With new graphics cards increasingly hard to find or afford, a new Engadget guide makes the case for getting more out of the GPU you already own. It argues that AI-driven supersampling — whether AMD FSR, NVIDIA DLSS, or Intel XeSS — is now essential for smooth frame rates at high resolutions, and that both DLSS 4.5 and FSR 4 can produce image quality on par with native resolution while drastically boosting performance.
The guide does note a caveat around frame generation: NVIDIA's DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation can deliver very high frame rates in supported titles, but it can add serious input latency and visual artifacts in some cases. It recommends experimenting with frame gen while embracing supersampling without hesitation. It also advises lowering settings to Balanced or Performance presets and keeping ray tracing off on budget GPUs, saying the feature can cut frame rates by 20 to 40 percent.
Finally, the guide points to physical maintenance as a forgotten performance lever. Dust buildup around GPU fans can cause thermal throttling, which reduces clock speeds and frame rates. Cleaning the card with compressed air and a microfiber cloth, along with considering overclocking, can keep older hardware running closer to its potential.