Something to look forward to: The reports that Nvidia was to unveil DLSS 4.5 with 6x dynamic frame generation at CES have proved accurate. The company says that the update to its suite of AI-powered enhancements targets gamers who enjoy 240+ fps and 4K path-traced games.
Nvidia says it has improved its DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution model with a second-generation transformer architecture, which is trained on a larger dataset and more compute power than the previous model.
The model has a deeper understanding of each scene and uses game engine pixel sampling and motion data to deliver better lighting, finer edges, and improved motion clarity.
This results in an improvement in visual fidelity when using DLSS 4.5. Nvidia also highlighted the superior anti-aliasing, reducing ghosting (even in fast-moving objects), and improved temporal stability – helping eliminating shimmering or flickering effects seen on static surfaces.
Other DLSS visual anomalies such as muted lighting, clipped details, and crushed shadows in high-contrast scenes have also been addressed using the latest model.
While image quality is improved across all DLSS 4.5 settings, the biggest difference will be seen in Performance and Ultra Performance modes.
While DLSS 4.5 will be more demanding on graphics cards, Nvidia says the load will be lifted to a degree by support for accelerated FP8 processing in the RTX 4000 and RTX 5000 GPUs' tensor cores. The RTX 2000 and 3000-series cards will still be able to use DLSS 4.5, but Nvidia hinted that there will be a performance hit on these older models.
Users can still pick their preferred model version using the Nvidia App. DLSS 4.5 will get its full release on January 13, but you can use it now by installing the Nvidia App's beta update, selecting the DLSS Override feature - Model Presets option, and choosing Latest. This can be applied per-game or globally.
Another major announcement is the new 6x Multi-Frame Generation feature. DLSS 4.5 increases MFG from the previous maximum of 4x to 6x, or 5 generated frames for every one native frame.
Frame Gen remains a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it feature, especially when it comes to input lag on games that run slower natively. Nvidia says the new FG model combined with its Reflex low latency tech enables DLSS 4.5 to generate frames with minimal impact to responsiveness – though we'll have to wait and see if that's true.
Another new part of MFG is the dynamic mode. As the name suggests, this automatically adjusts the number of frames being generated in a game instead of sticking to a fixed multiplier. Nvidia says this means the new mode will only generate the extra frames you need to hit a target, such as your display's maximum refresh rate.
Like the original version, 6x Dynamic Multi Frame Generation will be an RTX 5000-series exclusive when it launches this spring.
We'll be taking a look at DLSS 4.5 and all its new features to see if Nvidia's claims hold up.
Nvidia DLSS 4.5 arrives with a new transformer model, improved visuals, and 6x multi-frame gen
