Cyberpunk 2077 DLSS 3 performance test: Performance gains, power draw, and more

The latest Cyberpunk 2077 patch added DLSS 3 to the title. The new temporal upscaling technology adds frame generation and super resolution to the game, which according to Nvidia, sets the platform for the upcoming RT: Overdrive mode.

The update is now available for download, and the feature has been integrated without major flaws or bugs destroying the experience.

DLSS 3 has been added to multiple titles fairly quickly. Earlier at CES, Nvidia announced that over 50 games already support the feature, with more titles in the pipeline. The company even called DLSS 3 its fastest mass-adopted technology to date.

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More details about Cyberpunk 2077's DLSS 3 mode and performance gains

Performance metrics with various Nvidia RTX video cards in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via Nvidia)

According to Nvidia, the new version of DLSS is a frame multiplier. The technology uses AI to insert frames between the two generated by the graphics card. This effectively increases the framerate by two to three times, depending on the intensity of the game.

The technology takes the load off the graphics card and CPU. This frees up computing power, resulting in a lower power draw. In our testing, we found surprising results in Cyberpunk, a game that ranks among the most intense titles on the market.

Commenting on the integration of the technology into the game, Jakub Knapik, Global Art Director at CD Projekt Red, said:

“Playing Cyberpunk 2077 with the AI-powered performance of NVIDIA DLSS 3 is the best way to access the stunning visuals the game has to offer — this technology helps us take a new step toward combining unconstrained visual fidelity with exceptional performance.”

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Performance gains

In our testing, we used the flagship RTX 4090 GPU from Nvidia. The card is the best option for 4K gaming at high refresh rates. However, in Cyberpunk, it barely hits 30 FPS at native resolution without upscaling.

With DLSS 2 enabled, the card could hit 70 FPS. However, there were noticeable shimmering and texture popping issues, and the experience was not close to ideal.

However, with the latest technology applied, the card could deliver over 120 FPS in the game, a testimony to the technological marvel of DLSS 3.

It is worth noting that DLSS Super Resolution (DSR) is an improved version of AI upscaling, the technology on which DLSS 2 relies. With just DSR applied, the game looked noticeably better, with almost a similar performance increase.

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Interesting power consumption trends were spotted in Cyberpunk 2077

With DLSS 3 applied, other anomalies were spotted in system usage. The RTX 4090 drew significantly less power while delivering almost four times higher framerates.

The power consumption characteristics are plotted in the interactive graph below. At native resolution, the RTX 4090 consumed close to 400 W.

However, with DLSS frame generation and Super Resolution applied, the power draw fell to less than 300 W, making the card much more power efficient.

Thus, the addition of the latest temporal upscaling technologies is a win-win for both the experience and efficiency of the system. Notably, Cyberpunk 2077 comes off as one of the most power-hungry and demanding games on the market.

The addition of the latest upscaling technologies opens up a new dimension in Cyberpunk 2077. The game hits over 4K 120 FPS with almost no noticeable changes in visual quality.