Introduction

DLSS continues to improve through ongoing training on NVIDIA’s AI Supercomputer and at CES 2023 NVIDIA announced an update to DLSS Super Resolution (DLSS 2), DLSS Frame Generation (DLSS 3) and NVIDIA DLAA. The improvements include AI network enhancements for DLSS Frame Generation that take better advantage of game engine data, improving UI stability and image quality during fast movement. DLSS Super Resolution and NVIDIA DLAA receive improved fine detail stability, reduced ghosting, improved edge smoothness in high contrast scenarios and better overall image quality. According to NVIDIA, Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Portal with RTX will be the first to update with these new features in upcoming game patches. We discovered these new features to the DLSS Super Resolution image quality are already included in the recent DLSS 2.5.1 DLL so you don’t have to wait until game developers update their games. In this review we manually updated the DLSS version in Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for our testing, but these two games aren’t the only examples that will benefit, you can manually update most of the DLSS 2.x supported games. However, there are exceptions: games with Easy Anti-Cheat protection, Battlefield 2042 for example, are not allowed to change game files, therefore you can’t manually update the DLSS version in these games; the Rockstar Games Launcher version of Red Dead Redemption 2 is also not allowed to change game files due to a verification process before launching the game, but the Steam version of the game does not have this issue.

Below, you will find comparison screenshots at 4K, 1440p, 1080p, and in different DLSS quality modes. For those who want to see how DLSS Super Resolution performs in motion, watch our side-by-side comparison video. The video can help uncover issues like shimmering or temporal instability, which are not visible in the screenshots.

All tests were made using a GeForce RTX 4080 GPU at Ultra graphics settings with ray tracing enabled for Cyberpunk 2077 and at Ultra+ graphics settings with ray tracing enabled for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt; motion blur, chromatic aberration and depth of field were disabled for better image viewing.

Cyberpunk 2077 Screenshots

Cyberpunk 2077 Side-by-Side Comparison Video

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Screenshots

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Side-by-Side Comparison Video

Conclusion

In our previous reviews of the DLSS image quality in Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or Need for Speed Unbound we have seen many issues with the built-in sharpening filter solutions for DLSS, which caused an excessive shimmering in motion or ghosting artifacts at lower internal resolutions, such as 1080p DLSS Quality mode for example. The new DLSS 2.5.1 version automatically disables all of the built-in sharpening effects in all games where you apply it, and the in-game sharpening filter sliders are doing nothing with the newest DLSS version applied—this change alone will fix many image quality issues, as some games, such as God of War or Red Dead Redemption 2 for example, are applying some level of sharpening even if the sharpening slider was set to 0 value. If you need a sharpening filter in your game, you can still apply the setting manually in NVIDIA Control Panel or any other external sharpening filter tools.

Speaking of DLSS 2.5.1 image quality in Cyberpunk 2077, even though all quality modes received overall image quality improvements, in our conclusion we will be focusing mainly on Ultra Performance mode, as this very low internal resolution mode received the most significant image quality improvements. Originally, the Ultra Performance mode was created for 8K gaming purposes when RTX 3090 was announced, and other than with 8K resolution it wasn’t producing an acceptable image quality even at 4K. As you can clearly notice in the 4K DLSS 2.4 Ultra Performance screenshots, the overall image is a mess, creating a lot of shimmering, aliasing and ghosting artifacts, some trees in the distance are washed out and that’s only on the screenshots, in our side-by-side video you will see the whole picture. The DLSS 2.5 image has a lot more detailed overall image quality: the trees in the distance are stable and rendering their details as intended instead of being washed out, the shimmering is greatly reduced, thin lines and fine details are also more complete, stable and less aliased in comparison to the DLSS 2.4 image. In our side-by-side video, in the driving sequence, look closely at the bottom behind the car, you’ll notice a significant reduction in ghosting artifacts as well.

With DLSS 2.5.1 image quality in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Ultra Performance mode has also received the most significant image quality improvements. As strange as it sounds, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a more GPU demanding game with ray tracing enabled than Cyberpunk 2077, which is already not an easy to run title, so the image quality improvements for lower DLSS quality modes are more crucial for this game. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt does not have a complex geometry of the world, like Cyberpunk 2077 has, so the benefits from the newest DLSS version are less pronounced. However, with the newest DLSS version you can still expect a significant improvements in vegetation stability and detail, the overall image has much less aliasing and shimmering issues in comparison to the DLSS 2.4 version when using low internal resolution DLSS quality modes, such as 4K Ultra Performance mode. The ghosting issues are also reduced and this is visible even on our screenshots, just take a closer look at swords behind Geralt in the 4K DLSS 2.4 and DLSS 2.5 Ultra Performance image.