Start with a supported upscaler in a quality-oriented mode, then tune individual ray-traced effects in the game you play. Upscaling can reconstruct a higher-resolution output from fewer rendered pixels; changing ray-tracing effects one at a time helps you preserve the visual features you care about. Neither approach guarantees the same result in every game or on every GPU, so compare changes in the same representative scene.
Why ray tracing can cost more at higher resolutions
Rendering more pixels generally means more work, including for ray-traced effects. NVIDIA’s 2019 Control Graphics and Performance Guide notes that 2560×1440 has 77% more pixels than 1920×1080. That is a pixel-count comparison, not a prediction of how many frames per second you will lose: the performance cost depends on the game, its ray-tracing implementation, and your hardware.
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NVIDIA’s guide explains that real-time ray tracing uses rays to calculate lighting effects, but implementations differ. Treat resolution as a useful place to investigate, not as a complete explanation of performance in every title.
Try upscaling before reducing several settings
DLSS Super Resolution and AMD FSR upscaling render the game internally at a lower resolution and reconstruct an output at your display resolution. In a supported game, this can reduce the number of pixels the GPU must render while retaining a higher-resolution output. Image quality and performance vary with the implementation, selected mode, and hardware. Check the game’s current menu and the vendor’s compatibility information: NVIDIA DLSS documentation and AMD FSR documentation.
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Choose a quality-oriented mode first
If several upscaling modes are available, start with the one that prioritizes image quality. If performance remains below your target, compare a more performance-oriented mode. NVIDIA’s 2020 Fortnite guide recommended Quality at 1920×1080, Balanced at 2560×1440, and Performance at 4K for that game. Those dated, game-specific recommendations are an example—not a current rule for other games.
Compare moving fine detail, foliage, thin geometry, reflections, and ghosting, not only average smoothness. Upscaler behavior varies by title, so a mode’s label alone cannot tell you whether its image will suit you.
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Understand DLAA and render-resolution scaling
DLAA uses DLSS technology for anti-aliasing at native resolution; it is not a lower-resolution rendering mode intended to improve performance. If the game instead offers render-resolution scaling, reducing that value lowers the graphics rendering resolution while keeping the interface at native display resolution, according to NVIDIA’s Control guide. A lower internal resolution may cost image detail, so compare it directly with the available upscaler modes.
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NVIDIA describes Ray Reconstruction as an AI reconstruction feature that replaces hand-tuned denoisers in supported DLSS implementations and generates higher-quality pixels between sampled rays. It is not a universal setting or a compatibility guarantee; use it only if the game exposes it and your setup supports it. Feature availability and behavior can change with game and driver updates.
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Tune ray-traced effects in the game you play
When a game offers separate ray-tracing controls, lower one effect at a time and inspect scenes where that effect is visible. Control, for example, offers options including reflections, transparent reflections, contact shadows, indirect diffuse lighting, and debris. The best visual-quality-to-performance trade-off depends on the effect, scene, and game; the available evidence does not establish one setting that should always be reduced first.
Keep changes that meet your performance target without removing visual details you value. If an effect is important in the places you play most, test other available effects or upscaling modes before sacrificing it.
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Use frame generation as a separate option
Frame generation creates additional displayed frames between rendered frames; it does not mean the game is rendering every displayed frame natively. AMD’s FSR 3 documentation describes inserting one frame between existing frames in supported games. It can change displayed frame rate and perceived smoothness, but it is distinct from reducing the work required to render each original frame.
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A repeatable way to compare settings
- Record your baseline. Note the display resolution, ray-tracing options, upscaler and mode, and performance in a representative scene.
- Enable a supported upscaler. Begin with its quality-oriented mode and inspect the same scene, including moving details and reflections.
- Compare a faster mode if needed. If performance is still short, test a more performance-oriented upscaling mode or a lower render resolution.
- Change ray-tracing options individually. Compare the visible contribution and performance of one effect at a time in scenes where it matters.
- Test frame generation separately. Use it only if supported, and avoid enabling competing frame-generation features together.
- Recheck after updates. Game or driver updates can change feature support, names, and reconstruction behavior.
Use the same scene and settings for each comparison so the changes are easier to judge. This is a practical comparison method, not a guarantee that one scene represents every part of a game.
What published performance figures can—and cannot—tell you
NVIDIA’s 2019 Control guide reported gains of up to 89% for its higher-fidelity DLSS mode and up to 197% for lower-resolution performance modes under heavy GPU load in its tested Control configurations. These are historical, vendor-reported results for that game and test setup, not expected gains for your hardware or another title. The same guide’s 77% figure compares pixel counts at two resolutions; it is not an FPS benchmark.
Because the right balance depends on your game, GPU, resolution, and visual preferences, no universal settings order can promise unchanged image quality. Start with supported reconstruction features, then make controlled, game-specific adjustments.
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