NVIDIA DLSS Transformer Cuts VRAM Usage by 20%

NVIDIA has officially released its DLSS Transformer model as part of the 310.3.0 SDK, combining advanced upscaling with a substantial reduction in video memory requirements. This update directly addresses the needs of gamers running on 8 GB or lower graphics cards by trimming VRAM usage by 20%. Unlike previous DLSS versions that relied on convolutional neural networks to infer missing pixels, the Transformer approach evaluates the relationships among all pixels in a frame and applies that understanding across multiple frames. Despite the increased sophistication of this method, NVIDIA’s engineers have refined their memory management routines to maintain lean resource demands and deliver sharper, more consistent visuals.

Tested at regular resolutions, the improvements are striking: running DLSS at 1080p now consumes just 87.8 MB of VRAM, down from 106.9 MB in the prior SDK release, while similar reductions of around 20% apply at 1440p, 4K and even 8K. For those using GPUs with limited memory, these savings translate into smoother performance and the ability to enable richer graphics features without compromising image quality. Game developers and engine partners can expect to integrate the DLSS Transformer model into their titles and tools over the coming months, with early tests already highlighting crisper edges, more stable frame rates and consistently high upscaling performance.