DragonSword DLSS & FSR Guide – Upscaling for Better FPS

Upscaling technology is one of the most powerful tools available for improving performance in DragonSword: Awakening. Both NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and AMD FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) render the game at a lower internal resolution and then use sophisticated algorithms to upscale the image to your display resolution. The result is a frame rate increase of 25-60% with a visual quality level that, at the right settings, is nearly indistinguishable from native resolution. For UE5 open-world games like DragonSword: Awakening, upscaling is often the single most impactful performance optimization you can enable.

This guide explains how both DLSS and FSR work, compares their quality and performance at each setting tier, and provides specific recommendations for DragonSword: Awakening based on GPU type and target resolution. Whether you are running an RTX 3060 at 1080p or an RTX 4070 at 1440p, this guide helps you choose the right upscaling mode for the best balance of frame rate and visual quality.

How Upscaling Works: DLSS and FSR Explained

Upscaling technology renders the game at a lower resolution than your display resolution and then uses an algorithm to reconstruct the image at the full resolution. For example, if you are playing at 1080p with DLSS Quality mode, the game actually renders at approximately 720p internally and then DLSS uses a trained neural network to upscale the 720p image to 1080p. The performance cost of rendering at 720p is dramatically lower than rendering at 1080p, but the upscaled image looks much closer to native 1080p than a simple bilinear upscale would achieve.

NVIDIA DLSS

DLSS is NVIDIA's proprietary upscaling technology available only on RTX-series GPUs (RTX 2060 and newer). It uses a neural network trained on high-quality reference images to reconstruct detail that is lost at the lower internal resolution. DLSS is particularly effective at preserving fine details like hair, foliage, and text, which are the elements most likely to look blurry with simpler upscaling methods.

DLSS has several quality modes, each corresponding to a different internal resolution:

The "Quality" mode provides the best visual fidelity with a meaningful frame rate increase. As you move down the list, frame rates increase but visual quality decreases. At 1080p, "Ultra Performance" renders at only 360p internally, which is too low for the neural network to reconstruct convincingly — visible blurring and artifacting make this mode undesirable for most players.

AMD FSR 2

FSR 2 is AMD's open upscaling technology that works on virtually all modern GPUs, not just AMD cards. It uses a temporal algorithm (similar to DLSS but without neural network training) that analyzes multiple frames of data to reconstruct detail. FSR 2 produces excellent results that are competitive with DLSS at the same internal resolution, though DLSS typically maintains a slight edge in fine detail preservation.

FSR 2 has the same quality modes as DLSS with the same internal resolution ratios. The key difference is that FSR 2 works on NVIDIA and Intel GPUs as well, making it the go-to option for players with GTX 16-series or GTX 10-series cards that do not support DLSS.

DLSS vs FSR: Which Should You Use?

If you have an RTX GPU, use DLSS. The neural network-based approach produces slightly better image quality than FSR 2 at the same internal resolution, particularly in motion. If you have a non-RTX NVIDIA GPU or an AMD GPU, use FSR 2. Both technologies provide similar performance gains at equivalent quality modes, so the choice is largely determined by GPU compatibility.

DLSS vs FSR Feature Comparison

For the baseline hardware recommendations, see our system requirements guide.

Best DLSS Settings for DragonSword: Awakening

The optimal DLSS mode depends on your display resolution and target frame rate. The following recommendations are based on testing of DragonSword: Awakening on common GPU configurations.

Recommended DLSS/FSR Settings by GPU and Resolution

1080p (RTX 3060 / RTX 3060 Ti)

At 1080p, DLSS Quality is the recommended mode. This renders at approximately 720p internally and provides a 25-35% frame rate boost, which typically pushes the RTX 3060 from 45-55 FPS to 60-70 FPS at high settings. The visual quality is very close to native 1080p, with only minimal softness on distant foliage and fine textures.

DLSS Balanced is also viable at 1080p if you need more performance, providing a 35-45% boost. The visual quality loss is noticeable — distant objects look softer and there is minor shimmering during camera movement — but the trade-off is reasonable if you prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity.

Avoid DLSS Performance and Ultra Performance at 1080p. The internal resolution drops too low (540p and 360p respectively), and the neural network cannot reconstruct convincing detail from such a low base. The resulting image is significantly blurrier than native, which defeats the purpose of playing on a 1080p display.

1440p (RTX 3070 / RTX 4070)

At 1440p, DLSS Quality is again the best default choice, providing 25-35% more FPS while rendering at approximately 960p internally. The higher base resolution at 1440p means the internal resolution even at Quality mode is higher than native 1080p, so the upscaled image looks excellent.

If you are targeting 120+ FPS on a high-refresh monitor, DLSS Balanced provides the additional headroom needed. At 1440p, Balanced mode renders at approximately 835p, which still provides enough detail for the neural network to produce a high-quality upscale. The visual quality loss compared to Quality mode is minimal at 1440p, making Balanced a good choice for competitive-minded players.

