Patch 1.1.2 performance | DLSS testing

[Nebster]

Hey folks, here I am again with my humble analysis of new patch, performance and long awaited DLSS.

.: Specs
GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Resolution: 1440p
Population: 60 000

.: Performance improvements in patch notes
- Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution support added
- Some pathfinding optimizations to reduce slowing simulation
- UI optimizations
- Optimizations to reduce frame spikes

.: TLDR Conclusion
DLSS makes significant difference in FPS while maintaining decent image quality. With my specs I could gain from 5 to 15 FPS, depending on a situation (close street view / medium height view / city overview).

The other 3 performance improvements mentioned in the patch notes doesn't seem to make any difference, maybe 1 FPS, very close to margin of error. Maybe these improvements can be noticed with bigger cities.

I recommend to combine DLSS with optimized graphics settings to get even more FPS and keep the game still looking quite good.

.: Optimized graphics settings
- Display mode: Fullscreen
- Maximum frame latency: 3
- Depth of field mode: None
- Nvidia DLSS: Maximum quality
- Dynamic resolution scale quality: Disabled
- Anti-aliasing quality: None
- Clouds quality: Disabled
- Fog quality: Enabled
- Volumetrics quality: Disabled
- Ambient Occlusion: High
- Global Illumination quality: Disabled
- Reflections quality: Disabled
- Depth of field quality: Disabled
- Motion blur quality: Disabled
- Shadow quality: High
- Terrain quality: High
- Water quality: High
- Level of detail: High
- Animation quality: Medium
- Texture quality: High

.: Outro
CO is working on newer FSR implementation, as confirmed on forums.

For my next video I am going to compare currently implemented DLSS 3.1 with the newest version 3.7 to see if there is any potential to improve FPS and image quality.

Meanwhile I wish you a lot of FPS and fun while gaming.

https://youtu.be/bHoXRcOsEoQ

[Professor H. Farnsworth]

FPS is pointless, what matters is simulation speed.
DLSS has no effect on simulation speed.

You can be sporting 120+ FPS, but what does that matter when you're watching paint dry.

[𝓕𝔁]

In my tests, DLSS added 10-20% additional cpu load.

This meant at some points, the simulation struggled more (won't notice with low populations, I guess) and the game ended up using queued frames and looking overall worse (trails behind vehicles etc), running slower in general (simulation speed) but with higher frame rate number, that offered nothing.

DLSS was never meant to be an optimisation tool, but CO are using it as one and IMO, it's a false economy.

Edit: 60,000 population is nothing, its early game population when everything is already running smooth. Try it x 10 that population and then see how it runs with DLSS (the simulation, not the fps)