Latest GPU Driver Expands Frame Generation: What Changes
The short version
- What changed: NVIDIA's app-level DLSS Override now lets you force the newer DLSS 4.5 frame-generation model — including Multi Frame Generation — in a growing list of supported games, without waiting for a patch.
- Who gets it: Multi Frame Generation needs a GeForce RTX 50 card; single frame generation still works on RTX 40. AMD has a driver-level equivalent in AFMF 2.
- The trade-off: frame gen raises the on-screen fps number but adds input latency versus the same base framerate. Pair it with Reflex and only enable it above ~55–60 fps base.
- Buyer takeaway: free upgrade if you own a recent card; not a reason to buy or skip one. Judge GPUs on native and upscaled framerates, not frame-gen counters.
The latest driver and NVIDIA app update widen where you can turn on frame generation. Through "DLSS Override – Model Presets" in the NVIDIA app, you can push the DLSS 4.5 frame-generation model — including Multi Frame Generation, which inserts up to three AI frames per rendered frame — into supported titles globally or per game, without waiting for a developer patch. DLSS 4 is now in 250-plus games and apps. This is a support-and-features change, not new hardware.
What is confirmed
- DLSS 4.5 was announced at CES 2026; its Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and 6X mode shipped March 31, 2026, per NVIDIA's release notes.
- App-level override: the NVIDIA app's DLSS Override lets you swap frame-generation presets and enable the feature in games that support the override, without an in-game toggle.
- Card requirements: Multi Frame Generation (2x–6x) is GeForce RTX 50-series only; the original single generated frame is supported on RTX 40-series. Base upscaling (Super Resolution) goes back to RTX 20-series.
- AMD: AMD Software: Adrenalin offers driver-level frame generation via AFMF 2, which works in most DirectX and Vulkan games on Radeon RX 6000 and newer.
The latency and image-quality trade-off, plainly
Direct answer: frame generation makes motion look smoother and inflates the fps readout, but it does not make the game feel more responsive — it feels slightly worse than the base framerate because generated frames add a small delay and carry no new input.
- Latency: always enable NVIDIA Reflex (or Reflex 2) alongside it. Reflex claws back much of the added latency, but the result is still a touch behind the same fps rendered natively.
- Base framerate floor: keep the real, pre-generation framerate at roughly 55–60 fps or higher. Below that, latency and artifacts become obvious and the smoothing is not worth it.
- Artifacts and VRAM: expect occasional shimmer on HUD elements, text and fast disocclusion; the DLSS 4.5 transformer model reduces but does not remove it. Frame generation also adds a small VRAM cost, which matters on 8GB cards at high settings.
How to enable it
- Update to the latest Game Ready or Studio driver and the current NVIDIA app.
- In the NVIDIA app, open Graphics, pick a game or Global settings, and find DLSS Override – Model Presets.
- Set the Frame Generation dropdown to the latest preset; choose a Multi Frame Generation multiplier (2x/3x/4x) if you are on an RTX 50 card.
- Turn on Reflex in the game. Cap fps a few percent below your monitor's refresh rate to stay in the variable-refresh window.
- On Radeon, enable AFMF 2 in AMD Software and use in-game FSR frame generation where offered.
What it means for buyers
Direct answer: if you already own an RTX 40, RTX 50 or a recent Radeon card, this is a free update — install it and try the override in a game you already run above 60 fps. It is not, on its own, a reason to buy a particular GPU or to skip one.
- Shopping for a card: treat any "up to Nx frames" or Multi Frame Generation fps figure as vendor-supplied marketing. Compare cards on native and upscaled framerates instead — our best GPUs for 1440p gaming and RTX 5070 review use rendered framerates, not generated ones.
- On a budget card at 1080p: frame gen is least useful here, because you are most likely to be below the ~60 fps base floor where it works well.
- Pricing context: this changes nothing about GPU value math — see the 2026 GPU prices report.
Should you turn it on?
Yes if your real framerate is already 60 fps or higher and you want smoother motion on a high-refresh display — with Reflex on. No if you are using it to rescue a sub-50 fps game; fix settings, resolution or upscaling first. Ignore frame-gen fps claims when choosing which card to buy.
Feature status as of September 10, 2026, from NVIDIA and AMD documentation. Any performance multipliers referenced are vendor-supplied. No affiliate links.
Sources
- NVIDIA GeForce — DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation release notes — primary (vendor release notes).
- NVIDIA GeForce — CES 2026: DLSS 4.5 and 250+ supported games — primary (vendor newsroom).
- AMD — Adrenalin software (AFMF 2 fluid motion frames) — primary (vendor documentation).
Emily covers hardware launches, pricing, drivers and platform roadmaps for SetupLevel, always with a primary source and a note on what it means for your next purchase.