Overriding DLSS-RR Performance Mode

A complete guide to manually tune your DLSS Ray Reconstruction settings

NVIDIA graphics card with ray tracing effect

Key Highlights

Manual Override Steps: Learn how to modify DLSS-RR settings using NVIDIA applications and tools.
Performance and Visual Trade-offs: Understand the balance between image quality and performance while overriding DLSS modes.
Compatibility and Code Samples: Get essential code examples and configuration tips for multiple GPU setups and game environments.

Understanding DLSS and DLSS-RR

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is a revolutionary technique developed to enhance game visuals by using AI to upscale images. With its evolution into DLSS 4, NVIDIA has incorporated additional layers to this technology. One crucial addition is DLSS Ray Reconstruction (DLSS-RR), a feature designed primarily to improve the rendering of complex lighting, shadows, and reflections typical in ray-traced scenes.

DLSS-RR operates by reconstructing rays to produce higher-quality outputs that factor in the intricate interplay of light, ensuring better temporal stability and reduced ghosting. This means that when DLSS-RR is active, it completely overrides standard DLSS Super Resolution, offering enhanced image quality but also requiring careful management of performance resources.

Key Concepts of Overriding DLSS-RR Performance Mode

The Rationale Behind Overriding

Overriding the DLSS-RR performance mode allows users to bypass default settings and customize the performance and visual quality aspects in their applications or games. The primary reasons for manual override include:

Enhanced Control: Fine-tune the balance between render quality and FPS (frames per second) by choosing different presets than the ones provided by default.
Optimized Visuals: Achieve smoother and more detailed lighting and shadow effects, especially in scenes with dynamic ray tracing.
Tweak Specific Modes: Enable or disable specific features like DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) or switch between presets such as Ultra Performance or Quality modes.

Understanding the Performance Modes

DLSS-RR, aligned with standard DLSS modes, usually offers multiple performance profiles:

Performance: Prioritizes a higher frame rate over image quality.
Balanced: Offers a middle ground between performance and quality.
Quality: Focuses on higher image quality, typically at a cost to performance.
Ultra Performance: Delivers the maximum frame rate boost by utilizing the lowest rendering resolution.

Each mode uses different presets and AI configurations that control how the transformer-based AI model reconstructs the image data from ray tracing calculations. Overriding these allows you to shift the balance depending on the specific game or hardware requirements.

Steps to Override DLSS-RR Performance Mode

Preparation and Prerequisites

Before trying any overrides, make sure your system meets the following requirements:

Ensure your GPU supports DLSS-RR (typically GeForce RTX 20 series or newer).
Update to the latest NVIDIA Game Ready Driver.
Have the appropriate NVIDIA application or Profile Inspector tool installed.
Confirm that DLSS Frame Generation (if applicable) is activated.

Using the NVIDIA App to Override Settings

Step 1: Access NVIDIA Application

Open your NVIDIA Control Panel or GeForce Experience. Ensure you have the most recent driver updates installed to avoid compatibility issues during adjustment.

Step 2: Navigate to DLSS Settings

Within the application, locate the DLSS-related settings. This may be found under a dedicated “DLSS Override” section or within a more general display or game settings area.

Step 3: Choosing the Right Mode

To override the DLSS-RR performance mode, you typically need to select one of the available options - for example, choosing “DLSS Override – Frame Generation” for DLSS-RR specific adjustments. Depending on your target frame rate, select either a 3X or 4X option in the NVIDIA app. The 3X option is generally recommended for achieving up to 180 FPS while the 4X might favor systems targeting 240+ FPS.

Step 4: Manual Adjustment

Here you can manually set the override by adjusting numerical values such as performance mode flags. For instance, some users have used parameter values like \(0x00000001\) to explicitly set the desired mode. Always monitor changes, as incorrect values may cause artifacts or fragmented graphics.

Step 5: Apply and Restart

Once you have configured the settings to your preference, apply the changes. In many cases, you’ll need to exit and restart your application or game for the overridden settings to take full effect.

Overriding with NVIDIA Profile Inspector

An alternative to the NVIDIA application is the NVIDIA Profile Inspector. This tool gives you deeper control over game-specific profiles and allows for fine-tuning. Here’s a summary of the steps:

Using NVIDIA Profile Inspector

Step 1: Launch the Tool

Open NVIDIA Profile Inspector and select the profile of the game you wish to adjust. This is particularly useful if the override settings require per-game customization.

Step 2: Locate DLSS-RR Settings

Navigate to settings section where DLSS settings are listed. Look for options similar to “DLSS-RR Override” or entries that reference DLSS presets.

