NVIDIA DLSS 5 Update Boosts Performance by Up to 90% in Testing

Graphics card prices, upscaling technology, and GPU availability continue to shape PC gamers' plans for their next upgrade. The RTX 5090 is appearing at prices far above its launch MSRP, while AMD users are experimenting with Nvidia's DLSS features through unofficial software. Meanwhile, Nvidia's updated DLSS 5 model shows performance improvements, though some limitations remain.

Developer Daniel Blanco has released version 0.8.0 of DLSSNR on AMD. This unofficial project started with DLSS 5 neural rendering. Now, it also supports super resolution, ray reconstruction, and experimental frame generation, including up to 4x multi-frame generation. Why is this important? DLSS is one of Nvidia's biggest advantages over Radeon.

AMD Users Can Now Test NVIDIA DLSS Features

Super resolution improves image quality from fewer rendered pixels, ray reconstruction cleans up ray-traced effects, and frame generation adds generated frames. Meanwhile, DLSS 5 uses AI to enhance lighting and materials. The developer built custom compute kernels to run Nvidia's neural networks on AMD hardware.

However, this isn't official support. RX 9000 and RX 7000 cards have the broadest support, while RX 6000 support remains experimental. You need Windows 11, a compatible DirectX 12 game, recent AMD drivers, and your own NVIDIA DLL files. Some games won't work, and anti-cheat systems can block the mod.

Performance is another consideration. In one reported Cyberpunk 2077 test, an RX 9070 XT running path tracing saw almost no additional FPS loss from ray reconstruction. However, other users reported larger performance drops, including one result of around 25%. These aren't standardized benchmarks. The verdict is that it's an experiment worth watching, but not a reason to choose Radeon over GeForce on its own.

NVIDIA still offers official DLSS support and an established CUDA software ecosystem. The timing gets interesting because Nvidia's updated DLSS 5 model is much lighter. NVIDIA says the October update reduced the model size by about 24%, lowered 4K VRAM usage by 20%, and halved processing overhead compared with the September version.

DLSS 5 Model Reduces Performance Overhead

It also claims up to 1.4x the frame rate in NBA 2K27. Modders have tested the updated model in unsupported games. In The Witcher 3, one comparison showed performance up to 90% higher than with the older neural rendering model. But that doesn't mean every game gets 90% more FPS. It compares the old and new models, not against normal gameplay.

We still need independent testing across more GPUs and games. Why does this matter? Unlike traditional upscaling, neural rendering uses AI to change lighting, materials, and detail. That requires GPU power and VRAM. A more efficient model helps, especially on non-flagship graphics cards.

There's also a visual trade-off. Some players appreciate the added detail, while others prefer the game's original artistic style. Developers can tune the effect, but players should still be able to turn it off. The verdict: DLSS 5 is improving, but a faster model doesn't mean free performance. Judge it by real frame rates, latency, and image quality.

Without shipment figures, we can't predict when availability will recover.

That sounds reassuring, but what does continued shipping mean if gamers can't actually buy one? Recent US retail checks found the RTX 5090 missing from Nvidia's marketplace and scarce at major stores. Tom's Hardware's October 19 tracker listed an available card near $7,998, compared with its $1,999 launch price. Some third-party listings were even higher.

That's roughly 4x the MSRP for a 32GB flagship graphics card. It may lead gaming benchmarks, but spending that much for extra performance makes little sense for most gamers. AI demand is pressuring the hardware market. However, claims that NVIDIA stopped RTX 5090 production specifically to redirect chips to AI cards remain unconfirmed. Fisher's statement says the opposite.

AMD's DLSS progress is impressive, but it's unofficial. The reported 90% DLSS 5 performance improvement is promising, but it doesn't apply universally. NVIDIA says the RTX 5090 is still being shipped, even though its price remains unrealistic for most buyers. If your current GPU still plays your games, keep it. If you're considering Radeon, compare official game benchmarks first.