NVIDIA DLSS 5 Support Is Coming to RTX 40 GPUs After RTX 50 Optimization
NVIDIA’s next major AI-powered graphics upgrade, DLSS 5, is set to reach more gamers than initially expected. While the technology is launching first on GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards, NVIDIA has confirmed that official support for GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs is also planned once performance tuning on the newer hardware is further along.
DLSS 5 is one of NVIDIA’s most ambitious rendering technologies yet. It introduces 3D-Guided Neural Rendering, a more advanced AI model designed to improve image quality, realism, and performance in supported games. The first game to support the feature is NBA 2K27, marking the public debut of NVIDIA’s newest deep learning graphics technology.
At launch, DLSS 5 is focused on RTX 50 Series GPUs based on the Blackwell architecture. However, owners of RTX 40 Series graphics cards, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, now have a reason to be excited. NVIDIA says RTX 40 support is part of the roadmap, but it will come after the DLSS 5 model is better optimized for RTX 50 hardware.
The reason for the staged rollout is simple: DLSS 5 is extremely demanding. According to NVIDIA, it is the company’s most computationally intensive DLSS model so far. When the technology was first shown, it reportedly required dual RTX 5090 graphics cards to run. Since then, NVIDIA has made major progress in improving efficiency.
Within just a couple of months, the model became around 50% faster, allowing it to run on a single RTX 5090. By July, performance had improved by roughly 2.5 times compared to the original version. By August, NVIDIA had achieved a 5x performance improvement, making DLSS 5 viable across the full RTX 50 Series lineup.
These gains come from a combination of hardware tuning, software improvements, kernel-level optimization, and model redesign. NVIDIA says the current DLSS 5 model is smaller, faster, more realistic, and more flexible for developers than the version originally demonstrated.
That progress is important for RTX 40 owners. Since RTX 40 graphics cards do not include the same Multi Frame Generation capabilities as RTX 50 GPUs, DLSS 5 needs to become more efficient before it can deliver a practical experience on older hardware. NVIDIA’s plan is to first refine the model on RTX 50 GPUs, then expand official support to RTX 40 cards once performance is in a better place.
More updates are expected later this fall, and NVIDIA has suggested that optimization work is continuing at a rapid pace. If the company can push DLSS 5 performance even further, the technology could eventually have a much smaller impact on frame rates than it does today.
At the moment, the performance cost of DLSS 5 can be significant, with estimates suggesting it may reduce performance by around 50% to 60% on average in demanding scenarios. However, if continued optimization brings that impact down to around 10% to 15%, DLSS 5 could become much easier to use without relying heavily on aggressive upscaling modes or higher frame generation settings.
For PC gamers, this is encouraging news. RTX 40 Series cards remain widely used and still offer strong performance in modern games. Bringing DLSS 5 to Ada Lovelace GPUs would extend the lifespan of cards such as the RTX 4090, RTX 4080, RTX 4070 Ti, RTX 4070, and other models in the lineup.
There is still no confirmed release date for DLSS 5 on RTX 40 GPUs, but NVIDIA’s confirmation makes it clear that support is being planned rather than ruled out. The company’s current priority is improving the technology on RTX 50 Series cards first, with RTX 40 expansion expected afterward.
It is also possible that future optimization could open the door to even wider compatibility. NVIDIA has a history of improving DLSS models over time, and previous DLSS technologies have often become faster and more accessible after launch. While official RTX 30 support has not been announced, the long-term potential remains interesting, especially as AI rendering models continue to evolve.
For now, the biggest takeaway is that DLSS 5 will not be limited to RTX 50 graphics cards forever. RTX 40 GPU owners can look forward to official support once NVIDIA completes more performance tuning. If the company’s optimization progress continues at its current pace, DLSS 5 could become one of the most important upgrades for modern GeForce gaming, delivering better visuals, smarter rendering, and improved performance across more hardware.
