Nvidia just announced DLSS 5, their newest technology that’s supposed to make video games look better. The company called it their biggest graphics breakthrough since 2018, but gamers aren’t impressed.
DLSS 5 works like the motion smoothing feature on your TV – it adds extra frames between the real ones to make movement look smoother. Nvidia says it “infuses pixels with photoreal lighting,” but the results look artificial and fake to most people.
The Motion Smoothing Problem
You know how motion smoothing makes movies look weird and soap opera-like on your TV? That’s exactly what’s happening here with video games. The technology creates fake frames that didn’t exist in the original game, making everything look unnaturally smooth.
Gamers have been comparing the results to watching a movie with motion smoothing turned on – technically smoother, but it loses the natural feel that makes games enjoyable. The artificial frames can make characters and objects look like they’re floating or moving in unnatural ways.
Nvidia is betting that higher frame rates will win over gamers who want the smoothest possible gameplay. But early reactions suggest people prefer the authentic look of real game frames, even if there are fewer of them. It’s the same debate that’s been happening with TVs for years – is smoother always better?
What’s Next
DLSS 5 will launch with Nvidia’s new graphics cards this year. Gamers will have to decide if they want maximum smoothness or natural-looking graphics. Most seem to be choosing natural.