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Best DLSS Settings for Balancing Image Quality and Frame Rate

Start with Quality for image clarity, then step down to Balanced or Performance if you need more speed. Compare modes in the same scene and check detail during motion.
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Start with Quality if you want sharper detail and your frame rate is already close to target. If it is not, try Balanced, then Performance; use Ultra Performance when extra speed matters more than fine image detail. There is no universal winner: results depend on the game, GPU, output resolution, and active DLSS model. Compare modes in the same scene, at the same output resolution, and watch both still detail and motion.

Which DLSS mode should you choose?

DLSS Super Resolution reconstructs a higher-resolution image from a lower-resolution input. Lower input resolution can reduce rendering work, but it also gives the reconstruction less image information. NVIDIA’s published input-resolution percentages are examples, not guaranteed frame-rate gains or rules for every game.

Mode Best starting use NVIDIA input-resolution example
Quality Choose first when image clarity is the priority and performance is already near your target. 67% of output resolution
Balanced Try when Quality does not deliver enough performance; judge the trade-off in your game. Not stated in NVIDIA’s cited mode examples
Performance Use when you need a larger performance improvement, particularly at high output resolutions. 50% of output resolution
Ultra Performance Reserve for situations where performance takes priority, especially at high-resolution output; inspect fine detail carefully. 33% of output resolution
DLAA Consider when image quality is the priority and you have performance headroom. Native-resolution anti-aliasing, not an upscaling mode

The percentages are NVIDIA examples from its app guidance; the cited page excerpt does not state a publication year. They are input-resolution examples, not independent benchmark results or predictions of how many frames per second you will gain. NVIDIA app DLSS override guidance

Use output resolution as a starting clue

NVIDIA’s Fortnite setup guide recommends Performance for 4K, Balanced for 2560×1440, and Quality for 1920×1080. Treat that as advice for one game’s setup, not a prescription for all titles or graphics cards. A game’s rendering implementation and your GPU workload can change which mode looks and performs best. NVIDIA’s Fortnite RTX, DLSS, and Reflex guide

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How to compare modes fairly

  1. Pick a repeatable scene and keep the game’s output resolution and other graphics settings unchanged.
  2. Compare Quality with Balanced first. If you still miss your frame-rate target, test Performance, then Ultra Performance if necessary.
  3. Look at fine textures, thin geometry, and distant detail, then move the camera or character. A still image can hide ghosting, shimmering, or detail instability in motion.
  4. Judge the result against your actual target: a mode that raises frame rate is not a good trade if its reconstruction artifacts are distracting to you.
  5. If your game and NVIDIA app expose overrides, test a custom input-resolution scale only after comparing the standard modes. NVIDIA describes custom values from 33% to 100%; the best value still needs to be checked in the game.

Keep the comparison about the same workload. Changing the scene, output resolution, or other settings at the same time makes it difficult to tell whether DLSS caused a difference. NVIDIA’s guidance frames these choices as a per-game balance rather than a universal setting. NVIDIA DLSS technology and feature guidance

Tune Super Resolution separately from other DLSS features

DLSS is a suite, not one single quality switch. For the image-quality versus frame-rate decision in this guide, tune Super Resolution first. Frame Generation creates additional frames, while Ray Reconstruction targets ray-traced image reconstruction; neither should be treated as another Super Resolution mode. DLAA uses native-resolution anti-aliasing rather than upscaling.

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Evaluate Frame Generation separately from Super Resolution. In particular, consider responsiveness as well as displayed frame rate, and check whether the game supports NVIDIA Reflex. A higher displayed frame rate alone does not tell you how responsive play will feel. NVIDIA DLSS technology overview

Model presets and GPU generation can affect the result

NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 guidance describes its Recommended model behavior as Preset M for Performance, Preset L for Ultra Performance, and Preset K for the remaining modes. It also says RTX 20 and 30 Series GPUs lack native FP8 support, so Models M and L may carry a heavier performance impact on those generations. This behavior is version-sensitive: drivers, NVIDIA app releases, game support, and available overrides can change what is active.

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When validating a result, check the NVIDIA app’s DLSS statistics overlay to see which model is active rather than assuming a mode name tells the whole story. NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 model guidance

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Do you need new hardware to use this guide?

No purchase is needed if your current graphics card supports the DLSS features offered by your game. If your hardware does not support DLSS, a compatible GeForce RTX graphics card is the relevant upgrade path; check the specific game and feature requirements before choosing hardware. NVIDIA DLSS technology overview

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