Nvidia has announced that its DLSS 5 neural rendering technology is now being integrated into Hogwarts Legacy. This update features a new model for the technology, which Nvidia claims is twice as fast as the version that debuted in NBA 2K27 last month. Hogwarts Legacy and Where Winds Meet are slated to receive this update in November.
DLSS 5's development has been a significant focus for Nvidia, with the technology initially requiring substantial hardware resources. When first tested, the technology could reportedly hinder frame rates significantly, even on high-end hardware like the RTX 5090. Early demonstrations at GTC 2026 in March showed the technology needing multiple RTX 5090s for playable performance.
Nvidia now states that the new DLSS 5 model is ten times faster than when it was initially revealed, a claim that, if verified through testing, could explain its wider adoption by developers. Unlike some earlier implementations that drastically altered character appearances, the examples shared for Hogwarts Legacy focus on more subtle enhancements, such as balancing lighting and subsurface scattering. This approach has drawn mixed reactions from players.
Some users, like NikTek on X/Twitter, have noted the minimal visual difference between DLSS 5 on and off, questioning its utility given the potential performance impact. Others, such as jayv7s, have praised this subtlety, describing it as a "correct way to use it, no exaggerated AI slop filters on top, just normal pure improvement."
Ultimately, the final appearance of DLSS 5 in games will depend on how developers choose to implement its various adjustable settings. While the technology re-draws games using AI, it is anchored by the game's existing geometry and color data. The subtle enhancements seen in NBA 2K27 and Hogwarts Legacy suggest a trend towards maintaining the original aesthetic, which may lead to broader acceptance if performance continues to improve.