DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling and is a temporal image upscaling technology developed by Nvidia for Nvidia graphics cards. This technology makes it possible to upscale lower-resolution images into higher-resolution images, so they can be better displayed on higher-resolution displays.
This technology would greatly benefit the Linux gaming experience but has yet to be available for the open-source platform. Both Nvidia and Valve are working to change that. By using Tensor Cores on RTX GPUs to accelerate performance for supported games, Nvidia is making an effort to bring DLSS to Steam Proton on Linux. This means games such as Call of Duty, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege could soon be playable on Linux, via Steam.
This technology will require supported graphics cards, such as the GeForce RTX 3080 and the upcoming Nvidia 470 (which will also have Wayland support).
In a press release, Nvidia announced (during their keynote for Computex 2021[1]) it was “collaborating [with Valve and the Linux gaming community] to bring NVIDIA DLSS to Proton – Linux gamers will be able to use the dedicated AI cores on GeForce RTX GPUs to boost frame rates for their favorite Windows Games running on the Linux operating system.”
