Modder Ports Nvidia DLSS 5 to AMD RDNA 4 GPUs

Mod developer danielblnc has successfully ported Nvidia DLSS 5 to AMD RDNA 4 graphics cards, demonstrating that the next-generation upscaling technology can operate on non-Nvidia hardware. The project, distributed as DLSS-NR-on-AMD, intercepts Nvidia NGX API calls to bypass GPU manufacturer restrictions and loads the DLSS 5 dynamic link library onto AMD silicon. Rather than relying on CUDA, the mod translates the neural network computations into mathematics compatible with AMD HIP RT backend, leveraging the game's existing FSR pipeline to process frame data through DLSS 5 artificial intelligence models. Initial testing on the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT yielded approximately 28 frames per second at 1080p resolution in Cyberpunk 2077. Subsequent patches have stabilized performance at 30 frames per second, representing a 12 percent improvement. The developer aims to eventually match the rendering performance of Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPUs, a benchmark considered achievable given the similar rasterization and ray tracing capabilities of both architectures. However, the workaround introduces significant computational overhead. DLSS 5 is fundamentally designed for Nvidia Tensor cores, and running the model on AMD dual-issue AI accelerators substantially increases processing demands, causing native frame rates to drop from over 80 frames per second to the current 30 frames per second. The closed-source utility operates exclusively through DirectX 12 and requires users to provide a legally obtained DLSS 5 DLL, typically sourced from NBA 2K27, the only title currently natively supporting the technology. Installation involves placing the executable and library in the game directory and selecting FSR 3 or 4 within the game settings. A custom overlay accessed via the End key allows real-time parameter adjustments for structure and tone, closely mimicking professional post-processing tools. The mod currently lacks compatibility with games utilizing anti-cheat systems and delivers suboptimal results on single-player titles lacking FSR support. While the project focuses on RDNA 4, the developer has confirmed ongoing experiments with RDNA 3 hardware. Support for the older RX 7000 series remains difficult due to the absence of native FP8 format support, which is critical for DLSS 5 efficiency. Meanwhile, Nvidia has confirmed that DLSS 5 will eventually receive official support for RTX 40-series GPUs, which feature native FP8 capabilities and dedicated Tensor cores. Industry observers note that Nvidia's continued optimization of the technology for its own hardware will likely improve the underlying algorithms, indirectly benefiting third-party implementations. The mod stands as a testament to the PC gaming modding community, bridging a temporary gap until cross-platform upscaling standards mature and hardware-specific dependencies are fully resolved.