Use native resolution if your game already runs smoothly enough and you prefer its image. If performance falls short, compare DLSS Super Resolution in the same scene; keep it only if the reconstructed image looks good to you. If you want to retain native output, lower demanding graphics settings one at a time. The right choice depends on your game, GPU, display resolution, and visual priorities—not a universal FPS threshold.
What are you comparing?
These options affect rendering in different ways. Native resolution renders the game at the display’s intended output resolution without the Super Resolution upscaling step. DLSS Super Resolution takes a lower-resolution input and uses motion data and information from prior frames to reconstruct a higher-resolution output. NVIDIA describes the feature as a way to boost performance; that is the vendor’s description, not an independent comparison for every game or GPU.
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Lowering graphics settings changes the game’s visual effects or detail rather than switching to Super Resolution. The performance cost and visible impact of each setting vary by game, so there is no reliable universal order for which setting to lower first.
How to choose, step by step
- Check the output resolution and feature support. Confirm the resolution the game is outputting and whether your GPU supports the specific DLSS feature the game offers. NVIDIA lists support by GeForce RTX generation; DLSS features are not available uniformly across all cards. See NVIDIA’s DLSS technology and hardware information.
- Try native rendering in your usual play conditions. Use a scene and camera view representative of your play, then decide whether performance meets your own smoothness target. There is no single FPS cutoff that applies to every player, game, and display.
- If performance is short, test DLSS Super Resolution. Keep the output resolution and scene the same, enable the game’s Super Resolution option, and compare the result. NVIDIA explains that Super Resolution uses lower-resolution inputs, motion data, and prior-frame information to reconstruct higher-resolution output: NVIDIA’s DLSS overview.
- Inspect the image while moving. Compare fine detail and look for reconstruction artifacts during motion, not just in a still frame. Keep DLSS only if the performance improvement is useful to you and the image remains acceptable.
- If you prefer native output, change settings individually. Lower one demanding graphics setting, revisit the same scene, and assess both performance and its visual effect before changing another. Which setting is the best first adjustment depends on the game.
- Consider DLAA if image quality is the priority. When a game offers it and performance headroom is available, DLAA applies DLSS technology at native resolution for image quality and anti-aliasing. It is not the same as performance-oriented upscaling. NVIDIA’s feature descriptions are at NVIDIA DLSS.
- Evaluate Frame Generation separately. Frame Generation creates additional displayed frames; it is distinct from Super Resolution’s reconstruction of higher-resolution output. NVIDIA says Frame Generation works with Reflex. Generated frames should not be treated as equivalent to additional natively rendered frames or assumed to improve responsiveness in every setup. See NVIDIA’s DLSS feature descriptions.
When each option makes sense
| Option | Consider it when | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Native resolution | Your game meets your practical performance target and you prefer its image without Super Resolution upscaling. | Performance in the games and scenes you actually play. |
| DLSS Super Resolution | Native performance is not adequate and the game and GPU support the feature. | Performance, fine-detail clarity, and artifacts during motion at your intended output resolution. |
| Lower graphics settings | You want to keep native output resolution and are willing to reduce particular visual effects or detail. | The effect of each individual setting on performance and image quality in that game. |
| DLAA | You prioritize image quality and anti-aliasing, and the game offers DLAA with performance headroom available. | Whether its native-resolution image treatment suits you and whether performance remains adequate. |
| Frame Generation | You want to assess generated frames as a separate feature and the game and GPU support it. | How it behaves in your setup; it is not Super Resolution and generated frames are not the same as natively rendered frames. |
Make the comparison fair
Compare options on the same hardware, in the same game scene, with the same camera view and output resolution. Judge performance against your own smoothness target, then inspect fine details and artifacts during motion. For reduced settings, make one change at a time so you can see what that specific tradeoff does.
#1 Best Overall
- Powered by Radeon RX 9070 XT
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Support and results depend on the game’s implementation, GPU, output resolution, selected DLSS mode, and scene. NVIDIA’s descriptions explain how its features are intended to work, but they do not establish an independent image-quality or latency ranking across particular games and configurations.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
- Powered by GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
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