Nvidia first introduced DLSS back in 2018, and the first iterations focused on resolution upscaling and frame generation – but DLSS 5 takes it even further. The brand new DLSS 5 model debuted on NBA 2K27 this week, compatible with RTX 50 GPUs and using ‘3D-guided neural rendering’ to enhance game graphics by adding lighting, material effects and more, that weren’t in the original game. Nvidia says the feature is tuned by developers so that the enhancements don’t detract from a game’s original artistic vision, but it’s already proving controversial online amid growing backlash against ‘AI slop’ in video games.
In an update posted to Nvidia’s DLSS 5 FAQ on Reddit this week, the firm has now confirmed that support for the model will extend to some older cards in its lineup, noting that it plans to ‘work on expanding official support to the GeForce RTX 40 Series’. Anyone running older Nvidia cards looks to be out of luck, at least officially, for the new rendering tech. That’s not surprising though, given the heavy demand we’ve already seen it placing on GPUs. Hardware Unboxed tested out the feature in NBA 2K27 this week, and even on Nvidia’s flagship RTX 5090, enabling DLSS 5 at 4K resolution on maximum settings, without enabling frame generation, caused the average framerate in their test to more than halve – down from 192fps to just 76fps.
For now, Nvidia’s DLSS 5 feature is officially limited to the newly-launched NBA 2K27 game, with more titles, such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Hogwarts Legacy, expected to support the technology in the future. That hasn’t stopped tinkerers from testing it out on unsupported games in the meantime, though. Modded implementations in newer titles like Cyberpunk 2077 have shown a dramatic graphical shift, while older games such as GTA IV are also proving popular for testing out the rendering tech.
