfQZ4zCGCeKfp3aAxEzV" name="Nvidia DLSS 5 NBA 2K27" alt="DLSS 5 on in NBA 2K27" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/igyfQZ4zCGCeKfp3aAxEzV.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2560" height="1440" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Nvidia / 2K)</span></figcaption></figure><p>I just touched on performance, and this is the area which has proved to be the biggest downer with the mentioned unofficial experiments that have been conducted with DLSS 5.</p><p>As <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/we-explored-early-dlss-5-performance-with-community-mods-and-the-limits-of-the-12v-2x6-power-connector-may-hold-it-back-on-the-rtx-5090" target="_blank">Tom's Hardware observes</a>, the performance hit with DLSS 5 is a nasty one, and it's generally causing a 40% to 50% drop in frame rates. In some reports, it's less than this (more like 30%), and what we have to remember is that all these unofficial figures are based on a pre-release version of DLSS 5 being fudged into play by modders.</p><p>The final version of DLSS 5 will likely provide better performance, and in any case, optimization is going to be high on Nvidia's list of priorities. I'd be surprised if there weren't major strides taken in this department as 2027 rolls around and more games are supported.</p><h2 id="3-experimental-results-with-dlss-5-are-pretty-incredible">3. Experimental results with DLSS 5 are pretty incredible</h2><figure role="gallery"><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ERXkQQ8k7KRohTbf8fekxU.jpg" alt="Starfield DLSS 5 Off" /><figcaption>Starfield with DLSS 5 off<small role="credit">Valuable_End1 on Reddit / Bethesda</small></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S4RJaEMktAmFkjJSm78CSb.jpg" alt="Starfield DLSS 5 On Modded" /><figcaption>Starfield with DLSS 5 on via modding<small role="credit">Valuable_End1 on Reddit / Bethesda</small></figcaption></figure></figure><p>Those modders playing with the leaked version of DLSS 5 have clearly shown us that this tech can be used to produce seriously impressive results. Of course, on the official front, the demo of NBA 2K27 at Gamescom 2026 proved the case that this AI-powered graphics uplift can work wonders, too.</p><p>That said, the benefits of DLSS 5 are situational to an extent, and it's not a silver bullet for making all graphics better. It really shines in certain use cases, though. For example, even if you don't want the main character models in a game to have the tech applied because you hate that idea, it can still make a huge difference to background details, and the likes of the faces of NPCs in the lurking atmospheric crowds which are the backdrop for open world games.</p><p>As one <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/1w59ak4/comment/p7gb7pg/" target="_blank">Redditor points out</a>: "NPC crowd faces are one of the best use cases for it [DLSS 5]. It sometimes takes you out of the game when you're talking to a character model that's clearly been hand crafted with a lot of effort, and as you said then there's some janky smooth skinned ghoul walking by you lol. Watching an LTT [Linus Tech Tips] vid where they showed the difference in random NPCs was actually super impressive."</p><p>DLSS 5 can also transform lighting and shadows to make graphics look far more realistic, including character models — some of the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1w1817k/megathread_unofficial_dlss_5_neural_rendering/" target="_blank">results shared by modders in a megathread on Reddit</a> make that crystal clear. I was blown away by some of these examples, frankly. When it works, DLSS 5 works really well — although it doesn't always come off. </p><p>That said, some of the wonkier examples that have been aired are down to modders being daft with the sliders and options on offer, which brings me onto my next point.</p><h2 id="4-tuning-options-are-key-for-dlss-5">4. Tuning options are key for DLSS 5</h2><div class="youtube-video" data-nosnippet ><div class="video-aspect-box"><iframe data-lazy-priority="high" data-lazy-src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/79D8SVjB3HQ" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><p>As noted, some of the more stomach-churning moments from the various modders messing around with DLSS 5 have come from those folks ramping up the intensity of the sliders — sometimes intentionally just to provoke an anti-AI reaction.</p><p>There's a decent level of granular control over various aspects of what DLSS 5 does (including intensity, tone, and structure), and when a game developer properly tunes the tech for their particular release, the effect is going to be more subtle, appropriate, and in line with the overall art direction. (Well, hopefully — you'd assume this will be the case, anyway).</p><p>Used judiciously, it's clear enough that DLSS 5 can really enhance the visuals of a game — modders have proved that in some cases, and NBA 2K27 is a great official example of how this works, too.</p><p>Yes, it is very possible to get 'uncanny valley' kind of effects with character models if you're extravagantly flinging sliders up towards their maximum limits — and not every game's art or graphics style suits DLSS 5, by any means. But we come back to the last point — when it works, it <em>really does</em> work.</p><h2 id="5-dlss-5-will-probably-age-like-a-fine-wine-ahem">5. DLSS 5 will probably age like a fine wine (ahem)</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="aVVGwyeKbyPmdcU6WfmBif" name="Gamer girl.jpg" alt="A PC gamer looking happy" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aVVGwyeKbyPmdcU6WfmBif.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Shutterstock)</span></figcaption></figure><p>My final point is a simple — but important — one. And okay, I've said this before, but I think it bears repeating. Rewind time back to when Nvidia revealed the original DLSS, the very first take on this tech that was purely about upscaling, and it had some quite pronounced flaws. Problems like blurriness, ghosting and artifacts proved a blight on the upscaled graphics, but these were issues that Nvidia resolved with the next iteration of the tech.</p><p>I'd expect there will be examples of DLSS 5 which show the visuals going off the rails in a similar kind of way, although it already looks off to a far better start than DLSS 1. The point being that whatever we think now, at launch, may change quite drastically in a year or two, and there's a genuine potential for DLSS 5 to be revolutionary in polishing up gaming graphics — albeit that caveats around its misuse and situational nature aren't going to go away.</p> </article> ]]>