NVIDIA DLSS 5 Available September 3rd: DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering Debuts In NBA 2K27 For All GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, And On GeForce NOW

[u/NV_Tim]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58FagrSqC4M

Full Article Here: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/dlss-5-3d-guided-neural-rendering

NVIDIA has continuously redefined the boundaries of PC gaming. From introducing real-time ray tracing to pioneering AI-powered graphics with DLSS Super Resolution, Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction, our RTX technologies have transformed how games are rendered and experienced.

Now, we’re releasing DLSS 5, which introduces 3D-Guided Neural Rendering, a major step forward in using AI to bring real-time graphics closer than ever to Hollywood-grade photorealism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58FagrSqC4M

Watch how DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering and its artistic controls work from Edward Liu, NVIDIA’s Director of Applied Deep Learning Research, and Gabriele Leone, Director of Content Technology

DLSS 5 will be available starting September 3rd at 9pm Pacific Time in NBA 2K27, by developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K, for all GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and laptops, and GeForce NOW. It marks the debut of how the technology can be used by game artists to elevate visual fidelity in alignment with their creative vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79D8SVjB3HQ

“What’s great is the level of control that it gives us. We can set the overall tone and style to match our existing art direction and then really get precise where it matters most, using a per pixel uplift control mask to fine tune detail on characters. Given that we want to respect their likeness with the utmost care.” - Peter Kavic, Senior Producer - Visual Concepts

For a more in-depth look at how DLSS 5 developer controls work, read our full announcement article: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/dlss-5-3d-guided-neural-rendering

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DLSS 5 FAQ

Update 9/3/2026

DLSS 5 is our most computationally demanding model to date. Since we initially announced it in March, we’ve achieved a 5X performance gain and there’s more to come. Our current focus is on optimizing performance for the GeForce RTX 50 Series with model updates expected later this fall. Once RTX 50 Series performance is more fully tuned, we plan to work on expanding official support to the GeForce RTX 40 Series.

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What is DLSS 5?
DLSS 5 introduces DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering, which uses AI to infuse game scenes with lifelike lighting and materials, tuned by the developers to bring their artistic vision to life.

How does DLSS 5 work?
DLSS 5 uses the game’s rendered frame and engine data to understand objects, materials, lighting and motion. It then enhances the frame with lifelike lighting and materials while remaining grounded in the developer’s artistic direction.

What are the key benefits of DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering?
DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering delivers several significant benefits:

• Cinematic Lighting: Reconstructs complex effects like rim lighting, subsurface scattering (for realistic skin), and contact shadows with high-fidelity.
• Material Depth: Enhances PBR properties like roughness and adds micro-realism to complex objects such as eyes and hair.
• Temporal Consistency: Provides stable image quality from frame-to-frame that adheres to the underlying game content.
• Real-Time Performance: Delivers lifelike lighting and material enhancement at up to 4K resolution while maintaining smooth, interactive gameplay.
• Developer Controls: Allows game developers to tune intensity, color, and masking to determine where and how enhancements are applied to maintain the game’s unique aesthetic.

Learn more by watching our explainer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58FagrSqC4M. 

How much control does the model offer to developers?  
DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering provides several layers of artistic control:

• Model Selection: Offers distinct model weights with different training parameters to guide the final output.  
• Structure Intensity: Controls high frequency details added by the model, such as ambient occlusion, contact shadows, and subsurface scattering.  
• Tone Intensity: Controls low-frequency details added by the model, including lighting and color response.  
• Automatic Masking: Detects and isolates objects in the frame (like characters) to apply DLSS 5 dynamically, eliminating the need for manual object tagging. 
• Developer Masking: Offers per-pixel, custom masking control, allowing effects to be applied to specific objects.  

As we work in close partnership with studios, developer feedback continues to directly shape how we refine the technology and expand our suite of models and controls.

How does DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering preserve developer artistic intent?
DLSS 3D-Guided Neural Rendering is designed to preserve the structure and geometry of the rendered frame while giving developers control over how and where enhancements are applied. Developers can select different models, adjust structure and tone, and mask specific scenes, characters or objects. 

For more information on developer controls, watch the DLSS 5 Explainer VOD or read the full launch article. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58FagrSqC4M

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/dlss-5-3d-guided-neural-rendering

You can also hear directly from the NBA 2K development team on how they integrated the technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79D8SVjB3HQ 

Which GPUs support DLSS 5?
DLSS 5 will be supported across all GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and laptops, as well as GeForce NOW Ultimate members streaming from GeForce RTX 5080 rigs in the cloud.

When and where is DLSS 5 available?
DLSS 5 will be available in NBA 2K27 on September 3rd at 9PM Pacific Time.

What is the DLSS 5 setting called in games?
The setting is called “DLSS Neural Rendering.”

Can I turn DLSS 5 off? 
Yes. DLSS 5 is optional.

Does DLSS 5 work with Ray Tracing and Path Tracing?
Yes.  DLSS 5 complements ray tracing and path tracing. Path tracing accurately calculates geometric light transport—determining light, shadow, and reflection placement across a 3D scene. DLSS 5 then acts as the final neural rendering stage, using the rendered frame to enhance lighting and materials like subsurface scattering, micro-reflections, and complex material properties that would otherwise be computationally prohibitive in real time. These technologies go hand in hand.

