Bethesda dropped earlier this week a new beta update for Starfield that added support for NVIDIA DLSS 3. So, we’ve decided to benchmark it. Can DLSS 3 improve performance? And what about input latency? Also, does this beta update have any other performance optimizations? Time to find out.
For our Starfield DLSS 3 benchmarks, we used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, and an NVIDIA RTX 4090. We also used Windows 10 64-bit, and the GeForce 546.08 driver. Moreover, we’ve disabled the second CCD on our 7950X3D.
Starfield does not feature any built-in benchmark tool. So, for our benchmarks, we used the open area at New Atlantis. This area appeared to be among the most demanding ones in the game. Not only that but it’s the same we used for our PC Performance Analysis. So, it’s ideal for our tests.
This latest beta update for Starfield brings major performance improvements, even without using DLSS 3. As we can see, the NVIDIA RTX4090 is now able to run the game with over 60fps at all times at Native 4K/Max Settings. We also got noticeable performance gains at both 1080p and 1440p.
NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation can significantly improve performance in Starfield. From the looks of it, even without V-Sync, there is a framerate cap at 168fps. That, or the game by default will not exceed the refresh rate of your monitor. Still, the 4K results are the most interesting ones. With DLSS 3 Quality Frame Generation, the NVIDIA RTX4090 can offer a constant 120fps experience.
Since the base framerate was already high, we did not experience any major latency issues with Frame Generation. Moving the mouse around was smooth, and we highly recommend turning on Frame Generation if you have an RTX 40 GPU and get at least 60fps with DLSS 3. Traveling between places also worked fine without crashes (unlike the DLSS 3 Mods). But, be careful – we did have some crashes when we changed the game settings. So, it’s best to avoid tweaking DLSS 3 while you’re playing.
Here’s the scoop: DLSS 3 in Starfield gives a big performance boost. If you’re already hitting 60fps without it, you’re in for a treat. You won’t get any weird visual glitches or latency issues. But, gotta be real, sometimes DLSS 3 might crash the game. Fingers crossed that NVIDIA and Bethesda will work together to fix that and make the game even more stable.
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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