Hold onto your hats, PC gamers! Nvidia’s controversial DLSS 5 technology, initially unveiled back in March 2026 with promises of revolutionary neural rendering, has leaked online. And before you could even say “frame rate,” enterprising modders have already ripped it out of a beta build and are experimenting with its capabilities…with mixed results.
The Leak: NBA 2K27 Beta Reveals DLSS 5 DLL
The drama began when Twitter user @renan_maniero spotted a new DLSS file, specifically “nvngx_dlssnr.dll,” within the early access build of NBA 2K27. The “nr” suffix clearly indicates neural rendering capabilities. While simply finding the file would be one thing, the fact that modders have already managed to integrate it into other games is truly remarkable – and potentially problematic.
As seen in the initial post on X, modders are already manipulating sliders to fine-tune the degree of neural rendering applied to the image. This level of customization was hinted at by Nvidia when they first announced the technology earlier this year.
A YouTube video showcases the mod in action within Control. Enabling neural rendering initially cuts the frame rate nearly in half – from a respectable 95fps to a sluggish 53fps. While currently limited to character models, the effect is noticeable, making characters like Jessie appear…well, let’s just say they look like they need a serious nap.
The Controversy: “Deep Fried” or Photo Realistic?
Over on the Nvidia subreddit, modders have even managed to shoehorn DLSS 5 into The Last of Us Part 2. While many images with the technology enabled result in characters that look downright bizarre, the response is surprisingly divided. One user bluntly states that the DLSS 5 “looks deep fried, I am not going to lie,” a sentiment I can certainly relate to. However, another user argues that it “adds more detail and makes the characters look more photo realistic and less like Pixar characters.”
Obviously, this technology is in its infancy. Once game developers are able to seamlessly integrate and optimize DLSS 5 into games, the performance impact will likely be less severe. However, the current state of affairs raises serious questions about whether turning on DLSS 5 will actually improve your frame rate. It’s one of the first pieces of Nvidia’s AI software suite that seems poised to make performance worse, a bold move indeed.
Now that the DLL file enabling this technology is out in the wild, it’s only a matter of time before it makes its way into more hands. But if enabling DLSS 5 on an RTX 5090 results in a 50% performance hit, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend anyone use it until a future graphics card arrives on the scene.
While the visual impact of this technology will undoubtedly be debated endlessly, the performance implications are where PC gamers tend to draw the line. It took years for people to start using ray tracing because it was initially a guaranteed way to halve your frame rate. I’ll be testing DLSS 5 thoroughly as soon as Nvidia officially releases it.
Source: IGN
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