RTX 4090 Outperforms RTX 5080 in DLSS 5 Benchmarks, While Nvidia Restricts User Controls

Key points

• In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4090 achieved higher frame rates than the RTX 5080 at 4K and 1440p with DLSS 5 enabled, despite the 5080 being the newer model.
• Nvidia has officially confirmed that DLSS 5 will be supported on RTX 40-series GPUs, following earlier leaks and modder ports.
• Nvidia states that DLSS 5 will be a simple on/off toggle for gamers, with granular artistic controls reserved for developers.
• The RTX 4090's larger 24GB VRAM and compute units contributed to its performance lead over the 16GB RTX 5080 in neural rendering tests.
• Nvidia's initial DLSS 5 launch was limited to RTX 50-series GPUs, but plans now include broader support after modders demonstrated functionality on older cards.

Background

Nvidia introduced DLSS 5 with NBA 2K27 in September 2026, initially restricting it to RTX 50-series GPUs. Early tests on laptops showed mixed performance results, with significant frame rate penalties but potential gains from Multi-Frame Generation. The technology has sparked debate over performance versus visual fidelity and ethical concerns regarding AI-altered visuals. Previous titles like Phantom Blade Zero and Fable established high GPU demands for 4K path tracing, setting expectations for the performance impact of advanced neural rendering.

How outlets are covering it

GameGPU reported that the RTX 4090 outperformed the RTX 5080 in Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS 5, citing the 4090's larger VRAM and compute units. The Verge highlighted Nvidia's decision to officially support RTX 40-series GPUs but restrict gamers to a simple on/off toggle, with granular controls reserved for developers. Tom's Hardware noted that while DLSS 5 incurs a performance hit, most Blackwell cards can run it at 1080p. NVIDIA's blog emphasized the collaboration with developers for DLSS 5 in NBA 2K27, focusing on lifelike lighting and material detail, without addressing the performance discrepancies reported by other outlets.

Why it matters

The performance gap between the RTX 4090 and RTX 5080 in DLSS 5 benchmarks challenges the assumption that newer GPUs always outperform older ones in all scenarios, particularly when VRAM and compute units are critical. Nvidia's decision to support older GPUs while restricting user controls reflects a balance between expanding accessibility and maintaining developer artistic vision, which could influence future game development and hardware purchasing decisions.

What to watch

Nvidia plans to expand official DLSS 5 support to RTX 40-series GPUs later in 2026, following initial tuning for RTX 50-series performance. Developers may integrate granular DLSS 5 controls into their games' settings menus, potentially offering users more flexibility. Further testing and real-world performance data from additional games will be crucial in assessing the overall value and impact of DLSS 5 on gaming hardware.