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Start with DLSS Quality if you need more performance than native rendering provides but want to preserve detail. If that is not fast enough, try Balanced, then Performance. Use DLAA instead when your game already runs fast enough at your display’s native resolution and image quality matters more than extra performance. The best choice depends on the game, output resolution, GPU, frame-rate target, and what visual compromises you notice.
There is no universally optimal preset: DLSS options and their results vary by game and implementation. Compare the same scene in motion, changing one setting at a time. That makes it easier to tell whether a performance gain is worth any loss of detail, shimmer, or stability.
What each DLSS setting does
DLSS is a collection of graphics features rather than a single quality slider. The most important distinction is between Super Resolution, which reconstructs a higher-resolution output from a lower-resolution rendered input, and DLAA, which applies DLSS anti-aliasing at native resolution. Other options, including Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction, address different parts of the image or display process.
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Super Resolution uses information across frames to reconstruct the output image. Because the game renders fewer pixels as you move to more aggressive scaling modes, it can reduce the rendering workload. The trade-off is that a smaller input image gives the reconstruction less rendered detail to work with. The visual and performance result depends on the game, scene, resolution, and implementation; a mode’s name does not guarantee the same appearance or frame-rate gain in every title.
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DLAA: anti-aliasing at native resolution
DLAA uses DLSS technology for anti-aliasing while retaining native input resolution. It is not the same performance-recovery step as upscaling from a lower-resolution input. Choose it when the game is already meeting your performance target and you want to prioritize anti-aliasing and image quality. NVIDIA describes DLAA as constructing an image at native resolution using the same Super Resolution technology developed for DLSS.
Frame Generation: additional displayed frames
Frame Generation creates additional displayed frames; Super Resolution reconstructs the rendered image. They are separate controls, so judge them separately. NVIDIA says Frame Generation works with Reflex for responsiveness. In a game where input latency matters, assess how controls feel as well as how smooth the displayed motion looks. Support depends on the game and GPU generation, and Multi Frame Generation is not available on every RTX card.
Ray Reconstruction: reconstruction for ray-traced effects
Ray Reconstruction is aimed at ray-traced scenes. NVIDIA describes it as an AI reconstruction approach that replaces traditional denoisers. It is distinct from the Super Resolution mode choice: one addresses reconstruction of ray-traced effects, while the other determines the input resolution used for upscaling. If a supported game exposes Ray Reconstruction, evaluate it as its own image-quality setting.
Choose a starting mode
Use the mode that meets your frame-rate goal with the least aggressive scaling you can comfortably tolerate. NVIDIA’s example input-scaling values show why the modes differ, but those percentages are not promises of a particular FPS increase or image-quality outcome. Balanced’s precise scaling and results depend on the game, so check the game’s own implementation.
| Setting | Good starting point when… | Input resolution or main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| DLAA | Native rendering is already fast enough and anti-aliasing quality is the priority. | 100% input resolution in NVIDIA’s example; anti-aliasing rather than upscaling for performance recovery. |
| Quality | You want a performance lift while retaining more input detail. | 67% input resolution in NVIDIA’s example. |
| Balanced | Quality is not fast enough, but you still want to keep image quality high. | Exact scaling and results depend on the game; verify its implementation. |
| Performance | You need more performance headroom and can accept a lower input resolution. | 50% input resolution in NVIDIA’s example. |
| Ultra Performance | You face severe performance pressure, especially at a high output resolution. | 33% input resolution in NVIDIA’s example; reconstruction compromises can be more visible depending on the scene and game. |
| Frame Generation or Multi Frame Generation | The game and GPU support the feature and you want smoother displayed motion. | Creates additional displayed frames; it is separate from Super Resolution. Check responsiveness as well as smoothness. |
| Ray Reconstruction | A supported ray-traced game offers it and you want to assess its ray-traced image. | Targets ray-tracing denoising and reconstruction, not general upscaling. |
The percentages in the table are NVIDIA’s example input-resolution values for the named modes, documented in its NVIDIA App DLSS override guidance. They describe scaling, not measured FPS gains, and are not a guarantee of identical results across games.
Set up and compare DLSS in a game
Menu labels and available options differ by title. Use the game’s graphics or display settings for its DLSS controls; there is no single exact menu path that applies to every game. Keep your display output at its native resolution for a fair comparison unless you have a specific reason to change it.
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- Establish a baseline. In a repeatable area, note the current output resolution and whether the game meets your frame-rate goal with its existing settings. Look at the same scene both while stationary and while moving the camera.
