Destiny 2 DLSS vs FSR vs XeSS: Which Upscaler Gives the Best FPS?

Quick Answer

For Destiny 2 in South Africa, DLSS delivers the highest FPS uplift on RTX cards while preserving sharp detail, FSR is the universal fallback for Radeon and older GeForce builds, and XeSS sits in the middle on Arc and most modern GPUs. If you game on an RTX 4070 or RTX 5070, DLSS Quality is the clear winner.

DLSS in Destiny 2: The Frame Rate King

DLSS leans on dedicated Tensor cores in RTX cards, so it pushes the highest FPS jump in Destiny 2 strikes, raids and PvP. On a Quality preset at 1440p, RTX 4070 owners typically see a healthy uplift over native rendering, with crisp armour shaders and clean ghost details. Performance mode squeezes even more frames at 4K, useful for esports-style PvP on a high-refresh panel.

DLSS 3 with Frame Generation is supported in Destiny 2's most recent patches, but Bungie's anti-cheat means you must keep drivers current. Built-in features like Reflex pair well with DLSS to keep input lag low during Trials matches. If you bought your RTX rig from Evetech with same-day Joburg or Cape Town delivery, set DLSS to Quality at 1440p first and only drop to Balanced if your average dips below your panel's refresh.

FSR in Destiny 2: Best Cross-Brand Compatibility

FSR is AMD's open upscaler and works on Radeon RX 6000, RX 7000, RX 9000, and even older GTX cards. In Destiny 2 it gives a big FPS lift on cards like the RX 7600 or RX 9060, making it ideal for Vaalies running 1080p panels in res. Quality mode keeps weapon textures readable, while Balanced is fine for crucible if you're chasing a stable 144 FPS.

FSR sometimes shows mild shimmer on chain-link fences in The Last City, but recent FSR 3 builds clean that up nicely. SA gamers with mixed-vendor budget builds find FSR the most flexible choice because it doesn't lock you into one brand. NSFAS-funded students rebuilding around an older GPU can lean on FSR to keep Destiny 2 playable until they can upgrade.

XeSS in Destiny 2: The Balanced Middle Ground

XeSS is Intel's upscaler and runs in two flavours. The XMX path uses Arc GPU hardware for top quality, while the DP4a path runs on most modern GeForce and Radeon cards with a smaller FPS gain. In Destiny 2 strikes, XeSS Quality holds a steady frame time and looks slightly cleaner than FSR on fine detail like Hunter cloak weaves.

XeSS Performance is a good rescue if you've got an older 1660 Super and want to push raid lobbies past 100 FPS without a full GPU upgrade. Loadshedding-friendly tip: pair XeSS with a UPS-backed mid-tower so a rolling blackout doesn't drop you mid-Grandmaster Nightfall. If you're spec'ing a fresh build with Arc B580, XeSS becomes the default upscaler and gives Destiny 2 a sharp, native-feeling image.

Picking the Right Upscaler for Your SA Rig

If your card is RTX 30 series or newer, DLSS Quality wins on FPS and image clarity, full stop. Radeon owners should default to FSR 3 Quality, then switch to Balanced for high-refresh PvP. Arc owners get the cleanest result from XeSS XMX. Mixed-vendor or older rigs can pick the upscaler that gives the best stable frame time in The Tower as a quick benchmark, no need to chase synthetic numbers.

ZAR pricing matters here: a complete RTX-powered gaming PC from Evetech often costs less than buying parts piecemeal once you factor in delivery to PE, Bloem or Durbs. Bundle deals also include Windows and a tested PSU, so your upscaler choice isn't held back by a wobbly platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does DLSS work on Radeon GPUs in Destiny 2?

No. DLSS only runs on Nvidia RTX cards because it uses Tensor cores. If you have a Radeon RX 7600 or RX 9070, use FSR 3 Quality for the best Destiny 2 frame rate.

Will FSR or XeSS get me banned in Destiny 2?

No. FSR, DLSS and XeSS are all officially supported by Bungie inside the game's video options, so they don't trigger BattlEye flags. Just avoid third-party injectors.

What upscaler is best for 1080p Destiny 2 PvP in SA?

At 1080p on a 144Hz monitor, DLSS Quality on RTX cards or FSR Quality on Radeon both push frame rates well past 144 FPS in Crucible, giving you the snappiest input feel for Trials.