Modern games can look smooth even on a mid-range card, thanks to two different tricks: upscaling (the game is drawn at a lower resolution and then rebuilt to the screen size) and frame generation (extra frames are inserted between the real ones). They are often mixed up, but they solve different problems, so it is worth knowing which to use and when.
1. Upscaling: DLSS, FSR, XeSS
The card draws fewer pixels and an algorithm (AI in DLSS, FSR 4 and XeSS) rebuilds the detail. This gives real extra FPS and, in good implementations, almost the same sharpness as native. Each mode has a fixed render scale:
The rest of the picture is rebuilt by DLSS / FSR / XeSS. Fewer pixels to draw = more FPS.
2. Frame generation
The technology takes two real frames and creates one or more in between. The screen shows many more frames per second, so motion looks smoother. But the game still reads your mouse only on real frames, so the delay does not get lower; it gets slightly higher.
Example with 60 real FPS. The game itself still reacts 60 times per second, only the picture looks smoother.
3. What your graphics card supports
| Card | Upscaling | Frame generation |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 20 / 30 | DLSS Super Resolution (the newest model is heavier on these cards; the older one may run faster), FSR, XeSS | FSR 3 frame generation and AFMF in supported games; no DLSS frame generation |
| GeForce RTX 40 | DLSS Super Resolution, FSR, XeSS | DLSS Frame Generation (×2) |
| GeForce RTX 50 | DLSS Super Resolution, FSR, XeSS | DLSS Multi Frame Generation: up to ×4, and in selected games with DLSS 4.5 up to ×6 or dynamic |
| Radeon RX 9000 | FSR 4 (AI upscaling) | FSR frame generation, AFMF 2 |
| Radeon RX 6000 / 7000 | FSR 3.1 (non-AI), XeSS | FSR 3 frame generation, AFMF 2 |
| GTX and older cards | FSR, XeSS | FSR 3 frame generation in some games |
The list changes quickly; see NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 announcement for the current state of NVIDIA features. FSR 4 officially works only on Radeon RX 9000.
4. Quality modes: which to choose
- Quality: the safest option; the image is almost indistinguishable from native, especially at 1440p and 4K.
- Balanced: a good compromise when Quality is not enough.
- Performance: sensible at 4K; at 1080p and 1440p the loss of detail is easy to see.
- Ultra Performance: only for 4K and 8K on weak cards. Expect soft text and shimmering thin lines.
- The lower the output resolution, the less the upscaler has to work with. At 1080p stay on Quality or Balanced.
5. When frame generation is worth it
- Base FPS at least 50–60. If the game runs at 30 without it, the extra frames will look smooth but feel sluggish, and artifacts are more visible.
- Single-player and slow games: open worlds, racing, story games with ray tracing. Here more frames really improve the picture.
- Not for competitive shooters like CS2 or Valorant: there every millisecond of delay matters, and these games run at hundreds of FPS anyway.
- Turn on Reflex or Anti-Lag together with it; see our graphics settings guide.
- Look for artifacts: smeared text and interface, ghosting on fast objects. Different games and versions behave differently.
6. Quick cheat sheet
| Situation | Settings |
|---|---|
| CS2, Valorant, Fortnite at 144–240 Hz | Upscaling and frame generation off, Reflex / Anti-Lag on |
| Single-player at 1440p, 50–70 FPS | Upscaling Quality, frame generation on if you want 100+ FPS |
| 4K with ray tracing | Upscaling Balanced or Quality, frame generation on |
| Weak card, 30–40 FPS | Lower settings and Performance upscaling first; frame generation does not fix this |
| 1080p on a modest card | Upscaling Quality only; the image gets soft quickly |
7. Check it with your own eyes
Screenshots and comparison videos only show part of the picture. Switch the mode on and off in the same scene and look at the things that suffer first: text, thin fences and wires, hair, fast turns. If you do not see a difference, keep the mode on and enjoy the extra FPS; if the picture shimmers, go up one quality level. Note that the FPS numbers in our configurator and in the monitor guide are without DLSS and FSR, so with them you will get noticeably more. If the game still stutters, use the low FPS checklist, and for driver settings the graphics settings guide.