- Nvidia’s Bryan Catanzaro suggests older RTX 3000 GPUs could potentially benefit from frame generation
- New Frame Generation model does not need optical flow accelerator
- Tensor cores could be the deciding factor for RTX 3000 series receive frame generation
With the launch of Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series on the horizon, it’s easy to be tempted to buy the latest and (hopefully) greatest, but Frame Generation could change that – it’s not just about to be improved on RTX 4000 series GPUs and the latest Blackwell GPUs from Team Green such as the RTX 5090 (Multi Frame Generation), but potentially also RTX 3000 GPUs.
Hints that older Nvidia GPUs might finally benefit from frame generation, a clever feature that uses AI to generate additional frames to increase overall frame rates, come from Digital Foundry’s interview ( which you can check out below) with Nvidia’s VP of Applied Deep Learning Research, Bryan Catanzaro – as Wccftech reports, Catanzaro mentioned that Nvidia will be looking for ways to get the most out of the hardware more ancient. We know that the current Frame Generation model will receive improvements later this month with the launch of the RTX 5080 and 5090, which will use less VRAM while offering better performance thanks to Tensor Cores.
Catanzaro made it clear that DLSS 3 frame generation was based on Nvidia’s Optical Flow hardware accelerator (motion detector for objects between frames), with the RTX 4000 series GPUs maintaining a much more improved version compared to the RTX 3000 GPU – the new frame generation model. (and multi-frame generation exclusive to RTX 5000 series GPUs) will not require the optical flow accelerator, but rather an AI-based solution.
Since the new model will rely on a higher standard of Tensor cores (which increase AI performance) that come with the RTX 4000 and RTX 5000 GPUs, it is not so simple for Team Green to bring frame generation to older GPUs. With frame generation expected to use much less VRAM and not requiring an optical flow accelerator, RTX 3000 users might be in luck (despite the weaker Tensor cores).
Look on it
Again, I have to ask: is it necessary to buy an RTX 5000 series GPU?
While this is mostly just speculation about future possibilities, it’s possible that Nvidia RTX 3000 series users will get the full DLSS 4 package that includes frame generation. DLSS 3 is available to RTX 3000 and 2000 series users with super-resolution, DLAA and ray reconstruction at their disposal – but Frame Generation is so far exclusive to the RTX 4000 series.
With the requirement for an optical flow accelerator now gone, the chances of frame generation coming to RTX 3000 GPUs are now much higher. The main obstacle that could prevent this is weaker Tensor cores, as I mentioned, but the fact that we are at least discussing this with Catanzaro should not be taken lightly.
For now, it’s best to look forward to the improvements that DLSS 4 will bring to older GPUs and remain patient for future updates. If the frame generation for RTX 3000 GPUs happens, it could breathe new life into older graphics cards and could mean that gamers who can’t afford a new RTX 5000 series GPU will continue to be able to play new ones. PC games for a few more years. years.
