If you have bought a graphics card in the last few years, you have probably seen the terms DLSS and FSR in game settings. Both promise higher frame rates without a visible drop in image quality, and both are now standard features in major releases. But they work differently, they are not available on the same hardware, and choosing the wrong one can make your game look worse instead of better.

Upscaling matters because modern games are more demanding than ever. Ray tracing, high resolutions and detailed worlds push even strong graphics cards hard. Upscaling is the industry's answer: render the game at a lower internal resolution, then use smart processing to rebuild a sharp image. This guide explains how DLSS and FSR do that, and which one to pick.

What Is DLSS?

DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, and it is Nvidia's upscaling technology. It uses dedicated AI hardware on RTX graphics cards, called Tensor cores, to reconstruct a high-resolution image from a lower-resolution render. The AI model has been trained on thousands of game scenes, so it can fill in detail convincingly. The newest versions also include frame generation, which creates entirely new frames between rendered ones to push frame rates even higher. DLSS only works on Nvidia RTX cards, and the best results come from the latest versions supported by each game.

What Is FSR?

FSR stands for FidelityFX Super Resolution, and it is AMD's answer to DLSS. Early versions used a spatial upscaling technique that sharpened the image without AI, which made it fast and compatible with almost any graphics card, including Nvidia and Intel cards. Newer versions add AI-based upscaling on supported AMD hardware. The big advantage of FSR is openness: it works on a huge range of graphics cards, including older ones and consoles. The trade-off is that, in head-to-head comparisons, DLSS usually produces a slightly cleaner image at the same performance level.

DLSS vs FSR: Which Should You Use?

The answer depends on your graphics card. If you own an Nvidia RTX card, use DLSS: it is built for your hardware and generally delivers the best image quality. If you own an AMD card or an older Nvidia card, use FSR, because it works on your hardware and still delivers a large performance boost. If a game supports both, try DLSS first on Nvidia hardware and compare the two at the same quality preset. In most cases the difference is small at the Quality preset and grows at the Performance preset, where the internal render resolution is much lower.

Quality Presets and When to Use Them

Both technologies offer presets, usually Quality, Balanced, Performance and Ultra Performance. Quality renders at roughly two-thirds of your target resolution and looks nearly identical to native rendering, while giving a useful frame rate boost. Balanced and Performance render lower and give bigger boosts, but the image gets softer. A good rule is to use Quality at 1440p and 4K, Balanced at 1080p if you need the boost, and Performance only when your frame rate is unplayably low. Ultra Performance is designed for 8K displays and is rarely worth using at normal resolutions.

Frame Generation: The Extra Boost

Frame generation is a newer feature that inserts AI-generated frames between real ones, which can roughly double your displayed frame rate. It feels smoother, but it adds a small amount of input latency, so it is best suited to slower-paced games rather than competitive shooters. It also needs a solid base frame rate to work well: if your game already runs at 30 frames per second, frame generation will not fix the sluggish feel. Use it for single-player games where smoothness matters more than the last millisecond of responsiveness.

Key Takeaways

- DLSS is Nvidia's AI upscaling and works only on RTX graphics cards.

- FSR is AMD's upscaling and works on almost any modern graphics card.

- On Nvidia hardware, DLSS usually produces a slightly cleaner image than FSR.

- Use the Quality preset at 1440p and 4K for the best balance of looks and performance.

- Frame generation boosts smoothness but adds latency, so save it for single-player games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does DLSS make games look worse? At the Quality preset, the difference from native resolution is very hard to spot. At Performance and Ultra Performance presets, the image gets softer, especially at 1080p.

Can I use FSR on an Nvidia graphics card? Yes. FSR is open and works on Nvidia, AMD and Intel graphics cards, which makes it useful on older hardware that cannot run DLSS.

Is DLSS better than FSR? In most head-to-head tests, DLSS produces a slightly cleaner image, especially in motion. The gap is small at the Quality preset and grows at lower presets.

Does upscaling increase input lag? Upscaling itself adds almost no latency. Frame generation does add some, so competitive players usually leave it off.

DLSS and FSR are the easiest free performance upgrades in PC gaming. If your card supports DLSS, use it. If not, FSR will still give you a large boost on almost any hardware. Stick to the Quality preset, and you will get higher frame rates with an image that looks practically the same as native resolution.