Which DLSS 4 Mode You Should Use - Quality vs Balanced vs Performance

NVIDIA's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) continues to evolve, offering gamers the ability to achieve higher frame rates without a significant hit to visual fidelity. The latest iteration, DLSS 4, introduces refined presets: Quality, Balanced, and Performance. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the effectiveness of each mode across various resolutions and highlights which settings are best suited for different gaming scenarios.

Understanding the Preset Differences

DLSS 4 presets are designed to offer a balance between image quality and raw performance. A thorough comparison of the three presets reveals their suitability for different gaming scenarios and resolutions. The primary focus is on striking the right balance to maximize both visual fidelity and frame rates. The analysis covers various resolutions, including 4K, 1440p, and 1080p, examining key image quality aspects across these settings.

Key Image Quality Aspects Examined

Texture Quality and Blur

DLSS 4 significantly reduces Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) blur, preserving texture quality across all presets and resolutions. This improvement makes lower DLSS settings much more viable for maintaining sharp textures.

Image Stability

At 4K resolution, there's minimal difference in image stability between Quality and Performance modes. However, when dropping to 1440p and especially 1080p, fine details can begin to degrade in the lower performance modes.

Disocclusion Artifacts

Lower DLSS modes tend to introduce more noticeable disocclusion artifacts. These manifest as blur trails and pixelation around moving objects, becoming more prominent at lower resolutions.

Hair Quality

Hair quality remains largely consistent across all modes at 4K. However, at 1440p and 1080p, the Performance mode can cause hair to appear noticeably grainier.

Particle Quality

Lowering DLSS modes has little direct impact on the quality of particles themselves. However, underlying disocclusion issues can make the background behind particles appear grainier.

Transparencies

Transparencies with intricate details, such as holograms, can look more pixelated when using lower DLSS modes, a problem that is particularly evident at 1080p.

Foliage Quality

Grass quality is noticeably downgraded in lower DLSS modes, appearing grainier, especially at 1080p. Other types of foliage, such as trees and branches, generally perform better.

Fence Quality

Fence quality can worsen in lower modes due to issues with disocclusion and the reconstruction of fine details, leading to increased aliasing and a grainier appearance.

Recommendations and Performance Gains

DLSS 4's lower modes are significantly more usable than in previous versions, with several key image quality areas remaining largely unchanged. The optimal DLSS 4 mode ultimately depends on the specific game and the target output resolution.

General recommendations based on output resolution are as follows:

4K: Balanced or Performance modes often represent the sweet spot, offering excellent visual quality with substantial performance gains.
1440p: Quality or Balanced modes are generally preferred to maintain a good balance of clarity and performance.
1080p: Quality mode is recommended for the best visual experience, with Balanced being occasionally suitable depending on the game.

In terms of performance, lower DLSS modes typically provide a 10-20% improvement in frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions, provided the system isn't bottlenecked by the CPU.

Conclusion

DLSS 4 marks a significant step forward in upscaling technology, making its various presets more robust and viable across a wider range of resolutions. While Quality mode remains the gold standard for visual fidelity, the improvements to Balanced and Performance modes offer compelling options for gamers looking to push frame rates without sacrificing too much image quality. Understanding these nuances allows players to fine-tune their experience for optimal performance and visual enjoyment.