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DLSS 5 Can Slash Frame Rates by Up to 73% on RTX 5080 in NBA 2K27
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DLSS 5 Can Slash Frame Rates by Up to 73% on RTX 5080 in NBA 2K27

Sep 4, 20262 sources0 comments

DLSS 5 may be Nvidia's most ambitious AI-rendering leap yet, but early testing in NBA 2K27 reveals a punishing cost. According to PC Gamer, enabling DLSS 5 on an RTX 5080 gaming PC can reduce frame rates by as much as 73%, raising serious questions about what kind of hardware would actually be needed to run the feature without taking a significant performance hit. The findings suggest that, at least in NBA 2K27, the AI-enhanced visuals come at a steep price that even one of Nvidia's most powerful consumer GPUs struggles to absorb.

The revelations come as DLSS 5 is becoming increasingly accessible, with PC Gamer also reporting that the technology can now be injected into almost any game, even titles without official support. One writer demonstrated this by enabling neural rendering in Football Manager 2026, highlighting just how broadly the tool can be applied. That flexibility is exciting on paper, but the NBA 2K27 benchmarks serve as a sobering reminder that broader availability does not necessarily mean smooth performance across the board. For now, gamers eyeing DLSS 5 may want to temper expectations until Nvidia and developers can better optimize the feature's demanding workload.

Key Insights

  • 1DLSS 5 can cut frame rates by up to 73% on an RTX 5080 when enabled in NBA 2K27, raising questions about real-world viability.
  • 2Even one of Nvidia's most powerful consumer GPUs, the RTX 5080, struggles to absorb the performance cost of DLSS 5's AI rendering.
  • 3DLSS 5 can now be injected into virtually any game, even those without official support, broadening its reach significantly.
  • 4The gap between DLSS 5's visual ambitions and its current hardware demands points to a need for further optimization from both Nvidia and game developers.
  • 5Early adopters should carefully weigh the performance trade-offs before enabling DLSS 5, particularly in demanding titles like NBA 2K27.

Sources

I've found DLSS 5 can slash frame rates by up to 73% on an RTX 5080 gaming PC in NBA 2K27, and I'm wondering what kind of mega-rig would justify the performance hit

PC Gamer · 1d ago

DLSS 5 can be jammed into almost any game now, so I've been playing FM26 with neural rendered little computer people because that's just what I do

PC Gamer · 2d ago