DLSS vs TAA – which is better?

If you are a gaming enthusiast, you want to experience games with stunning visuals. However, the visuals can depend on various factors like the resolution of your screen, GPU, frames per second (FPS), etc. That’s where upscaling and anti-aliasing come into the picture. Many upscaling and anti-aliasing techniques have been developed. Two of the most popular techniques are TAA and NVIDIA’s DLSS. In this article, we will look at the difference between DLSS vs TAA, and which one comes out on top.

Introduction

A powerful GPU usually needs up-to-date technology to perform maximum graphics settings. Along with DLAA, there is also DLSS and TAA. The latter is a more basic form of technology, but it has its advantages. Read on to find out more.

What’s the difference between DLSS and TAA?

DLSS

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is a technique developed by NVIDIA and specific to its graphic cards and processors. It utilizes the power of artificial intelligence to upscale lower-resolution images in real time.

By using Nvidia’s deep learning upscaling algorithm, DLSS analyzes low-resolution frames and generates higher-resolution images. This improves image quality without the traditional performance hit associated with running games at higher native resolutions.

DLSS offers numerous benefits. Its primary advantage is a performance boost. By rendering the game at a lower resolution and then upscaling it using AI, DLSS allows gamers to enjoy higher frame rates without compromising visual fidelity.

DLSS 3.5, the latest update in DLSS, also offers ray retraction capabilities. Thus, it provides an immersive gaming experience with realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. DLSS quality is renowned, but it is not the only graphics technique out there.

TAA

On the other hand, TAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing) is a traditional anti-aliasing technique that addresses jagged edges and flickering in moving scenes. Unlike DLSS, it does not upscale images but improves them in the native resolution.

TAA combines information from multiple frames to create a more stable and smoother image. This reduces the shimmering effect known as temporal aliasing and smoothens images’ edges.

TAA also has many benefits. For instance, it is widely supported in many games and graphics engines, making it a versatile solution that works well with various hardware configurations. It also enhances images naturally by smoothing out jagged edges and minimizing flickering.

Is DLSS better than TAA for RDR2?

Now that we know the difference between DLSS and TAA, let’s understand which is better for Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2).

TAA is good but not better than DLSS. That’s because TAA can also introduce some problems, such as blurring, ghosting, and temporal artifacts. It can muddle the picture massively due to its temporal components. Hence, when something is moving, the image gets very blurred. This is especially true with lower resolutions, or when features like motion blur or depth of field are turned off.

Even DLSS might not be perfect, but it is still far better than TAA. TAA looks good only when the camera is still, but DLSS improves the overall quality. Thus, it is clear that DLSS is better than TAA for playing RDR2.

DLSS vs TAA: Conclusion

DLSS is clearly better than TAA, not only for RDR2 but also for other games like Baldur’s Gate 3. However, the choice between the two ultimately depends on the available hardware. DLSS 3.5 requires some advanced hardware capabilities. Thus, if your hardware is not robust, TAA might also work. But if you have a system with suitable hardware, DLSS is clearly the right choice.

Also read:

• What GPUs have DLSS 3?
• Amazon deal sees huge price drop on this RTX 3060 Ti in time for DLSS 3.5 update