Step 3: Update Preset Values

To override the DLSS-RR performance mode, enter the desired override values. For example, a preset value like \(0x00FFFFFF\) might be used depending on the desired configuration. Carefully check that the entries correspond to valid modes (Balanced, Performance, etc.).

Step 4: Save and Test

After updating the values, save your changes and exit the tool. Restart the game and evaluate the rendering performance and visual output. If visual glitches or performance drops occur, experiment with slightly adjusted presets until optimal balance is achieved.

Technical Details and Considerations

Understanding the AI Behind DLSS-RR

DLSS-RR works by leveraging transformer-based models to intelligently reconstruct ray-traced images in real-time. This sophisticated process enhances visuals while maintaining frame rates by:

Improving Temporal Stability: Ensures that rapid changes in the scene do not lead to ghosting effects.
Enhancing Detail: Better handles fine geometric details, especially under dynamic lighting conditions.
Optimizing Performance: Balances AI computation on tensor cores to maximize throughput.

Such algorithms are highly sensitive to input parameters. When overriding settings, the new values directly influence how these AI models interpret and enhance the rendered images.

Visual versus Performance Trade-offs

Overriding DLSS-RR puts you in a position to directly trade visual fidelity for additional performance or vice versa:

Image Quality Improvement: Overriding with a higher quality preset can yield crisper images with refined shadows and better ray-traced effects. However, this might increase the processing load on tensor cores and reduce overall FPS.
Optimized Frame Rates: Shifting to a performance preset lowers the computational burden, increasing FPS at the expense of some image quality. This trade-off is particularly useful in fast-paced gaming scenarios.

Balancing these aspects is crucial. It is advisable to experiment with small adjustments while monitoring the effective output via in-game performance metrics or using NVIDIA’s performance overlays.

Example Configuration and Code Sample

For developers integrating DLSS-RR into their applications, the process of setting performance modes can be done programmatically. Below is an example code snippet showing how to apply DLSS-RR options:


  // Example: Overriding DLSS-RR Settings in a Rendering Pipeline
  #include <slDLSSDOptions.h>
  
  int main() {
      // Initialize DLSS options structure
      sl::DLSSDOptions dlssdOptions = {};
      
      // Set the desired mode (Balanced in this example)
      dlssdOptions.mode = sl::eDLSSModeBalanced;
      
      // Set output dimensions (example resolution: 1920x1080)
      dlssdOptions.outputWidth = 1920;
      dlssdOptions.outputHeight = 1080;
      
      // Enable HDR processing
      dlssdOptions.colorBuffersHDR = sl::Boolean::eTrue;
      
      // Set presets for different performance modes:
      // For Balanced or Quality modes, typically use Preset E
      dlssdOptions.dlaaPreset = sl::DLSSDPreset::ePresetE;
      dlssdOptions.qualityPreset = sl::DLSSDPreset::ePresetE;
      dlssdOptions.balancedPreset = sl::DLSSDPreset::ePresetE;
      
      // For Ultra Performance, apply Preset B settings
      dlssdOptions.performancePreset = sl::DLSSDPreset::ePresetB;
      dlssdOptions.ultraPerformancePreset = sl::DLSSDPreset::ePresetB;
      
      // Apply the configuration to the viewport
      if(SL_FAILED(slDLSSDSetOptions(viewport, dlssdOptions))) {
          // Handle error conditions appropriately
      }
  
      // Continue with the rendering pipeline
      return 0;
  }

This code example illustrates the method to set various DLSS-RR performance and quality presets, enabling a tailored rendering pipeline based on the game’s or application’s requirements.

Practical Considerations and Best Practices

Monitoring and Adjustments

Whenever you override the default DLSS-RR settings, it is important to carefully monitor your system’s performance using benchmarks or in-game performance indicators:

Parameter	Recommended Settings	Impact
DLSS-RR Mode	Balanced or Performance	Adjusts AI reconstruction detail vs. processing load
Preset Values	Preset E for quality; Preset B for performance	Determines the quality of visual output
Frame Generation	Enabled or Disabled	Affects frame rate smoothing and input responsiveness

Regularly check for driver updates and documentation updates from NVIDIA as improvements and optimizations are continually made to these technologies.

User Experiences and Community Feedback

Many gamers and developers have shared their experiences while tweaking DLSS-RR settings. The community consensus suggests:

Experiment gradually: Small changes and thorough testing yield the best balance between visuals and performance.
Document your configurations: Recording successful settings across different game titles can help build a personal library of best practices.
Use built-in benchmarks: Tools provided by many games help assess the visual impact and performance cost of your adjustments.

References

Recommended Related Queries

How to balance DLSS quality and performance

DLSS Frame Generation impact on gaming

NVIDIA Profile Inspector tutorial

Optimization tips for ray tracing with DLSS