The feature that Nvidia closed came to the RTX 3080

Thanks to the Universal MFG Unlocker mode, it can run the RTX 3080 frame generation feature. Nvidia said that the RTX 30 and 20 series could not carry this heavy technology. However, on the 6-year-old card, real DLSS frame generation was enabled with a single DLL file.

FSR trial for RTX 3080 frame generation

Nvidia has never released framerates for the RTX 30 series. That's why OptiScaler stepped in and brought FSR 3-based frame generation to nearly every graphics card. The frame rate has increased significantly in Forza Horizon 6.

But this had its price. In the same game, when the vehicle accelerated, a large shadow appeared under it. So the method worked, but it was a compromise.

Universal MFG Unlocker runs the real DLSS Multi Frame Generation line on the RTX 40, 30 and 20 series. The tool also includes an experimental XeSS MFG mode for Intel, AMD and Nvidia cards. The latest version has a DLSS 5 tab that can be used if the card is powerful enough.

Installation and game trials

The mode is not alone, but it gets the most attention. It is enough to download a 7 MB DLL file, put it in the main folder of the game and change its name according to the recipe on the mod page. The name version.dll or dxgi.dll is usually used. Currently, almost all DX12 games that support DLSS frame generation are supported.

Four games were tried: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Forza Horizon 6 and Resident Evil Requiem. Plague Tale and Forza crashed on startup, changing the filename did not solve it either. Once the DLL was deleted, the games ran smoothly.

The results were very good on Black Flag Resynced and Resonance. Preset C was chosen in MFG Unlocker to reduce the load on the RTX 3080. Tests were performed at 3440x1440 resolution with DLSS Quality. The card only showed the 2x frame generation option.

The image looked the same whether frame generation was on or off. There was no noticeable delay. However, both games are single-player, so performance in fast-paced scenes has not been tested. You should not try it in games with anti-cheat software, because modified DLL files may result in penalties.

Why RTX 3080 frame generation matters now

The hardware market is going through a difficult period. Even if you don't plan on buying RAM or storage, upgrading a graphics card puts a strain on your wallet. Cards that would be considered a true upgrade are too expensive, and the ones that are affordable are not worth the investment. AMD's RX 90 series was a savior for a while, but not anymore.

That's why getting the most out of the card in hand has become important. Undervolt and mods that bring unofficial features to the card are also part of this. DLSS and FSR scaling have improved, but are not enough on their own in many new games. RTX 3080 frame generation fills this gap.

The tester did not try DLSS 5. Ampere says the cards are too heavy and he doesn't like the way they look. He does not consider changing cards until he sees a model with investment value. For smooth performance on an ultrawide monitor, it now needs to use MFG Unlocker. Moreover, thanks to the RTX 3080 frame generation, the card will remain in place for now.