Dynamic super-resolution (DSR) is a feature of the GeForce Experience software that uses your graphics card to render games at resolutions higher than your monitor’s native display.
It can improve visual fidelity, but it also taxes your system more heavily and may not work on some older GPUs.
What is Dynamic Super Resolution?
Dynamic Super Resolution is a super-sampling technique that has been available on PCs with Maxwell and Pascal GPUs for a few years. It works by rendering the game higher and then scaling it down to the monitor’s actual resolution.
DSR enhances any game that supports resolutions above 1920×1080.
How to Turn Off Dynamic Super Resolution
First, let’s look at how to enable DSR; you would follow the same process when you decide to turn it off.
Go to the 3D section of the Nvidia control panel. You can find the control panel using your PC search bar or through the settings on your computer.
When you’re in the control panel, locate manage 3D settings and then DSR factors. DSR factors should be off by default. Click on it and select the appropriate multiplier that you need. The maximum should be 4.00x – that means you will get 4x the native resolution of your computer when you play games.
If you decide to disable DSR, get back to this page and deselect the multiplier option you initially selected. You should now render your games in the default resolution of your system.
Why Would You Want to Turn off Dynamic Super Resolution?
Dynamic super-resolution can be taxing on your system. As you increase the multiplier, it will require more GPU processing cycles, which may cause a decrease in framerates.
Higher resolutions can result in lower framerates, and your system may not be able to support DSR at certain settings without lowering the resolution below 1080p.
DSR is also available through GeForce Experience, so if you want complete control over what games use it and which ones don’t, this method might not be a good option.
If your game does not support higher resolutions, DSR will cause the game to either stretch or render with black bars on the top and bottom. Dynamic super-resolution is best used when games are compatible or if you’re willing to reduce in-game settings slightly.
Does Dynamic Super Resolution Affect Performance?
Dynamic super-resolution does affect performance, and there is no universal answer as to how much it will impact your system.
The best way to find out is to test it yourself in your own game. If you notice a significant increase in framerate with DSR, then go ahead and enable the feature when playing that particular game.
If not, turn off dynamic super-resolution for better performance or lower risk of crashing. This applies mostly to older GPUs like Kepler generation cards (GeForce 600/700/800/900 series) and some Maxwell GPUs (GeForce GTX 750).
If you want to use DSR in your games, ensure that the game supports resolutions above 1080p. The game should also support resolutions greater than 100% scaling. For example, if you’re running a 1920×1080 monitor and playing an older game that only supports resolutions up to 130 percent, this will cause the game to stretch or render with black bars.
You can read more about dynamic super-resolution at the GeForce website.
Conclusion
Dynamic super-resolution is a great way to increase visual fidelity in supported games. It works best with older GPUs that aren’t as powerful and will improve performance across the board.
It’s also a great way to see how games are supposed to look on higher resolutions screens, even if you’re stuck on a 1080p monitor.
Dynamic super-resolution can tax your system depending on the amount of DSR you’re using and what games support it. If not, turn off dynamic super-resolution for better performance or lower risk of crashing.
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