The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Nvidia’s January 31, 2025 NVIDIA App update introduced three features for GeForce RTX owners: driver-level DLSS Smooth Motion frame generation, DLSS Override controls for compatible games, and a more efficient RTX Video Super Resolution model. The original release targeted RTX 50-series cards for Smooth Motion, but Nvidia later expanded the feature to RTX 40-series GPUs and added global DLSS Override controls.
The headline-making “30%” figure applies to Nvidia’s claim about RTX VSR GPU usage or power requirements—not a guaranteed 30% reduction in total system electricity use or laptop battery consumption.
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What Nvidia announced
The announcement was primarily an NVIDIA App and driver update, not a new GPU architecture or standalone rendering API. The original rollout was reported with NVIDIA App version 11.0.2.312 and required a current Game Ready driver.
Its three main changes were:
- DLSS Smooth Motion: driver-level frame generation for compatible games without native DLSS Frame Generation.
- DLSS Override: controls for changing selected DLSS models and features in compatible games.
- RTX Video Super Resolution: a more efficient video-enhancement model with improved GPU-utilization behavior and an on-screen status indicator.
Later updates materially changed the original availability picture. Nvidia added Smooth Motion support for RTX 40-series GPUs, expanded it to compatible DirectX 11, DirectX 12 and Vulkan games, introduced global DLSS Override settings, and added DLSS information to the NVIDIA App statistics overlay.
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For current software, use the latest NVIDIA App and the current GeForce driver rather than relying on the original 2025 version numbers.
What is DLSS Smooth Motion?
Smooth Motion is a driver-level frame-generation feature. It analyzes rendered frames and motion information to infer an additional frame between them, making movement appear smoother without requiring the game developer to integrate native DLSS Frame Generation.
It can be used alongside native-resolution rendering, DLSS Super Resolution or another scaling technology. Nvidia’s goal is broadly to increase displayed frame output, sometimes approaching a doubling of visible frame cadence. That does not mean the GPU is rendering twice as many complete frames, however, and it does not provide the same input responsiveness as a genuine increase in rendered frame rate.
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Smooth Motion versus native DLSS Frame Generation
| Characteristic | Native DLSS Frame Generation | DLSS Smooth Motion |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Built into the game | Applied through the driver and NVIDIA App |
| Game support | Requires native implementation | Designed for compatible games without native DLSS Frame Generation |
| Engine information | Deeper access to game data | More limited driver-level access |
| Latency and artifacts | Varies by game and implementation | Must be evaluated separately for each title |
Native Frame Generation is generally preferable when it is well integrated. Smooth Motion is most useful when a game lacks native support and already runs at a stable, reasonably high base frame rate.
Generated frames do not create the same new game-state information as rendered frames. Smooth Motion also does not remove input latency, replace NVIDIA Reflex, guarantee better image quality or compensate for an unstable or very low base frame rate.
Compatibility
At launch, Nvidia positioned Smooth Motion for RTX 50-series GPUs. A later NVIDIA App and Game Ready Driver update added support for all RTX 40-series GPUs and compatible DirectX 11, DirectX 12 and Vulkan games.
That does not mean every game using those APIs will work perfectly. Game profiles, anti-cheat systems, overlays, frame-presentation methods, frame pacing and engine-specific rendering behavior can affect whether Smooth Motion appears or produces acceptable results.
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What is DLSS Override?
DLSS Override lets the NVIDIA App modify selected DLSS behavior in compatible games and applications. It can expose or update options without waiting for a developer to ship a new game patch.
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Depending on the GPU, game and driver, available controls can include:
- Newer DLSS model presets.
- DLSS Frame Generation model upgrades for RTX 40- and RTX 50-series GPUs.
- DLSS Multi Frame Generation Override for RTX 50-series GPUs when the game already supports Frame Generation but lacks native Multi Frame Generation support.
- DLAA and Ultra Performance modes where the game supports DLSS Super Resolution.
- Custom DLSS rendering-scale controls.
- Transformer-model upgrades for Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction and DLAA across supported RTX hardware.
