DLSS Causes Stuttering - Complete Fix Guide
Getting stuttering, FPS drops, or micro-freezes with DLSS? Learn why DLSS causes stuttering and get step-by-step solutions to optimize frame delivery.
⏸️ Most Common Cause
CPU bottleneck or Frame Generation timing issues. Stuttering when GPU can't keep up with CPU.
⏱️ Quick Fix Time
2-10 minutes to change DLSS quality mode or disable Frame Generation.
✅ Success Rate
85%+ of DLSS stutter issues fixed by mode change or quality adjustment.
Why DLSS Causes Stuttering
When DLSS is enabled but game stutters (stutters didn't happen without DLSS), it's usually one of:
| Stutter Type | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent frame drops | Performance mode too aggressive for your GPU | Use Balanced mode instead |
| Frame Generation stutters (RTX 40) | Frame Gen timing mismatch or driver issue | Disable Frame Gen or disable Ray Tracing |
| Micro-stutters (hiccups) | CPU bottleneck during DLSS processing | Lower graphics settings or upgrade CPU |
| Random spikes (every few seconds) | Driver bug or overlay interference | Update drivers or disable overlays |
| Stuttering only with Frame Gen | Frame Gen incompatible with game/GPU setup | Disable Frame Gen but keep DLSS upscaling |
Step-by-Step Solutions
Check Your Monitor Refresh Rate
Mismatched refresh rate settings can cause stuttering.
- Right-click desktop → Display Settings
- Scroll down → Advanced display settings
- Check "Refresh rate" (should match your monitor, e.g., 60Hz, 144Hz)
- Check that "Variable Refresh Rate" (G-Sync/FreeSync) is ENABLED in game settings
- Restart game
Change DLSS Quality Mode
This fixes most stutter issues! Try different quality levels.
Performance
• Fastest rendering
• Most aggressive compression
• Can cause stutter if GPU struggles
Balanced
• Recommended setting
• Good balance
• Stable FPS
Quality
• Best image quality
• Heavier GPU load
• Try if Performance stutters
How to change: Launch game → Graphics Settings → Find DLSS → Change mode → Restart level/game
Disable Frame Generation (RTX 40 Series)
Frame Gen can cause timing-related stuttering on some games.
- Launch game
- Go to Graphics/Settings
- Find DLSS 3 / DLSS settings
- Look for "Frame Generation" or "DLSS 3" toggle
- Set to "OFF" (but keep DLSS upscaling ON)
- Restart level and test FPS
Note: You'll get normal DLSS 2.0-style upscaling, no AI frame generation.
Disable Ray Tracing if Using Frame Gen
Ray Tracing + Frame Generation can overload some GPUs.
- Graphics Settings → Ray Tracing
- Set to "OFF" or "Low"
- Restart level
- If stuttering stops: Ray Tracing was the culprit
- You can re-enable Frame Gen with RT off
Monitor GPU & CPU Usage
Identify if CPU or GPU is bottleneck during DLSS stutter.
- Download GPU-Z or MSI Afterburner
- Open monitoring tool while playing
- Watch GPU %, CPU %, and FPS
- If GPU maxes out (95-100%): Lower graphics settings
- If CPU maxes out (95-100%): Try Balanced/Quality DLSS (less CPU load)
Update GPU Drivers
Outdated drivers have Frame Gen stuttering bugs. Update to latest.
- Download NVIDIA GeForce Experience
- Click "Drivers" → "Check for updates"
- Install latest driver
- Restart computer (not just logout)
- Test game again
Disable Overlays & Background Processes
Overlays can interfere with DLSS frame timing.
- Discord: User Settings → Overlay → Toggle off
- Steam: Settings → In-Game → Disable Steam Overlay
- GeForce Experience: Settings → Turn off In-Game Overlay
- Close Chrome, Discord, streaming apps
- Windows Task Manager: End unnecessary processes
- Restart game
Lower Resolution or Graphics Settings
If stutter persists after mode changes, reduce overall load.
- Try lower resolution (1440p → 1080p test)
- Lower texture quality or shadow quality
- Disable ambient occlusion or volumetric lighting
- Reduce draw distance / view distance
- Test each change individually to find culprit
Use DLSS Swapper to Try Different DLSS Version
Sometimes different DLSS versions have better Frame Gen timing.
- Download DLSS Swapper
- Add your game
- If game has DLSS 3.x: Try DLSS 2.0 (no Frame Gen)
- If game has DLSS 3.x: Try DLSS 4.0 if available
- Click "Swap" and restart game
✅ Stuttering Fixed? Here's What Likely Worked
Most common fix: Changing from Performance to Balanced mode in DLSS settings (70% of cases)
Second most common: Disabling Frame Generation on RTX 40 (20% of cases)
Other fixes: Driver update, disabling overlays, lowering Ray Tracing quality (10% of cases)
CPU Bottleneck Explained
DLSS puts extra work on CPU to manage GPU processing. If your CPU is weak, you get stutters.
| CPU Gen | Recommended GPU Pairing | Stutter Risk with High-End GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Intel 13th Gen (i9-13900K) / AMD Ryzen 9 9900X | RTX 4090, RTX 4080 | ✓ Low Risk |
| Intel 10th Gen / AMD Ryzen 5000 | RTX 4070, RTX 4060 | ⚠ Medium Risk |
| Intel 8th Gen / AMD Ryzen 3000 | RTX 3070, RTX 3080 | ✗ High Risk |
| Intel Core i5-7600K or older | RTX 4070 or better risks stutter | ✗ Very High |
💡 CPU Bottleneck Solution
If you have very old CPU + high-end GPU, use DLSS Quality mode instead of Performance. Quality mode has lower CPU overhead because it does less frame processing.
FAQ - DLSS Stuttering Questions
Q: Why does game stutter WITH DLSS but not WITHOUT?
A: DLSS processes frames differently than native rendering. It puts load on CPU to manage GPU timing. If your CPU can't keep up, stutters happen.
Q: Does Frame Generation cause more stutter?
A: Frame Gen can cause stutter if game wasn't optimized for it. It generates synthetic frames which sometimes causes timing hiccups. Try disabling Frame Gen to test.
Q: Will increasing VRAM help stuttering?
A: Rarely. DLSS actually uses LESS VRAM than native rendering. If stuttering due to VRAM, you'd see massive frame drops, not stuttering.
Q: Should I use G-Sync or FreeSync with DLSS?
A: Yes! Variable refresh rate (G-Sync/FreeSync) helps smooth out stutters from DLSS frame delivery. Keep it enabled.
Q: Can DLSS Swapper fix Frame Gen stutter?
A: Yes, sometimes. Different DLSS versions have different Frame Gen timing algorithms. DLSS 4.0 has improved Frame Gen, so if on DLSS 3.x, try upgrading to DLSS 4.0.