How it works
Upscaling renders at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs a display-sized output. Some techniques use motion information and earlier frames to recover detail. DLSS and FSR are feature families, so a familiar mode name does not establish the exact algorithm or hardware requirements in every game.
Important differences and limits
Upscaling differs from frame generation, which adds intermediate output frames. A higher displayed count does not necessarily mean faster simulation or lower input latency. Fine moving details, transparent effects and newly uncovered areas can reveal reconstruction artifacts even when a still image appears sharp.
A useful practical check
Keep display output at native resolution and compare a quality-oriented mode with native rendering. Watch hair, foliage, text and camera pans instead of only the FPS counter. Check the game’s individual options and supported hardware. Choose the balance that improves responsiveness without distracting image defects.
An example in practice
For example, read a moving sign at the same output resolution in two modes. Compare legibility during a camera pan and after stopping. A mode that looks excellent when stationary can still lose important detail while you are actually playing. Also test fine detail against a moving background; newly exposed surfaces can behave differently from detail that remains continuously visible.