Feeling frustrated that your shiny RTX 40-series GPU can't flex its frame-generation muscles in your favorite older or unsupported games? Nvidia just handed power users a potential game-changer. Buried in a new Shader Model 6.9 Preview Driver, the company has quietly enabled its AI-powered frame generation technology for titles beyond the official DLSS 3 roster.
Dubbed "Smooth Motion Frame Generation" in the driver notes, this experimental feature bypasses the need for explicit game integration. Instead, it works its magic at the driver level, analyzing consecutive frames rendered by your GPU and intelligently inserting AI-generated frames in between. The result? Smoother gameplay and potentially massive frame rate boosts where you least expect them.
Early adopters and tech reviewers are already putting it through its paces. Initial testing shows significant gains, with some titles seeing frame rate jumps of up to 44%. Imagine playing mod-heavy Skyrim, indie darlings, or older AAA titles suddenly feeling buttery smooth. Our friends at PC Gamer documented some impressive real-world gains in their initial tests, showcasing the driver's transformative potential.
Here’s the catch (and it’s important):
- It’s Preview Territory: This is not a stable Game Ready Driver. Downloaded directly from Nvidia's developer portal, it's labeled explicitly as a "Preview" for testing and feedback. Expect potential bugs, glitches, or instability.
- RTX 40 Series Exclusive: The tech leverages the dedicated "Optical Flow Accelerator" hardware core present only in RTX 40-series (Ada Lovelace) GPUs. Older RTX cards need not apply.
- Manual Setup Required: Enabling it isn’t a one-click affair. Users need to manually activate the "Smooth Motion Frame Generation" option within the Nvidia Control Panel's "Manage 3D Settings" for each desired application. Tinkering is involved.
- Not Magic (Yet): Results will vary wildly between games. Fast-paced scenes or complex UI elements might exhibit visual artifacts like ghosting or tearing. It’s fundamentally different from the deep game integration of official DLSS 3 Frame Generation.
The discovery, initially spotted by sharp-eyed users, quickly gained traction. Videocardz provided an early breakdown of the driver's features, while the Guru3D forums became a hive of activity as enthusiasts shared installation tips, compatibility findings, and performance results across diverse titles.
Where to Get It (Proceed with Caution):
The preview driver (version 590.10) is available right now, but only for the brave. You can grab it directly from:
👉 NVIDIA Developer Website: Shader Model 6.9 Preview Driver Download
The Big Picture:
This move signals Nvidia's aggressive push to leverage its RTX 40-series hardware advantage. By decoupling frame generation from strict game support, they’re offering early adopters a tantalizing glimpse of a future where AI-enhanced fluidity could become a near-universal graphics setting. While it’s absolutely not a polished replacement for native DLSS 3 yet, the potential is enormous. If refined and eventually rolled into mainstream drivers, this could democratize high frame rates for countless games overnight.
For RTX 40-series owners comfortable with beta software, the power to experiment is now in your hands. Just remember: backup your stable drivers first, and expect a few bumps on this cutting-edge road.
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