(Part 2) We test NVIDIA’s AI technology: Super Resolution as the first line of DLSS

Welcome back to our series of testing new games using NVIDIA graphics chip technologies. Today we will follow up on the introductory part, in which we introduced our test computer setup AlzaPC with a graphics card Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Ghost.

Today we will explore DLSS – Super Resolution

We also mentioned NVIDIA’s primary group of deep learning technologies covered by the acronym DLSS – Deep Learning Super Sampling. It was these that enabled the players to make the most noticeable shift in the fluidity and level of detail of individual games. Today we have the first step. It will be about function Super Resolution and we will test it on several titles incl. horror stories Alan Wake 2 or epic action adventure Horizon Forbidden West.

Super Resolution is the real foundation DLSS 2, which started using Tensor computing cores. As the name suggests, Super Resolution refers to the game’s rendered resolution. The idea behind this technology is simple. The graphics chip generates a lower than native screen resolution, which is then added to a higher resolution from multiple images using a trained artificial intelligence algorithm and the computing power of Tensor cores.

Profily Super Resolution a DLAA

You will often encounter this technology in many current games in graphic settings. If you activate Super Resolution, you can choose from profiles ranging from quality to balance and performance to ultra performance (from the highest to the lowest resolution that enters upscaling). Of course, the higher the input resolution you want to keep, the less the quality of the image will suffer, but it will be more difficult to render it. We must not forget one note. If Super Resolution is turned off, the cores can focus on so-called DLAA – Deep learning anti-aliasinguwhich serves to better smooth the edges of the image (again – if the game supports it).

Simply put, if you want more fluidity, try the Super Resolution profiles one by one and choose the one that will give you the desired result while maintaining the quality. If, on the other hand, you have enough power and the game is adequately smooth, try to give DLAA space and improve the details of the edges and smoothing.

FPS game tests with Super Resolution profiles

In the following test, we put the following titles on the shoulders of the Gainward card. The final resolution was always 2560 × 1440 pixels. It should be noted that we did not use the key technology of Frame Generation, which is another component of DLSS and will be discussed later, as it deserves a separate part. The ray tracing effects of ray rendering were active and we chose consistent basic profiles of High/Very high/Ultra graphics settings as available.

Comparison of FPS by titles and profiles used Super Resolution, native resolution 2560 × 1440 px

*NVIDIA’s Ultra Performance profile recommends using resolutions of 8K and higher

As can be seen from the table, individual games differ in the rate of percentage increase. While titles like A Plague Tale: Requiem or Horizon Forbidden West failed to double the frame rate across the spectrum, in case Cyberpunk 2077 we even move above three times a Alan Wake is also approaching three times. It should be noted that the disabled profile means a rather drastic drop and the absolute differences between the individual Super Resolution profiles are no longer significant.

Vizuál – Alan Wake 2, Horizon Forbidden West a Cyberpunk 2077

We will now show you how much the individual profiles affect the image quality with examples. The first one is a scene from the game Alan Wake 2 at the port. We deliberately chose scenery with specific objects, where the blurring is particularly noticeable on the edges of the plastic chair and the car license plate.

In short, a lower input resolution means a deterioration of the sharpness of the edges and a certain “pixelation” of details. However, the profile with balanced performance is noticeably more detailed and compared to the last variant, where the cores instead of upsacling are dedicated to DLAA anti-aliasing, it is not significantly worse. Degradation is therefore low and the gain in the form of higher frame rates is excellent.

We are the latest in software NVIDIA ICAT compared screenshots from the game Cyberpunk 2077. Here, this time, the difference in the quality of the ribbing of the container is a bit more noticeable. DLAA then really visibly smoothes the edges compared to the middle profile, so they are not so dominant.

DLSS Super Resolution multiplies frame rates…

…and manages to do so while maintaining relatively decent quality. The results of the tests presented above show a very significant increase in FPS, and thus in the smoothness of the game, for example when using a balanced profile. With a card Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Ghost Super Resolution ensures smooth gameplay above 60 FPS in 1440p resolution in all titles even without the use of other technologies.

But we are still at the beginning and these test numbers only reflect separate upscaling, in addition with ray tracing effects on, which can be demanding. We will therefore add it to the tests next time Frame Generation and we can already tell you that the frame rates will suddenly break records. Enough performance will be provided by ready-made assemblies Alza PC with Gainward GeForce RTX graphics cards.

Other articles in the series

• (Part 1) Introduction to the series
• (Part 3) Frame Generation or FPS to heaven (to be published)
• (Part 4) Ray Reconstruction (to be published)
• (Part 5) NVIDIA Reflex and Game Compatibility (to be published)
• (Part 6) Comprehensive tests, selected games, PC evaluation (to be published)