Are DLSS, FSR, and XeSS Really Boosting FPS in 2025? A Technical Deep Dive

Modern PC gaming performance isn’t only about brute GPU power anymore. Upscaling and frame generation technologies like NVIDIA’s DLSS, AMD’s FSR, and Intel’s XeSS play a vital role in helping GPUs deliver higher frame rates without sacrificing visuals. These systems have evolved rapidly, and by 2025 they are fundamental tools for gamers seeking smooth performance.

What Are DLSS, FSR, and XeSS?

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is NVIDIA’s AI-driven upscaling system that uses dedicated Tensor Cores to reconstruct higher-resolution images from lower-resolution frames. It is exclusive to NVIDIA RTX GPUs and excels in providing strong performance gains combined with excellent visual fidelity.

FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) is AMD’s response—an open-source upscaling technology that works across multiple GPU brands. FSR has evolved through versions 2, 3, and now FSR Upscaling/Frame Generation, offering solid performance boosts across a wide range of hardware. 

XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) from Intel employs both AI-accelerated paths and broad compatibility via DP4a instructions. In 2025, the technology continues to grow in support and can unlock performance gains with frame generation on supported titles. 

How Much FPS Do They Really Add?

In many AAA titles, DLSS, FSR, and XeSS can increase FPS by 30–50% or more at high resolutions compared to native rendering, depending on settings and GPU. When frame generation features are enabled, some games can even see FPS more than double, although this depends on the implementation and GPU support.

Benchmark data suggests DLSS and FSR often perform similarly when comparing equivalent upscaling modes, though DLSS may slightly edge out in many titles where NVIDIA’s neural models work best. XeSS typically offers competitive results, especially on Intel hardware where it leverages optimized instruction sets.

Which Tech Is Best?

DLSS usually leads in overall performance and image clarity, especially on RTX hardware.
FSR stands out for broad compatibility and solid performance gains on almost any GPU.
XeSS strikes a balance with good image quality and performance, particularly on Intel Arc GPUs and newer versions of the technology.