DLSS 3 can't make up for a terrible CPU-GPU combination
A lame processor slows down a powerful graphics card, even at higher resolutions such as 1440p. You may be thinking that upscaling technologies of modern graphics cards can counteract this. A Youtuber asked himself the same question and tried it out.
The YouTube channel RandomGaminginHD is designed to test hardware for budget gamers. In between, components that do not fit together at all are also tested. In the latest video, these are an Intel Pentium Gold G7400 and an RTX 4070, both of which are newer components. The RTX 4070 has only just been released. The dual-core CPU with four threads and 3.7 gigahertz clock speed was released last year. They are a mismatched pair and it goes without saying that the slower CPU slows down the faster GPU. The Youtuber tested whether Nvidia's DLSS-3 upscaling technology can help.
Simply put, DLSS 3 uses artificial intelligence to increase the frame rate in games by inserting artificially generated frames in between. RandomGaminginHD tests this CPU-GPU configuration in various games. It works reasonably well in "Cyberpunk 2077". The frame rate averages 70 frames per second (FPS) in 1440p resolution, with DLSS 3 enabled and the "Balanced" setting in overdrive mode. However, the game is constantly jerky because the frame time cannot always be maintained. Sometimes it is only 30 FPS. The CPU is responsible for this. In short: "Cyberpunk 2077" does not run smoothly. The situation is similar in "Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered".
The Witcher 3 runs even less smoothly. With DLSS 3 activated, the "Balanced" setting in the "RT-Ultra" preset in 1440p resolution, an average of 55 FPS is possible. The game stutters noticeably. In between, the frame rate drops to three FPS and is therefore unplayable.
RandomGaminginHD comes to the conclusion that it is impressive how DLSS 3 increases the average frame rate. However, due to the poor frametime, i.e. the stutters, modern games are not playable even with DLSS 3 in such a poor CPU-GPU combination.
The Pentium processor is simply not made for gaming. RandomGaminginHD therefore raises the question of whether DLSS 3 at least works better with an older gaming CPU, such as an i7-2700K from 2011.
I can very well imagine that DLSS 3 harmonises better with an older CPU that is suitable for gaming than with the Pentium. The two more cores should also help the i7-2700K. And Anthony from Linus Tech Tips has shown in this video that older gaming CPUs are not that much worse than newer ones. However, combining a lame CPU with a fast GPU is certainly still not a solution. DLSS 3 does nothing to change this.
Cover image: Screenshot Youtube / RandomGaminginHD
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