A fan-made DLSS mod for AMD GPUs has reached its most complete state yet, letting Radeon owners run almost the entire Nvidia DLSS feature set, including Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction, without ever touching a GeForce card. The project, called DLSS-NR on AMD and built by developer Daniel Blanco, released its Alpha 0.8.0 version on October 17, and it marks a significant jump from the rough proof-of-concept that first surfaced in September.
Key takeaways
- ✓Alpha 0.8.0 of the DLSS-NR on AMD mod launched October 17 with nearly the full DLSS stack working on Radeon cards.
- ✓RDNA 4 and RDNA 3 GPUs get Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction and up to 4x Frame Generation, while RDNA 2 support stays experimental.
- ✓The developer reports DLSS 5 Neural Rendering hits roughly 90 to 100 FPS at 1080p on an RX 9070 XT.
- ✓The mod rebuilds Nvidia's runtimes using custom HIP kernels rather than a translation layer, and users must supply their own Nvidia DLLs.
- ✓It only works in DirectX 12 titles on Windows 11, and anti-cheat systems will flag it, limiting safe use to single-player games.
What started as a way to get Nvidia’s DLSS 5 Neural Rendering working on Radeon hardware has turned into something closer to a full replacement layer. Blanco’s earlier builds already squeezed out a 74 percent performance gain in a single day of optimisation work, and the latest release pushes the project well past its original scope.
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What the DLSS mod for AMD actually adds
Alpha 0.8.0 brings DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution in both Model M and Model L variants, Ray Reconstruction via Model F, and Frame Generation with multi-frame generation support up to 4x in games that already expose DLSS FG inputs. AMD’s own FSR 4.1.1 is bundled too, so it no longer relies on AMD’s driver to function.
A new companion tool called NeuralHub handles the fiddly parts, automatically detecting installed games and managing installation of the various components. That matters because earlier versions of the mod required manual file swapping, which put off all but the most determined tinkerers.
According to Blanco, this is not a simple translation layer sitting between AMD hardware and Nvidia code. It is a ground-up reimplementation of the DLSS runtimes using custom HIP kernels, AMD’s equivalent of Nvidia’s CUDA framework. Users still need to supply their own Nvidia DLL files, since the mod does not redistribute Nvidia’s proprietary code.
Which Radeon cards benefit most
Support varies by generation. RDNA 4 and RDNA 3 cards get the full feature set described above, covering everything from Super Resolution upscaling through to multi-frame generation. RDNA 2 owners get a more limited experience, with support restricted to Neural Rendering and still labelled experimental by the developer.
| Feature | RDNA 4 / RDNA 3 | RDNA 2 |
|---|---|---|
| DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution | Full support | Not supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | Full support | Experimental only |
| Frame Generation (up to 4x) | Full support | Not supported |
| FSR 4.1.1 bundled | Yes | Yes |
On the performance side, Blanco says DLSS 5 Neural Rendering now runs at roughly 90 to 100 frames per second at 1080p on an RX 9070 XT, with the stated goal of matching an RTX 5070 Ti. That is an ambitious benchmark for a community mod to chase, given Nvidia built DLSS around dedicated tensor cores that AMD hardware simply does not have.
Mixed results and real limitations
Ray Reconstruction performance appears inconsistent so far. One Reddit user testing an RX 9070 XT reported no measurable performance loss running Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing at 1440p, while other testers saw frame rate drops of up to 25 percent under similar conditions. That spread suggests the feature still needs tuning before it behaves predictably across different scenes and settings.
There are firmer restrictions too. The mod only works in DirectX 12 titles running on Windows 11, which rules out a large chunk of older games outright. Anti-cheat software also detects and blocks it, so Blanco and the community around the project advise sticking to single-player games rather than risking a ban in competitive online titles.
Those caveats matter for anyone weighing this up against Nvidia has already tried to block a separate DLSS frame generation mod on its own RTX 40 cards, a reminder that even on official hardware, Nvidia is not keen on third-party tweaks to its upscaling tech. Running a reimplementation on rival hardware entirely outside Nvidia’s control carries its own risks, including compatibility breaking with future DLSS updates.
Why this matters for Radeon owners
DLSS has long been one of Nvidia’s strongest selling points, offering sharper upscaling and smoother frame rates than AMD’s own FSR in many side-by-side comparisons. A working DLSS mod for AMD narrows that gap meaningfully, at least for players willing to tolerate some setup friction and the occasional rough edge.
It also puts pressure on AMD’s own upscaling roadmap. The company has been expanding FSR with AMD’s own plans to bring FSR 4 to handhelds by the end of 2026, and reports of leaked details of AMD’s next handheld chip, codenamed Gainsborough suggest upscaling quality remains a priority for upcoming silicon. If a community project can bring Nvidia-grade results to existing AMD’s Radeon graphics cards, it raises the bar for what official FSR updates need to deliver.
For now, the DLSS-NR on AMD project remains a hobbyist effort rather than anything officially sanctioned, and it will likely keep evolving alongside AMD’s wider push on AI-driven hardware at IFA 2026. Anyone trying it should expect some rough edges, a bit of manual setup, and the understanding that this is built on reverse-engineered foundations rather than vendor support.
Frequently asked questions
Does the DLSS mod for AMD work on every Radeon GPU?
No. RDNA 4 and RDNA 3 cards get the full feature set, while RDNA 2 support is still experimental and limited to Neural Rendering only.
Is it safe to use this mod in online multiplayer games?
Not recommended. Anti-cheat systems detect the mod and can flag or ban accounts, so the developer suggests using it only in single-player titles.
Do players need an Nvidia GPU to install the mod?
No GPU is required, but users must supply their own Nvidia DLSS DLL files, since the mod does not include Nvidia’s proprietary code directly.
How does performance compare to running DLSS on an actual Nvidia card?
Results vary by feature. Super Resolution and Frame Generation run close to the developer’s targets, but Ray Reconstruction performance has been inconsistent, with some users seeing frame rate drops of up to 25 percent.
