Nvidia Launches DLSS 5: AI-Generated Frames Over Raw Rasterization
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The new upscaling tech debuts with NBA 2K27, relying on heavy frame generation to hit performance targets on RTX 50-series hardware.
Nvidia is officially launching DLSS 5 this week, debuting exclusively with the September 3rd release of *NBA 2K27* on PC, as The Verge first reported. According to that reporting, the technology is officially supported on GeForce Now and RTX 50-series GPUs for both laptops and desktops.
While Nvidia describes DLSS 5 as its most significant graphics breakthrough since 2018's real-time ray tracing, the tech shifts the burden of visual fidelity toward AI. The Verge notes that Nvidia's claims of performance on midrange hardware—specifically the RTX 5060—rely on a specific configuration: 1080p resolution, ray tracing, and "6x frame generation." In this scenario, the hardware produces only one "real" frame for every six frames displayed to the user, provided the system is paired with one of the fastest gaming CPUs.
Despite the AI assistance, DLSS 5 imposes a significant performance penalty. Nvidia estimates a hit of 50 to 60 percent, and The Verge reported that performance was cut in half during tests of an unofficial DLSS 5 mod in *Shadow of the Tomb Raider*.
The tech has faced criticism for altering source content. The Verge highlighted early examples that "yassified" Grace Ashcroft, the protagonist of *Resident Evil Requiem*. While Nvidia states developers can use sliders to control these enhancements—targeting specific elements like foliage or food while leaving faces untouched—several titles mentioned in a March reveal, including *Hogwarts Legacy*, *Starfield*, and *EA Sports FC*, have yet to implement the technology.