Since introducing its RTX 50-series GPUs, Nvidia changed the landscape of modern PC gaming with DLSS 4 and its Multi Frame Generation technology. Upscaled resolution and smoother frame rates with minimal downsides is an impressive feat. But a $7 frame generation app on Steam does the same thing.
Thanks to Lossless Scaling, just about anyone can boost their PC game performance with higher frame rates and improved image quality. Over the years, it's become a powerful tool that gives virtually any rig, whether that be one of the best gaming laptops or best PC gaming handhelds, a substantial upgrade.
Lossless Scaling vs Nvidia DLSS 4
Using an RTX 5070 GPU in a Quoted Tech gaming PC, I tested out three different titles that would make full use of developer THS and Nvidia's game-enhancing tech. This includes Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield 6 and Black Myth: Wukong — all demanding titles that eat up resources, especially at 4K resolution with settings maxed out.
Running benchmarks for native, DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation x4 and Lossless Scaling in Fixed Mode at x4, you can check out the results below.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Native | DLSS 4 (x4) | Lossless Scaling (Fixed Mode x4, LS1) |
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic) | 31 | 107 | 109 |
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra) | 14 | 56 | 56 |
Battlefield 6 (Ultra) | 55 | 216 | 214 |
That's right. Since Lossless Scaling offers frame rates at x4 (and now more with LSFG 3.1), it can match the extra frames for every frame your PC actually draws and renders on-screen. In fact, in Adaptive mode, you can put in a specific number of frames you want to target, and Lossless Scaling will do it's best to match it. Sure, most frames are generated in this mode, but it shows how customizable the app has become.
With this being the case, it's not a matter of how many frames per second each frame generation technology can hit, but how each tool handles and presents these frames on screen.
A matter of visuals
Using AI trickery to generate frames is enticing, but only if the game actually looks any good. The larger the multiplier used in DLSS 4 or Lossless Scaling, the more "AI" frames that are used for every "real" frame of gameplay your PC renders. Essentially, that means "fake" frames.
When waving around the Destined One's staff in Black Myth: Wukong or watching grass sway in the breeze, I could see a noticeable blur and after-images of everything that moved. Plus, dodging felt a tad off.
Depending on how good the frame boosting tech is, this can lead to ghosting, object flickering, border artifacts, and an overall loss in visual quality and responsiveness. That last one is important, as it results in input lag, and there's nothing worse than nailing movements down to a tee in games like Elden Ring, only for an input delay to have a boss completely wreck you.
Well, all of this was far more apparent when using Lossless Scaling. Don't get me wrong, it's improved over the years, but when using Adaptive mode to try and hit 200 FPS (THS notes that quality and performance may be lower here) or x4 frame generation in Fixed mode, there was noticeable object ghosting and slight input lag.
For example, when waving around the Destined One's staff in Black Myth: Wukong or watching grass sway in the breeze, I could see a noticeable blur and after-images of everything that moved. Plus, dodging felt a tad off, and I wouldn't want to lose out on a well-timed Perfect Dodge.
Now, with the base frame rate being incredibly low at 4K, which results in more visual artifacts and even worse input lag, I dropped down to 1440p resolution and had a much better time. However, not nearly as clear and detailed as what DLSS 4 offers.
There's a key reason for this, and that's due to Nvidia's DLSS 4 relying on motion vectors, per-pixel data showing how far a pixel has moved from a previous frame. In games that support DLSS, the tool has access to the game's data to gather a better picture of delivering accurate AI frame generation. On the opposite side, Lossless Scaling is a post-production app that doesn't have access to this data, and solely relies on AI to guess frames (albeit fairly well for what it is).
So, of course DLSS 4 will offer cleaner, smoother gameplay with minimal input lag. And it's the same for AMD's FSR and Intel's XeSS upscaling and frame generation tech. Well, only for PC games that support it, as Lossless Scaling doesn't have that problem — and that's how it truly shines.
Lossless Scaling for all
Nvidia's list of PC games that support DLSS 4 is growing, with each new major release adding to its pile. But Steam has just about 30,000 titles on its platform, and a vast majority of them don't have any support for DLSS.
What they do support is Lossless Scaling. Just boot it up, customize the frame rates and scaling you're after, hit "Scale" and enter your game of choice. That isn't just a boon for classic hits or indie titles that could use a boost, but also a huge advantage to gamers with entry-level gaming laptops or PCs that aren't equipped with pricey RTX 50-series GPUs. I mean, you can even get it working on a Steam Deck.
Tinkering with the app will give you a good sense of how well its frame generation will perform, but using Fixed mode with LSFG at x2 will double your frame rates while still keeping ghosting, flickering and input lag to a minimum. After some fine-tuning, your gameplay will get an immediate upgrade.
Again, all this for under $10? It's amazing frame gen software at an affordable price, and it counts as one of the many Steam utility apps any PC gamer can make use of in their library.
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