NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Dominates in Blind Test, Outperforming AMD FSR and Native Rendering

A recent community blind test conducted by ComputerBase reveals a clear preference for NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling 4.5 (DLSS 4.5) over both AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) and traditional native rendering with Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA). The results, gathered from over 6,700 votes, indicate a significant leap in AI-powered image scaling technology.

Test Methodology and Results

ComputerBase’s two-week blind test presented participants with side-by-side video comparisons from six popular games – Anno 117, ARC Raiders, Cyberpunk 2077, Horizon Forbidden West, Satisfactory, and The Last of Us Part II – without disclosing the rendering technology used in each instance. Participants were asked to select the image that looked best.

DLSS 4.5 secured the highest percentage of votes with 48.2% of participants choosing it as the superior option. Native rendering with TAA came in second at 24.0%, while AMD’s FSR 4 received 15.0% of the votes. A notable 12.8% of participants reported no visible difference between the options.

The preference for DLSS 4.5 was consistent across all six titles tested:

• Anno 117: 50.1% DLSS, 22.8% Native, 16.5% FSR
• ARC Raiders: 47.4% DLSS, 27.3% Native, 13.8% FSR
• Cyberpunk 2077: 34.4% DLSS, 32.4% Native, 10.6% FSR
• Horizon Forbidden West: 56.3% DLSS, 19.4% Native, 11.7% FSR
• Satisfactory: 60.9% DLSS, 15.1% Native, 12.4% FSR
• The Last of Us Part II: 40.9% DLSS, 25.9% Native, 25.3% FSR

The Role of AI in Image Enhancement

DLSS is an AI-driven technology designed to enhance the quality and performance of game graphics. By utilizing deep learning algorithms, DLSS enables gamers to experience higher resolutions and faster frame rates while maintaining, or even improving, image detail compared to native rendering at lower resolutions. TechPowerUp details that DLSS 4.5 employs a second-generation Transformer model trained on a significantly larger dataset of video games, representing a fivefold increase in computational investment compared to its predecessor.

Advantages and Future of DLSS

This blind test underscores NVIDIA’s advancements in image scaling technologies. DLSS 4.5’s ability to deliver a high-quality visual experience is crucial for both gamers and game developers. The technology utilizes the FP8 data format, allowing for more processing with minimal precision loss, and is more context-aware, intelligently utilizing input for upscaling to produce more detailed and precise video output. VideoCardz highlights that ComputerBase generally recommends modern upscaling solutions due to their comparable or superior image quality and performance gains.

It’s key to note, as ComputerBase emphasizes, that the test only measured first-choice preferences. The results do not indicate second or third preferences, and concluding that FSR looks definitively “worse” than native rendering is not supported by the data.

Key Takeaways

• NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 was the preferred image scaling technology in a recent blind test conducted by ComputerBase.
• DLSS 4.5 outperformed both AMD’s FSR 4 and native rendering with TAA across six different games.
• The test demonstrates the effectiveness of AI-powered image scaling in enhancing visual quality and performance.
• The results highlight NVIDIA’s continued innovation in graphics technology.