DLSS vs FSR vs XeSS: Upscaling and Frame Generation Explained

Upscaling is the biggest free performance boost in modern PC games. Instead of drawing every pixel of a 1440p or 4K image, the game renders at a lower resolution and an upscaler rebuilds a sharp, full-resolution frame from it, using information from previous frames. You get noticeably more FPS for a small, often hard-to-spot drop in quality.

There are three main upscalers, one from each graphics card maker, and which ones you can use depends on your card. This is one step in our process for tuning a gaming PC.

The three upscalers at a glance

Support details are from NVIDIA’s, AMD’s and Intel’s own documentation. Each game also has to add each upscaler itself, so not every game offers all three.

NVIDIA DLSS

DLSS uses an AI model running on the Tensor Cores built into GeForce RTX cards, which is why it doesn’t work on GTX, AMD or Intel graphics. According to NVIDIA’s support table:

• Super Resolution (the upscaler), DLAA and Ray Reconstruction work on every GeForce RTX card, from the RTX 20 Series on.
• Frame Generation needs an RTX 40 or 50 Series card.
• Multi Frame Generation, which generates several frames for each rendered one, needs an RTX 50 Series card.

DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) uses the same model at your full resolution, without upscaling. It doesn’t add FPS, but it’s one of the sharpest anti-aliasing options when you already have frames to spare.

AMD FSR

FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) comes in versions that work differently:

• FSR 4 uses machine learning for better image quality. AMD lists it for Radeon RX 9000 and 7000 Series graphics cards. On other hardware, AMD’s API automatically falls back to FSR 3.1.
• FSR 3.1 and FSR 2 use a hand-tuned algorithm and, according to AMD, run on Radeon RX 500 Series GPUs and above, or equivalent cards from other GPU makers. That makes them the most widely compatible option, including on older NVIDIA GTX cards and handheld PCs.

FSR also has its own frame generation, which AMD offers separately from the upscaler.

Intel XeSS

XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) is Intel’s AI upscaler. Intel’s developer guide describes two paths: on Intel Arc graphics it uses the cards’ XMX matrix units for the best speed and quality, and on other GPUs that meet its shader requirements it falls back to a version that runs on standard shader cores. It’s a good alternative to try on non-RTX cards when a game offers it.

Intel also offers XeSS Frame Generation. Intel’s earlier documentation tied it to Arc graphics with XMX units; its newer XeSS 3 documentation also lists compatible GPUs from other makers, with multi frame generation limited to Intel hardware. Check for the option in each game’s settings.

Which should you use?

• NVIDIA RTX card: use DLSS. If a game doesn’t have it, try XeSS, then FSR.
• AMD Radeon RX 9000 or 7000: use FSR 4 where the game supports it.
• Older AMD card, NVIDIA GTX or handheld PC: try both FSR 3.1 and XeSS and compare. Results vary by game.
• Intel Arc: use XeSS.

Quality modes

Every upscaler offers modes that set how low the internal resolution goes. The names are similar across all three: Quality, Balanced, Performance and Ultra Performance, plus a native mode (DLAA, FSR Native AA or XeSS Native AA) that doesn’t upscale at all.

• Start at Quality and only step down if you need more FPS.
• The higher your output resolution, the further you can drop. Performance at 4K starts from a much higher base resolution than Performance at 1080p, so it holds up far better.
• At 1080p, stay on Quality where you can. There are fewer pixels to rebuild from, so lower modes look soft quickly.

What frame generation does and doesn’t do

Frame generation creates extra frames between the ones your GPU renders, so motion looks smoother and the FPS counter goes up. But the game still only responds to your input on the rendered frames, and generating frames adds a little latency. That means:

• It works best when the game already runs at a decent frame rate before it’s turned on.
• It’s great for smooth single-player games on a high refresh rate monitor.
• It isn’t a fix for a low frame rate, and competitive players usually leave it off.

NVIDIA Reflex and AMD’s equivalent anti-lag features are often switched on alongside frame generation to cut latency. See how to reduce input lag for more.