We tested unofficial DLSS Multi Frame Generation support on RTX 40-series GPUs

Breaking the Blackwell exclusivity

Following the discovery of DLSS 5 DLL files in pre-release versions of NBA 2K27, a modder known as dashdogy has developed a way to enable Multi Frame Generation on existing hardware. This development is particularly significant for users looking to extend the lifecycle of their RTX 40-series hardware as GPU prices continue to rise and hardware upgrade cycles lengthen.

The mod essentially bypasses the architectural restrictions intended to keep MFG exclusive to the Blackwell architecture. While the feature was heavily touted by NVIDIA as a next-generation exclusive, testing suggests there is no fundamental hardware reason why it cannot function on Ada Lovelace silicon.

Testing Multi Frame Generation on Ada Lovelace

To verify the effectiveness of the mod, Tom's Hardware tested the implementation in Cyberpunk 2077. The testing environment utilized a heavy graphical load, combining DLSS Super Resolution, DLSS Ray Reconstruction, and Path Tracing, alongside the modded MFG 4X setting. Even under these extreme conditions, the performance gains were clearly visible, proving that the technology does indeed work on RTX 40-series cards.

However, the implementation is not without its drawbacks. Because this is an unofficial community mod, several issues were observed:

• Input Latency: While the visual smoothness is improved, there is a measurable and reproducible increase in input latency, particularly at 1440p resolution. This latency behavior is more pronounced on RTX 40-series cards compared to the native implementation on Blackwell hardware.
• Stability and Refinement: The mod is still in active development. Users should expect potential bugs and inconsistencies as the community works to refine the implementation.
• Hardware Requirements: For a truly acceptable responsiveness, high-end hardware is still necessary. While the mod works on lower-tier cards like the RTX 4070, the experience is significantly better on flagship models like the RTX 4090.

The implications for NVIDIA

The fact that MFG works effectively on Ada Lovelace architecture raises questions about NVIDIA's decision to lock the feature behind the Blackwell generation. If the community continues to find ways to bypass these restrictions, it may pressure the manufacturer to provide official support for the feature on older, widely-held hardware.

As NVIDIA continues to work on bringing DLSS 5 features to the RTX 40-series, this mod serves as a technical proof-of-concept that could influence future driver updates and feature availability for the current generation of GPUs.