NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Adds Three Model Presets: K, L and M
NVIDIA's DLSS 4.5 includes three model presets, K, L and M, each tuned toward a different balance of image quality and frame-rate headroom, according to an Engadget overview published on November 10, 2026.
Users can switch presets in the NVIDIA app under Graphics > Global Settings > DLSS Override – Model Presets. The selection sits alongside the existing override controls, so a user can change the model without editing a game's configuration.
Preset K is designed to deliver the best image quality of the three. Preset M is tailored toward Performance mode and upscales from an internal resolution of 1080p. Preset L is tailored toward Ultra Performance mode and upscales from an internal resolution of 720p.
Internal resolution is the main lever in any DLSS mode. The GPU renders each frame at a lower resolution, and the upscaler reconstructs it to the display's output resolution. Each step down reduces shading work, which is where the frame-rate gain comes from, and it hands more of the final image to the reconstruction model. Presets M and L sit at two points on that curve. Starting from 720p, L begins with roughly 44 percent of the pixel count of a 1080p internal frame, so the reconstruction step produces a larger share of the displayed picture.
The mapping between preset and mode matters most for day-to-day use. Performance and Ultra Performance are named modes that most users pick from a settings menu without knowing the internal resolution behind them. Attaching a specific model to each mode, and exposing that pairing as a user-selectable override, makes the trade-off visible at the point where the choice is made.
In my view, that visibility is the practical value here. A preset tuned for a given internal resolution should, in principle, reconstruct that resolution more faithfully than a general-purpose model. Whether a player notices the difference will depend on the game, the output resolution and the scenes they play. Fine geometry, foliage and high-frequency texture detail are where reconstruction artifacts tend to appear first, so anyone evaluating these presets should test them on content that matters to them rather than rely on a single screenshot.
The broader context is that upscaling has become a standard tool in real-time rendering, not an optional extra. Each DLSS generation has moved more of the pixel budget from shader cores to learned reconstruction. Presets matched to internal resolution are one way of making that shift more controllable, handing the decision back to the user who understands the performance target.
The presets make a more deliberate choice possible. A player who values frame-rate stability on a modest display can select the lower-resolution preset with a clearer idea of what it does. A player who wants the cleanest image can stay with K and accept the cost in performance. The same override that lets someone experiment is also what makes the trade-off legible.
