What is frame generation is a question more PC gamers are asking as the technology becomes a headline feature on modern NVIDIA RTX cards and one of the main ways to hit very high frame rates. Frame generation uses AI to create entirely new frames in between the ones your card actually renders, multiplying your frame rate for noticeably smoother motion. This simple guide explains exactly what frame generation is, how it works, the trade-offs around input latency, and how to turn it on and get the best from it on your own PC.
What Is Frame Generation and How It Works
At its core, frame generation is about producing extra frames without rendering them the traditional way. Instead of drawing every single frame from scratch, your card lets AI insert new frames in between the rendered ones, dramatically raising the frame rate you actually see. Understanding the basics makes both its real power and its limits clear from the start.
The Core Idea Behind Frame Generation
Frame generation works by analysing two rendered frames and creating a brand-new frame to slot between them. That generated frame is not rendered in the usual way; it is constructed by AI based on the motion and detail in the surrounding frames. Because it skips the expensive traditional rendering pipeline, it can be produced very quickly.
The result is more frames displayed per second than the card actually renders, which translates into smoother, more fluid motion on screen. A game rendering at a moderate frame rate can appear to run much faster, which is especially valuable on high refresh monitors that crave more frames.
This runs on the AI hardware in modern NVIDIA RTX cards, which is why frame generation is tied to RTX and to specific supported generations.
It represents a shift in how performance is gained, moving from purely rendering more frames the hard way to using AI to fill in the gaps. That is a glimpse of where graphics performance is increasingly heading.
How AI Inserts Extra Frames
To build a convincing in-between frame, the technology uses motion data and AI analysis of the surrounding rendered frames. It predicts how objects and the camera are moving, then constructs a frame that fits naturally between the two real ones, ideally so seamlessly that you cannot tell which frames were generated.
Because generating a frame this way is far cheaper than rendering one traditionally, the frame rate can rise sharply, often well beyond what the card could render on its own. The newest implementations can even generate several frames between each rendered pair, multiplying the effect further still.
The quality of the result depends on having a reasonable base frame rate to work from, since the AI builds on the real frames underneath.
This is why frame generation is best thought of as a way to make a good frame rate excellent, rather than a tool to rescue a game that is already struggling. The stronger the foundation, the more natural the generated frames feel.
Frame Generation and Input Latency
The one trade-off worth understanding is input latency. Because generated frames are inserted between rendered ones, frame generation can add a small amount of delay between your input and what appears on screen.
NVIDIA addresses this with latency-reducing technology like Reflex, which trims input lag to keep the experience responsive. In most single-player and visually rich games, the smoothness gain far outweighs the slight latency cost, which is why the two features are almost always recommended together.
For the most competitive, fast-twitch games where every millisecond counts, some players prefer to leave it off, which is a reasonable personal choice rather than a flaw. For everyone else, the smoother motion is usually well worth the tiny trade.
How to Use Frame Generation — Step by Step
Turning on frame generation is simple once you have a supported card and a supported game. The key is pairing it with the right settings and a suitable high refresh monitor. Here is what you need and how to do it.
What You Will Need
Frame generation has a few requirements. Gather these before you start.
- A supported NVIDIA RTX GPU — frame generation runs on the AI hardware of supported RTX generations, such as a current RTX model.
- A game that supports frame generation — a steadily growing number of modern titles now include it.
- The latest NVIDIA drivers — kept current through the NVIDIA app for the best results.
- A high refresh monitor — to actually display the higher frame rates frame generation produces.
If your card is an older model without frame generation support, no setting will enable it, so a supported RTX card is the real starting point. The feature depends on hardware that simply is not present on cards that predate it.
Step-by-Step: Enabling Frame Generation
Follow these steps to turn frame generation on and tune it for your system.
- Update your drivers. Open the NVIDIA app and install the latest driver to unlock frame generation.
- Open the game’s graphics settings and find the frame generation option, often near DLSS.
- Enable frame generation and, where available, choose a multi frame generation level.
- Turn on Reflex if the game offers it, to keep input latency low.
- Test and adjust. Play a demanding scene, watch your frame rate and responsiveness, and fine-tune to taste.
Pairing frame generation with DLSS upscaling and Reflex is the easiest way to get high frame rates that still feel responsive. Each piece complements the others, which is exactly how NVIDIA designed them to be used.
Pros and Cons of Frame Generation
Frame generation is a powerful feature, but it is a genuine trade-off, so it helps to weigh the benefits against the caveats before relying on it everywhere.
On the plus side, frame generation can dramatically boost frame rates for far smoother motion, making demanding games with ray tracing playable at high frame rates on a high refresh monitor. It effectively multiplies the performance your card delivers, letting it punch well above its raw rendering weight.
On the downside, it adds a little input latency, works best on top of a decent base frame rate, and requires a supported card and game. For competitive twitch play, that latency can matter, so it suits visually rich and single-player gaming best, where smoothness is prized over the last millisecond of response.
Pro Tips, Performance, and Upgrades
A few smart habits help you get smooth, responsive results from frame generation, and pairing it with the right features makes it far better. Here is how to make the most of it.
Pro Tips and Mistakes to Avoid
Keep these in mind for the best experience.
- Build on a decent base frame rate. Frame generation works best when the rendered frame rate is already reasonable, not when rescuing a slideshow.
- Always enable Reflex. It keeps input latency low and the experience responsive.
- Use a high refresh monitor. Without one, the extra frames frame generation produces go unseen.
- Pick your games. It shines in single-player and visually rich titles far more than in fast competitive shooters.
The biggest mistake is enabling frame generation on a very low base frame rate, then judging it harshly when the result feels less responsive than expected, when a higher starting frame rate would have felt smooth and natural.
Pairing It with DLSS and Reflex
Frame generation is at its best as part of a team with DLSS and Reflex. DLSS upscaling raises the base frame rate, frame generation multiplies it further, and Reflex keeps latency in check so the whole thing stays responsive. Each one addresses a different part of the performance and responsiveness equation, which is why they are so effective together.
Used together, these three technologies let you run demanding visuals, including full ray tracing, at high, smooth frame rates that raw rendering alone could never reach. This is the experimental heart of modern NVIDIA cards, where AI does much of the heavy lifting that brute force once required.
NVIDIA keeps refining all three through updates, so the same card often improves over time, which is a genuine long-term benefit you do not get from fixed hardware alone.
When a New Card Unlocks Frame Generation
If your card does not support frame generation, a newer card is the only way to unlock it. A current-generation NVIDIA RTX GPU brings full frame generation, the latest DLSS, and a major leap in overall performance and ray tracing in one upgrade.
Reviewers upgrading to a card with frame generation frequently describe frame rates and smoothness they could not previously reach, especially on high refresh displays. For many, it is the feature that makes a high refresh monitor finally worth owning.
If an upgrade was already tempting, access to frame generation is the practical push to compare current RTX graphics cards, so it is worth checking today’s deals before they change.
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Final Word on What Frame Generation Is
So what is frame generation comes down to this: an AI technology that creates new frames between the ones your card renders, multiplying your frame rate for smoother motion. It is a powerful way to reach high frame rates on demanding games, with a small input latency trade-off that Reflex helps to offset effectively.
Make sure you have a supported RTX card, enable frame generation alongside DLSS and Reflex, and pair it with a high refresh monitor to see its full benefit. Done that way, frame generation can transform demanding games into smooth, high frame rate experiences, and you will quickly understand firsthand exactly what frame generation brings to modern PC gaming.
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