Gamers might hate AI and the GPU pricing crisis it has caused — but some are now hooked on DLSS 5, and maybe that shows what Nvidia is angling at here - Yahoo Tech
Nvidia's DLSS 5 technology, initially met with universal criticism, has now become so beloved by gamers that many claim they can't play without it, even as GPU prices spiral to unprecedented highs.
The gaming world has transformed dramatically since AI advancements accelerated this year. While emulation has made significant strides, Nvidia's DLSS 5 has emerged as a revolutionary technology that gamers now can't live without. Despite being almost universally criticized at its debut, the neural rendering technology has experienced a remarkable turnaround in public opinion.
The shift began when NBA 2K27 showcased DLSS 5's capabilities effectively, leading to 'wow' moments on Reddit. One gamer wrote: 'I'm getting too used to DLSS 5 graphics. WOW factor is fading out. Turning it off looks flat like low graphics settings. It's just my new normal. How spoiled am I?'
Spoiled. Every game feels like a remaster and indeed ultra settings with DLSS 5 off feel like the new low settings. It's a new world and I'm loving it.
Visual revolution
Gamers report that DLSS 5 makes such a dramatic difference that returning to standard graphics feels like downgrading. 'NPC faces get very natural looking skin and shadows in the right places,' one commenter noted, 'and with it off, the face returns to a pale, shadowless, clay sculpture. It's jarring.'
The technology has become so essential that one player spent an hour troubleshooting why characters looked 'fake and plastic and cartoony' in Cyberpunk 2077, only to discover DLSS 5 had accidentally turned off. The comparison is often made to getting used to 60fps gaming and then having to return to 30fps.
Notably, these are gamers using workarounds to run DLSS 5 on unsupported games and older Nvidia GPUs, as the technology is officially only supported by RTX 5000 models. Despite performance hits, the visual improvements are so compelling that players accept the trade-offs, especially when playing older games with higher base frame rates.
GPU crisis
This growing affection for DLSS 5 comes amid a severe GPU pricing crisis. The RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti have seen rapid price increases, with predictions that these GPUs could cost triple their MSRPs in some countries by year's end. Nvidia has reportedly cancelled the rumored RTX 5080 Super, leaving the high-end GeForce range increasingly inaccessible.
The situation has been exacerbated by the resignation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, though the company's AI data center profits may provide some cushion. AMD's Radeon cards are facing similar price hikes, suggesting the entire GPU market is in turmoil.
We are all spoiled now. Just in time for all the hardware to evaporate.
Nvidia's strategy
The author theorizes that Nvidia is pushing DLSS 5 so aggressively because the company knows it's vital given the RAM crisis and GPU price spikes. With AI data center profits potentially offsetting consumer hardware declines, Nvidia may be relying on software to compensate for hardware limitations.
As Nvidia continues to improve DLSS 5's performance and plans to extend support to RTX 4000 GPUs next year, the technology could help lower-tier cards punch above their weight. This neural rendering focus might be Nvidia's contingency plan if the GPU crisis worsens, ironically using AI to solve problems created by AI's demand for data center GPUs.
The trajectory mirrors the original DLSS, which was initially poorly received but is now widely accepted. DLSS 5 may become critical for Nvidia's future, especially as the hardware market remains volatile. Some gamers are already going to extreme lengths to get the technology working, even attempting to implement it on a PS5 for GTA 6.
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