- Nvidia’s Bryan Catanzaro suggests that older RTX 3000 GPUs could potentially get Frame Generation
- The new Frame Generation model does not need an Optical Flow accelerator
- Tensor Cores could be the deciding factor for the RTX 3000 series receiving 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 improving on the RTX 4000 series GPU’ is and Team Green’s latest Blackwell GPUs such as RTX 5090 (Multi Frame Generation), but potentially RTX 3000 GPUs as well.
Hints that older Nvidia GPUs may finally get 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 watch below) with Nvidia’s Applied Deep Learning Research VP, Bryan Catanzaro – as reported by Wccftech, Catanzaro mentioned that Nvidia will look at ways to get the best out of legacy hardware. We know that the current model of the Frame Generation will receive improvements later this month when the RTX 5080 and 5090 are launched, which will use less VRAM while providing better performance thanks to Tensor Cores.
Catanzaro made it clear that DLSS 3 Frame Generation was built on Nvidia’s Optical Flow hardware accelerator (movement detector for objects between frames), with RTX 4000 series GPUs retaining a much more improved version compared to RTX 3000 GPUs – the new model of Frame Generation (and Multi Frame Generation exclusively for RTX 5000 series GPUs) does 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 increases AI performance) that both RTX 4000 and RTX 5000 GPUs come with, it is not so easy for Team Green to bring Frame Generation to the older GPU ‘is. However, with Frame Generation reportedly using much less VRAM usage and not needing an Optical Flow accelerator, RTX 3000 users may be in luck (despite the weaker Tensor Cores).
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Again, I have to ask, is there a need to buy an RTX 5000 series GPU?
While this is essentially just speculation about future possibilities, there is a chance that users of the Nvidia RTX 3000 series can get the full package of DLSS 4, which includes Frame Generation. DLSS 3 has been available to both RTX 3000 and 2000 users with super-resolution, DLAA and ray reconstruction at their disposal – but Frame Generation has so far been exclusive to the RTX 4000 series.
With the requirement for an Optical Flow accelerator now gone, the chances of Frame Generation making its way to RTX 3000 GPUs are now much higher. The biggest obstacle that could stop this is the weaker Tensor Cores that I mentioned, but the fact that we’re at least getting discussions about it with Catanzaro shouldn’t be taken lightly.
For now, it’s best to look forward to what improvements DLSS 4 will bring to older GPUs and be patient with any future updates. If Frame Generation for RTX 3000 GPUs happens, it could breathe new life into the 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 PC -game for a few more years.
