At CES 2026, Nvidia has once again pushed the boundaries of AI-powered gaming technology with the announcement of DLSS 4.5. This latest iteration of its Deep Learning Super Sampling suite brings significant refinements to its upscaling model and introduces more aggressive frame generation capabilities, aiming to deliver higher image quality and smoother performance without requiring a new generation of gaming GPUs. The updates underscore Nvidia's continued focus on leveraging software and AI to extract more value from existing and future hardware.
A Second-Generation Transformer Model for Superior Image Quality
The core of DLSS 4.5 is its new second-generation transformer architecture model for Super Resolution. Building upon the foundation laid by DLSS 4, this updated AI model has been trained to tackle specific visual artifacts that can detract from the gaming experience. Nvidia highlighted three key areas of improvement: temporal stability to reduce flickering or shimmering on static surfaces, a reduction in ghosting trails behind fast-moving foreground objects like weapons, and enhanced anti-aliasing performance in certain titles. Early hands-on impressions suggest these refinements are tangible, with some reports noting that lighting and particle effects also appear richer and more natural with the new model.
DLSS 4.5 Key Improvements:
- Upscaling Model: Second-generation transformer architecture.
- Key Fixes: Improved temporal stability (reduced flicker), reduced ghosting, better anti-aliasing.
- Performance Impact: 2-3% more demanding than DLSS 4. FP8 acceleration on RTX 40/50-series offsets this.
- Availability: For all RTX GPUs (20-series and later) via Nvidia App. Full release January 13, 2026.
Computational Intensity and Hardware Compatibility
This leap in quality comes with a computational cost. Nvidia confirms that DLSS 4.5 is more demanding than its predecessors. However, the company has mitigated this for newer hardware by enabling support for accelerated FP8 processing within the Tensor Cores of its RTX 40-series and upcoming RTX 50-series graphics cards. For owners of RTX 20-series (Turing) and RTX 30-series (Ampere) GPUs, the new model will still function but without the FP8 acceleration, potentially resulting in a more noticeable performance dip. Gamers will, as before, be able to select their preferred DLSS model version directly through the Nvidia App on Windows, allowing them to choose the best balance of performance and image quality for their specific hardware and game.
Pushing Frame Generation to New Extremes: 6X MFG and Dynamic Mode
Alongside the upscaling improvements, Nvidia is expanding the horizons of its Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology. The current cap of 4x generated frames per native frame is being raised to a staggering 6x. Nvidia posits that the improved image quality from DLSS 4.5 provides a better foundation for generating these extra frames. This feature is primarily targeted at users with ultra-high-refresh-rate monitors (360Hz or 480Hz+), offering a potential path to maximizing those displays without resorting to heavily degraded visual settings. More pragmatically, Nvidia is introducing a Dynamic Multi-Frame Generation (DMFG) mode. This feature, set for a spring 2026 release, will automatically enable and adjust the frame generation multiplier on the fly to maintain a user-set target frame rate, theoretically providing smooth performance only when needed.
Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) Updates:
- New Multipliers: Up to 6x AI-generated frames per native frame (increased from 4x).
- Dynamic MFG (DMFG): Automatically adjusts frame gen to maintain a target FPS.
- Availability: Spring 2026. Exclusive to RTX 50-series GPUs.
- Target Use: Maximizing ultra-high-refresh-rate monitors (e.g., 360Hz, 480Hz).
Availability and Exclusive Features
The rollout of these features is staged. The DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution model is available immediately via a beta update to the Nvidia App, with a full release scheduled for January 13, 2026, and is compatible with all RTX GPUs from the 20-series onward. In contrast, the new 6x MFG multiplier and the Dynamic MFG mode are slated for a spring 2026 release and will be exclusive to the RTX 50-series, continuing Nvidia's trend of reserving the most advanced frame generation features for its latest architecture. Notably, Reflex 2 with Frame Warp reprojection, announced previously, remains absent from this release and is still targeted for the future.
The Evolving AI Gaming Landscape
Nvidia's CES 2026 announcements reinforce its strategy of using AI as a primary lever for gaming advancement in the absence of a new GPU architecture reveal. By significantly improving the core upscaling model available to a wide range of existing users while gatekeeping the most extreme performance-enhancing features for its next-gen cards, Nvidia caters to both its current install base and future customers. This move also raises the bar for competitors like AMD's FSR, which has only recently achieved parity in some areas, setting the stage for the next phase of the upscaling and frame generation arms race in PC gaming.