4K (RTX 4070 Ti / RTX 4080)

At 4K, DLSS Quality renders at approximately 1440p internally, which is a substantial resolution that the neural network can reconstruct beautifully. The frame rate improvement of 25-35% is often the difference between unplayable and smooth at 4K. DLSS Balanced at 4K renders at approximately 1080p, which still produces excellent results because the base resolution is high.

At 4K, even DLSS Performance mode (rendering at 1080p) produces acceptable results because 1080p contains significantly more detail than 720p or 540p. This makes 4K the resolution where you have the most flexibility to use lower DLSS modes without unacceptable quality loss.

Best FSR 2 Settings for DragonSword: Awakening

FSR 2 quality modes use the same internal resolution ratios as DLSS, so the same principles apply. The following recommendations are for non-RTX GPU configurations.

1080p (GTX 1660 / RX 5600 XT)

At 1080p on minimum-spec hardware, FSR 2 Quality is the recommended mode. This renders at approximately 720p and provides a 25-35% frame rate boost, which can push the GTX 1660 from 25-35 FPS to 35-50 FPS. While this does not reach 60 FPS, it represents a meaningful improvement over running at native resolution.

FSR 2 Balanced may be necessary on minimum-spec hardware to achieve playable frame rates. At 58% internal resolution (approximately 626p), the visual quality loss is more noticeable than DLSS Balanced, but the additional 10% frame rate improvement can be the difference between unplayable and playable on low-end hardware.

1080p (RX 6600 XT)

On the recommended-spec AMD GPU, FSR 2 Quality provides 50-60 FPS at 1080p with high settings, which is a comfortable experience. FSR 2 Balanced pushes this to 60+ FPS if you want a smoother experience. The RX 6600 XT has enough power that FSR Quality is usually sufficient without needing to drop to Balanced.

Additional Upscaling Considerations

DLSS Frame Generation (RTX 40-Series Only)

DLSS 3 Frame Generation is a separate feature from DLSS Super Resolution that generates entirely new frames between rendered frames using optical flow analysis. This can double frame rates in some scenarios. As of DragonSword: Awakening's launch, Frame Generation support has not been officially confirmed but may be added in a future patch. If enabled, Frame Generation is best used for high-refresh-rate displays (120Hz+) where the additional frames are most beneficial. It introduces a small amount of input lag, which makes it less ideal for competitive or timing-sensitive gameplay.

FSR 2 Sharpening

FSR 2 includes a built-in RCAS (Robust Contrast-Adaptive Sharpening) pass that can be adjusted. Increasing the sharpening slider compensates for the softness inherent in upscaling, but excessive sharpening introduces halos and artificial edge emphasis. The default sharpening value in DragonSword: Awakening is well-tuned, but if you feel the image is too soft, increasing the sharpening slider by 10-15% typically provides a visible improvement without introducing artifacts.

VSync and Frame Rate Targets

When using DLSS or FSR, disable in-game VSync and use a frame rate target instead. VSync introduces input lag that can make tag combo timing more difficult. Instead, cap your frame rate slightly below your monitor's refresh rate (e.g., 58 FPS on a 60Hz display) to eliminate tearing without the input lag penalty of VSync. This technique, combined with upscaling, provides the smoothest gameplay experience.

FAQ

Does DLSS or FSR make the game look worse?

Both technologies produce an image that is close to but not identical to native resolution. At Quality mode on 1080p or higher, the visual difference is minimal and most players cannot distinguish upscaled from native during normal gameplay. At Performance or Ultra Performance modes, the image becomes noticeably softer and may exhibit minor shimmering during camera movement. The trade-off is always between frame rate and visual fidelity — choose the mode that best fits your priorities. For more on balancing performance and visuals, see our PC performance guide.

Can I use FSR 2 on an NVIDIA RTX GPU?

Yes, FSR 2 is GPU-vendor-agnostic and works on any modern GPU. However, if you have an RTX card, DLSS is the better choice because it produces slightly higher image quality at the same performance level. FSR 2 is primarily for players with non-RTX NVIDIA cards or AMD cards.

Does upscaling affect input lag?

DLSS and FSR 2 Super Resolution do not meaningfully increase input lag — the frame generation and upscaling process adds less than 1ms of latency, which is imperceptible. DLSS 3 Frame Generation does add some input lag because the displayed frames are interpolated rather than directly rendered, but this lag is typically 5-10ms, which is noticeable only in very timing-sensitive scenarios.

Should I use upscaling even if I get 60 FPS without it?

Yes, enabling upscaling at Quality mode even when you are already at 60 FPS provides headroom for frame rate drops during demanding scenes. UE5 open-world games commonly experience 15-20% frame rate dips during area transitions or combat with heavy particle effects. Having the extra headroom from DLSS/FSR means these dips do not push you below 60 FPS. Alternatively, you can increase visual quality settings (Lumen, shadows) while using upscaling to maintain 60 FPS with better graphics.

Will Hound13 add more upscaling options in future updates?

Hound13 may add DLSS 3 Frame Generation support and potentially Intel XeSS (another upscaling technology) in future patches. The game's UE5 framework supports all major upscaling technologies, and adding them is primarily a development time decision rather than a technical limitation. Check our patch notes guide for the latest update information.