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| Nvidia's DLSS 4.5 shines on the latest RTX 50 series cards. |
In the high-stakes world of PC gaming, the debate over which upscaling technology reigns supreme has just been settled—at least for now. In a massive community blind test conducted by the renowned German publication ComputerBase, NVIDIA’s latest iteration, DLSS 4.5, went head-to-head against AMD’s FSR 4 and native rendering. With over 6,500 gamers casting their votes without knowing which image was which, the results are in, and they are overwhelmingly in favor of the green team.
The verdict? Gamers can visually spot the difference, and they prefer NVIDIA’s upscaling algorithm by a landslide.
DLSS 4.5 Dominates the Taste Test
The scale of this experiment was impressive. ComputerBase put a variety of modern titles through the wringer, including graphically demanding hits like Cyberpunk 2077, The Last of Us Part II, Anno 117, and ARC Raider. Participants viewed the footage at the "Quality" preset in 4K resolution and selected the image they found most visually appealing.
When the results were tallied, the gap between the competitors was staggering. Here is how the votes broke down:
- NVIDIA DLSS 4.5: 3,249 votes (48.2%)
- Native Rendering: 1,619 votes (24%)
- AMD FSR 4: 1,013 votes (15%)
- Nearly Equivalent: 866 votes (12.8%)
The data tells a compelling story. DLSS 4.5 amassed more than three times the votes of AMD’s FSR 4. Even more surprising for purists, NVIDIA’s upscaling technology was preferred nearly 2-to-1 over native resolution rendering.
The "Transformer" Engine Under the Hood
While some might argue that the visual upgrades from DLSS 4.0 to DLSS 4.5 aren't as radical a jump as the leap from DLSS 3.0 to 4.0, the results of this blind test prove that the cumulative improvements are undeniable. As ComputerBase noted, NVIDIA’s second-generation transformer model is clearly showing its might in real-world scenarios.
DLSS 4.5 appears to be handling fine detail, temporal stability, and anti-aliasing better than its predecessor, resulting in an image that the majority of gamers found more pleasing to the eye than even the unadulterated native output.
Reading the Fine Print: What This Test Really Means
However, it is crucial to interpret these results accurately. While this is a massive win for NVIDIA, ComputerBase is careful to point out that this survey does not "slam" AMD. The data reflects a preference poll, not a defect list. Stating that "FSR is worse than native" based on these numbers alone would be a misinterpretation of the data.
FSR 4 still holds its own in the upscaling market, particularly due to its hardware-agnostic nature. However, in a direct, blinded comparison focused purely on image quality, there is no denying that DLSS 4.5 has the upper hand.
For those looking to experience this transformative upscaling technology firsthand, you can currently find the Gigabyte RTX 5070 Windforce available on Amazon for $650.
The Verdict
The ComputerBase blind test serves as a powerful testament to NVIDIA’s current leadership in the upscaling space. As resolution targets increase and frame rates become paramount, the quality of the reconstruction algorithm matters more than ever. And right now, the community has spoken: DLSS 4.5 is the king of the hill.
Source: ComputerBase Blind Test Analysis
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| The results of the blind test are quite promising for the green camp. |