NVIDIA Announces DLSS 5 Support for RTX 40 GPUs, Prioritizing Model Optimization for RTX 50 Series

NVIDIA is poised to launch its highly anticipated DLSS 5 technology, which promises a remarkable leap in gaming visuals powered by advanced neural rendering models. Initial support for this cutting-edge technology will be seen in new releases such as NBA 2K27, which will be among the first games to utilize the capabilities of 3D-Guided Neural Rendering. Although the primary rollout is targeted towards the RTX 50 series, based on the latest Blackwell architecture, NVIDIA has confirmed that DLSS 5 will eventually be made available for RTX 40 GPUs that utilize the Ada Lovelace architecture.

The integration of DLSS 5 is expected to revolutionize the gaming experience, offering visual fidelity that has historically been unattainable. However, specific timelines regarding when RTX 40 GPUs will gain access to this functionality remain unspecified. NVIDIA’s current focus lies in optimizing performance for the RTX 50 series, with intentions to expand support for the older RTX 40 series thereafter.

NVIDIA’s DLSS 5 represents the company’s most demanding AI model to date, showcasing substantial performance enhancements over just a few months. Originally demonstrated on dual RTX 5090 graphics cards, the model has significantly improved; by August, it was running effectively on a single RTX 5090 due to ongoing optimizations. The progression has included an impressive increase in performance—initially by 2.5x in July and an additional 5x by August.

These optimizations are attributed to a combination of hardware advancements, software kernel enhancements, and strategic co-design efforts. The aim is to create a smaller, faster, and more visually accurate model that offers greater control to developers compared to earlier iterations unveiled at GTC 2026. As NVIDIA continues to refine its DLSS 5 technology, the company anticipates future updates will further enhance performance and visuals.

The expected improvements may potentially reduce the performance impact significantly compared to previous models, with an ultimate goal of making the technology seamlessly usable even on GPUs lacking MFG support. Given NVIDIA’s history and expertise in model tuning, there are indications that support for older RTX series GPUs may also eventually be feasible, further democratizing access to this advanced rendering technology.

As gamers eagerly await these developments, NVIDIA aims to provide an unprecedented enhancement to the gaming landscape, solidifying its position at the forefront of graphical innovation in the gaming industry.

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