- Select the least aggressive option that addresses the shortfall. If native rendering misses your target, start with Quality. If it remains too slow, test Balanced and then Performance. Consider Ultra Performance only when you need substantially more rendering headroom and accept that a lower input resolution may be more noticeable.
- Keep other variables steady. Change one DLSS option at a time and compare the same scene, output resolution, and graphics settings. Avoid changing several image-quality controls together; otherwise, you may not know which change caused a visual difference.
- Inspect detail and motion. Check fine details, edges, and moving objects for softness, shimmer, or ghosting. Compare both still views and camera movement; a setting that looks acceptable in a static scene may behave differently in motion. These are practical checks, not a claim that any mode will always show a particular artifact.
- Assess performance and pacing. Decide whether the change actually helps you meet your target and whether frame delivery feels consistent. A higher displayed frame count alone does not answer whether the game feels responsive, particularly when Frame Generation is enabled.
- Keep the best compromise. If the image looks too soft or unstable, move back toward a less aggressive scaling mode. If Quality looks good but still misses your target, step down one mode at a time and decide whether each gain is worth the visual trade-off.
Using NVIDIA App model and scaling overrides
Some supported configurations offer NVIDIA App overrides for the Super Resolution model or scaling value. Availability depends on the game, driver, app, and hardware. These controls give you more choice, but they do not make every model or custom value an improvement in every title.
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Model presets
NVIDIA’s FAQ says the NVIDIA App’s Recommended Super Resolution model preset maps Preset M to Performance, Preset L to Ultra Performance, and Preset K to the remaining Super Resolution modes. NVIDIA says Models M and L are also supported in Quality, Balanced, and DLAA, but their strongest quality-performance benefits are in Performance and Ultra Performance.
NVIDIA also notes that RTX 20 Series and RTX 30 Series GPUs lack native FP8 support. Models M and L therefore have a larger performance impact on those generations, and NVIDIA says those users may prefer Model K. Treat this as vendor guidance rather than a guarantee for an individual game or system; test the available choices and keep the one that meets your target.
Custom scaling
NVIDIA App-supported overrides can use a custom scaling value from 33% to 100%. A custom value changes the input-resolution trade-off; it does not guarantee a particular FPS gain. If you use one, compare it against the game’s built-in modes in the same scene and change only that value during the comparison.
DLSS 4.5 context
NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution announcement says the newer model improves image quality across modes, with the largest improvement in Performance and Ultra Performance, where fewer pixels are rendered. That statement describes NVIDIA’s account of where the model’s improvement is most pronounced; it does not mean those modes will look best in every game, or that the most aggressive mode is the right choice for every player.
Compatibility: check the specific feature, not just the DLSS label
DLSS is an RTX technology, but support differs by GPU generation and by feature. NVIDIA’s current overview lists Super Resolution and DLAA support across RTX 20, 30, 40, and 50 Series. Frame-generation variants have narrower generation support; do not infer that a card supporting Super Resolution also supports every Frame Generation option.
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- Check the game’s graphics menu to see which DLSS features it actually exposes.
- Confirm feature-specific GPU compatibility in NVIDIA’s current compatibility information rather than relying on the presence of an RTX card alone.
- Expect game libraries, menu labels, and implementations to vary. A mode or override available in one title may not appear in another.
Which setting should you use in common situations?
You want better image quality and already have enough performance
Use DLAA if the game offers it and its native-resolution performance meets your needs. If you prefer to use Super Resolution, compare its Quality mode with DLAA and native rendering rather than assuming the labels imply an identical result. Choose the image you prefer at your actual display resolution and in motion.
You need a moderate performance increase
Start with Quality. It is the sensible first test when native rendering falls short and you want to preserve detail. Move to Balanced only if Quality does not provide enough headroom for your target.
You need a larger performance increase
Try Performance after Quality or Balanced proves insufficient. Its example input resolution is lower, so inspect fine detail and moving edges carefully. Ultra Performance is a more aggressive option for severe performance pressure, not a default upgrade over Performance.
You want smoother motion
First decide whether the issue is rendering performance or how motion is displayed. Super Resolution reduces rendering input resolution to seek more performance. Frame Generation adds displayed frames, which is a separate choice. If using it, evaluate responsiveness independently from perceived smoothness and confirm that your game and GPU support the specific Frame Generation mode.
Why the recommendation cannot be a single preset
The same mode can behave differently across a high-resolution output, a different GPU, or a game with a different implementation. The available modes themselves vary by title. Without a named game, GPU, output resolution, and frame-rate goal, a more precise personal preset would be guesswork. Start with the least aggressive mode that reaches your goal, then judge the image and motion in the game you actually play.
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