The important limitation is that DLSS Override cannot add complete DLSS support to a game that has no compatible DLSS integration. The title must expose a compatible DLSS path, and the result still depends on its renderer, motion vectors, Frame Generation implementation and NVIDIA compatibility profile.
How to enable Smooth Motion and DLSS Override
Per-game settings
- Open the NVIDIA App.
- Go to Graphics and select Program Settings.
- Choose the game or application.
- Scroll to Driver Settings.
- Enable Smooth Motion, or open the relevant DLSS Override control.
- Select the desired model, Frame Generation option, DLAA, Ultra Performance or custom scaling setting.
- Apply the change and restart the game if necessary.
Nvidia documents the per-program controls in its DLSS Override update guide.
Global DLSS Override settings
Later NVIDIA App versions also provide global controls:
- Open NVIDIA App → Graphics → Global Settings.
- Configure the desired DLSS Override.
- Apply the setting.
- Use Program Settings to create exceptions for individual games.
Global settings apply only to compatible games detected by the app. A per-game setting may take precedence, and a global override cannot overcome a missing or incompatible DLSS implementation.
Verifying the result
Where supported, open the NVIDIA overlay and go to Statistics → Statistics View → DLSS. A custom statistics view can also include DLSS information. The overlay is commonly toggled with Alt+R after it has been configured.
Do not judge Smooth Motion solely by the displayed FPS counter. Compare base and generated frame rates, image quality, frame pacing and perceived control responsiveness in demanding scenes such as foliage, particles, rapid camera movement, HUD-heavy sections and cutscenes.
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RTX Video Super Resolution and the 30% claim
RTX Video Super Resolution is separate from DLSS. DLSS reconstructs rendered 3D game frames; RTX VSR processes decoded video, such as streamed browser content or supported media-player playback, to reduce softness and compression artifacts when lower-resolution video is displayed at a higher resolution.
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The update introduced a more efficient VSR model, an on-screen VSR status indicator and improved behavior when another application is using the GPU. Nvidia said the new model could reduce GPU usage by up to 30% compared with the previous implementation. Contemporary coverage described this as lower VSR power consumption.
The claim should not be interpreted as a guaranteed 30% reduction in:
- Total wall power used by the computer.
- Whole-system heat output.
- Laptop battery consumption.
- Playback power on every RTX GPU.
GPU utilization, GPU package or board power, and total system energy are different measurements. Actual results depend on the GPU, browser or media player, video resolution, codec, display resolution, quality setting, hardware video decoding, DRM and other workloads. The feature may also be unnecessary when the source already matches the display resolution.
Use the VSR status indicator where available rather than assuming that enabling the option means every video is being processed.
GPU compatibility
| Feature | RTX 20 | RTX 30 | RTX 40 | RTX 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLSS Transformer model upgrades | Supported where the title and profile are compatible | Supported where compatible | Supported | Supported |
| Smooth Motion at the original launch | No | No | Not initially | Yes |
| Smooth Motion after later expansion | Not established by the cited update | Not established by the cited update | Yes | Yes |
| DLSS Frame Generation model upgrade | Limited by feature and title requirements | Limited by feature and title requirements | Yes, when Frame Generation is active | Yes |
| Multi Frame Generation Override | No | No | No | Yes |
| RTX VSR update | Supported on relevant RTX systems subject to driver, application and playback compatibility | |||
“RTX support” does not mean that every RTX generation receives every feature. Frame Generation and Multi Frame Generation have substantially narrower hardware requirements than DLSS Super Resolution, DLAA or RTX VSR.
What changed after the 2025 launch?
The original announcement should now be read as the starting point, not the final state of the software.
- August 2025: Smooth Motion expanded to RTX 40-series GPUs, compatible Vulkan games were added, and global DLSS Override controls became available.
- Later NVIDIA App updates: DLSS status information was added to the statistics overlay, alongside expanded override controls.
- 2026 DLSS 4.5 updates: Nvidia introduced newer transformer-model terminology, including Presets M and L and “Recommended” behavior that can select different presets for different DLSS modes.
Nvidia also notes that RTX 20- and 30-series GPUs lack native FP8 support. As a result, newer models may impose a larger performance cost on those cards, and Preset K can offer a better image-quality/performance balance in some situations. See Nvidia’s DLSS 4.5 announcement and its Dynamic Multi Frame Generation update for the current model-selection context.