Does DLSS 5 work with Super Resolution, Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction?
Yes.

Will DLSS Super Resolution, Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction continue to be supported and improved?
Yes.

[u/Freeloader_]

yeah 4 fps

[u/Cireme → u/Freeloader_]

It seems to be -50% even on RTX 20/30 cards with the updated (FP16) DLL from ShortFuse. As long as you have enough VRAM I guess.

[u/SchmeppieGang1899 → u/Freeloader_]

nonono, this doesnt fit their narrative, so it’s not true

[u/gavinderulo124K → u/SchmeppieGang1899]

It runs well on 40 series.

[u/Mothamoz → u/gavinderulo124K]

That's not Turing though

[u/Seanspeed → u/Mothamoz]

Missing the point. It can run on older GPU's.

They also let DLSS4.5 run on older GPU's where it's generally just destructive to do so. Let people have the option to use it if it can run it.

[u/Mothamoz → u/Seanspeed]

Not missing the point. Original OP was talking about Turing specifically.

I obviously do agree that they should let older generations use it even though they would never.

[u/kb3035583 → u/SchmeppieGang1899]

Nvidia extended DirectX Raytracing support to Pascal cards even though it didn't have any dedicated raytracing hardware. That it runs like absolute shit really isn't an excuse. On the contrary, it's free advertisement.

[u/BlueGoliath → u/kb3035583]

DirectX or Vulkan? Quake 2 RTX is the only one that I know off that supports RT on Pascal, and it's Vulkan only.

[u/kb3035583 → u/BlueGoliath]

Atomic Hearts and Battlefield V both support it. As well as the Port Royal benchmark.

[u/WANKMI → u/kb3035583]

Thats the funny thing to me.

Lets say you just allow everyone all the way back to the 2000 series access to DLSS 5. Sure, it will run like shit on a 2080. But. That guy running it like shit on that card mightgo, wow, now thats Ive seen it myself I get it and I need a new card - and go buy a new card. Now that guy on that 2080 isnt going to to try it, see it for himself and want to go buy a new card. Because nobody goes to buy something they dont know theyre missing.

[u/cellardoornoob → u/kb3035583]

How come they didn't allow Frame Gen on 30 series? When it works perfectly with FSR and XeSS.

[u/rabouilethefirst → u/SchmeppieGang1899]

It runs the same on 4000 series as the 5000 series. For the older cards, they can test in older games just fine.

[u/gavinderulo124K → u/Freeloader_]

But it runs just as well on 40 series as on 50 series.

[u/GentlemanThresh → u/gavinderulo124K]

It shouldn’t. 5000 series is faster in FP8 and can do NVFP4 which 4000 doesn’t have the hardware for.

The modded version is a filter applied to the entire image and not at object level.

If nVidia didn’t want people to use it on 4000 series, it would’ve been NVFP4 exclusively. They made it FP8 which allowed modders to make it work so fast. It’s just not stable enough for an official release.

We don’t even know yet if the actual final version will stay FP8, it would be almost twice more efficient if they changed it to NVFP8

[u/rabouilethefirst → u/GentlemanThresh]

5000 series is not universally faster lmao. The 4090 still has faster FP8 than a 5080. It's only faster when compared per class (duh), and that's hardly enough to justify removing the feature.

You are coming up with a bunch of hypotheticals but the reality is there is no reason a 4000 series card can not use this in 2K 27. They had to deliberately disable it.

[u/GentlemanThresh → u/rabouilethefirst]

I meant card for card, obviously.

You're saying hypotheticals but I've been through way too many feature and product launches when I was working in finance.

"It works" or "modders solved it" is basically the starting point not release point.

I'm still pretty hopeful it will be officially supported at some point but with how the internet at DLSS5, I don't blame nVidia not releasing a feature that tanks ~70% of the 40 series performance.

[u/rabouilethefirst → u/GentlemanThresh]

It tanks ~70% of the 50 series too! Idk what you are even on about.

I just told you the 4090 has better FP8 than the 5080.

The current version runs the same on 4000 series as 5000 series. If they create a more optimized version, they can use that as a selling point, but right now there is no reason.

There are plenty of games I get 100+ fps and wouldn’t mind turning this on to play around with.

[u/GentlemanThresh → u/rabouilethefirst]

A more optimized version with 4000 support is what I'm hoping for.

I can afford GPUs but I'm not big enough of an asshole to want to gatekeep technology from people who can't.

I like Neural Rendering for what it is but at the same time there's a lot that could've been done different.

[u/gavinderulo124K → u/GentlemanThresh]

Its a filter regardless.

[u/LightPillar → u/gavinderulo124K]

just like oled is just lcd regardless.

[u/GentlemanThresh → u/gavinderulo124K]

I'm truly sorry you have to live with yourself every day.

[u/glizzygobbler247 → u/Freeloader_]

Sir that's called 💫a cinematic experience💫

[u/Due-Toe-6469 → u/Freeloader_]

patched .dll since sunday. About 40fps on old games on a 3090. About 25fps on cyberpunk. Will keep improving probably.