NVIDIA's DLSS 5 Rendering Tech Is Coming to the RTX Remix Modding Platform
NVIDIA is adding its controversial DLSS 5 technology to its free RTX Remix modding platform on October 23. Unlike earlier DLSS versions, it changes game lighting but lowers frame rates.
Graphics chip maker NVIDIA has announced that DLSS 5, its latest image-enhancement technology, will be added to RTX Remix. The free modding platform has been available since early 2024 and lets users add ray tracing and AI-upscaled textures to older games. DLSS 5 is due to arrive in the software on October 23.
DLSS 5 relies on neural rendering, which substantially changes how characters are lit in games. It debuted with the basketball title NBA 2K27 and has drawn criticism from many players, who argue it distorts the original artistic intent of developers. Critics have described it as an AI-driven beauty filter.
Other announcements
On October 16, the technology is due to reach RTX Spark, NVIDIA's new system-on-a-chip. On November 5, DLSS 5 will be officially added to Hogwarts Legacy. Recent screenshots suggest the effect has been toned down somewhat compared with the first reveal footage.
Unlike earlier DLSS generations, which raised frame rates, DLSS 5 lowers them.
Trying it today
After an early build of NBA 2K27 leaked, community members created apps such as DLSS 5 Manager and DLSS 5 Swapper. They let users inject the technology into almost any Vulkan or DirectX game on a PC with an NVIDIA RTX graphics card. Swapper automatically finds games and detects the rendering interface, and one click restores the original files. Games with anti-cheat software generally do not work; the Engadget writer could not launch GTA V: Enhanced Edition because of BattlEye.
Performance impact
In the first third-party apps, frame rates fell by 30 to 60 percent. A recent update to NBA 2K27 reduced the drop to about 25 percent at 1440p resolution. Playing Control at 4K with an RTX 5090 card, the author saw a rise from about 80 to nearly 100 frames per second, while Metal Gear Solid 4 went from below 55 to an average of 70. Without DLSS 5, both games run well above 120. The author recommends using the technology only with at least an RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 class card.
