Nvidia's new DLSS 5 technology, which utilizes generative AI for graphical filtering, is set to release this week. Its debut will be exclusive to NBA 2K7, with supporting GeForce drivers arriving on Thursday night in the US and early Friday morning in the UK. The technology is restricted to GeForce 50-series graphics cards, laptops, and GeForce Now.
DLSS 5's core innovation, dubbed "neural rendering," expands beyond DLSS's previous focus on performance improvements. Nvidia states that it aims to "transform visual fidelity" by using AI to generate detailed lighting and material elements that were previously omitted due to real-time performance constraints. This process uses the game engine's rendered frame as a foundation, with DLSS 5 acting as the final rendering stage to imbue scenes with enhanced realism.
The generative AI aspect of DLSS 5 has drawn criticism, particularly concerning its potential to alter character appearances. Earlier this year, Nvidia shared examples where neural rendering significantly changed the face of Resident Evil Requiem's Grace Ashcroft, leading to accusations of artificial beautification based on skewed social media standards. Similar alterations were observed when modders experimented with DLSS 5 in games such as Control, GTA 5, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Witcher 3, with one instance showing Geralt appearing noticeably older.
Nvidia's recent blog post detailed the neural rendering process, emphasizing aspects like preserving artistic intent and offering users control over the extent to which DLSS 5 is applied, including the option to disable it entirely. The company provided before-and-after screenshots of NBA 2K7, showcasing what appear to be more realistic lighting on basketball players Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Haliburton.
Despite the visual enhancements, reports suggest that DLSS 5 may also negatively impact frame rates. While Nvidia's promotional materials showcase high frame rates, these figures are reportedly based on multi-frame generation numbers that are multiplied by six. When reversed, these numbers indicate a substantial performance decrease. For instance, a GeForce RTX 5060 card reportedly achieved only 43 FPS in NBA 2K7 at 1080p on Ultra settings, while a GeForce RTX 5090 struggled to exceed 60 FPS in 4K on Ultra. Nvidia noted that DLSS 5's performance has improved significantly since its March announcement, moving from requiring dual RTX 5090s to a single card, representing a five-fold performance gain. The company anticipates further optimizations in upcoming autumn updates and remains committed to advancing performance and image quality through a blend of traditional rendering and neural graphics.