When should you use each feature?
Smooth Motion is worth trying when:
- The game lacks native DLSS Frame Generation.
- The underlying frame rate is stable and reasonably high.
- Smoother camera motion matters more than minimum possible latency.
- The title is compatible with the supported rendering path.
- You are prepared to test artifacts and frame pacing.
Leave Smooth Motion disabled when:
- The base frame rate is low or unstable.
- You play a competitive title where latency is critical.
- The game already has good native DLSS Frame Generation.
- UI elements, foliage, particles or fast movement show distracting artifacts.
- The FPS counter rises but controls feel less responsive.
DLSS Override is useful when:
- A compatible game ships with an older DLSS model.
- A DLSS-enabled game does not expose DLAA or Ultra Performance.
- An RTX 50-series game has Frame Generation but lacks native Multi Frame Generation.
- You want to test a newer model before a developer patch arrives.
RTX VSR is useful when:
- Compressed or low-resolution video is displayed on a higher-resolution screen.
- Your browser or media player supports the feature.
- The GPU has sufficient headroom.
- You value improved video quality or potentially lower VSR GPU activity on a laptop.
Disable VSR when the source is already native resolution, DRM prevents processing, another GPU-heavy task is running, or the enhancement produces ringing, noise or subtitle artifacts.
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Troubleshooting
Smooth Motion is missing
- Update both the NVIDIA App and driver.
- Confirm the game is selected under Graphics → Program Settings.
- Check Driver Settings for Smooth Motion.
- Verify that the game uses a supported rendering API and presentation path.
- Turn the feature off, restart the game, then reapply it per title.
- If instability continues, restore a clean driver profile and leave Smooth Motion disabled for that game.
DLSS Override has no visible effect
Check that DLSS or Frame Generation is enabled in the game, that the game supports the selected override, and that the change was applied to the correct program. Some controls only modify an already-active DLSS feature. Restarting the game may also be required. A per-game setting can override a global setting.
RTX VSR does not activate
Check the browser, media player, codec, DRM status, video resolution and display path. Another GPU workload may also prevent useful VSR activity. Use the status indicator where available; an enabled switch alone does not guarantee that a particular video is being processed.
Verdict
Nvidia’s update is most valuable as a set of optional tools rather than a universal performance upgrade. Smooth Motion can make compatible games feel visually smoother when they lack native Frame Generation, but it works best from a strong and stable base frame rate and may increase artifacts or perceived latency. DLSS Override is useful for experimenting with newer models and hidden DLSS modes, but it cannot retrofit DLSS into unsupported games.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRTX VSR is a separate video feature. Nvidia’s “up to 30%” claim is meaningful as a claim about VSR GPU usage or power requirements, but it is not a promise of 30% lower whole-system power or battery consumption. Existing RTX owners should test these features before considering a hardware upgrade; the software itself is free, and its value depends on the GPU generation, game, display, workload and desired latency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Smooth Motion work without DLSS Super Resolution?
Yes. Nvidia designed Smooth Motion to work with native-resolution rendering, DLSS Super Resolution or another scaling technology, subject to game and driver compatibility.
Is Smooth Motion the same as native DLSS Frame Generation?
No. Smooth Motion is applied at the driver level and has less game-engine information. Native DLSS Frame Generation is generally preferable when it is well integrated.
Does DLSS Override add DLSS to unsupported games?
No. It can modify or expose DLSS behavior in compatible titles, but it cannot create a complete DLSS integration where the game has none.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDoes the RTX VSR update save 30% battery?
Not necessarily. Nvidia’s up-to-30% figure concerns VSR GPU usage or power requirements. Total laptop battery consumption depends on the entire playback and system workload.
Which RTX GPUs support the newest DLSS models?
Support varies by model, feature and title. RTX 20- and 30-series cards can support selected transformer upgrades, but newer models may cost more performance because those GPUs lack native FP8 support. RTX 40- and 50-series cards have broader Frame Generation support, while Multi Frame Generation Override is limited to RTX 50-series GPUs.
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