Lossless Scaling is a $7 Windows application on Steam that brings AI-powered frame generation and upscaling to virtually any game and any GPU — including older cards that don’t support NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation or AMD Fluid Motion Frames. While it adds latency compared to native rendering, it dramatically increases perceived smoothness in GPU-limited scenarios, particularly for older games.
What Is Frame Generation?
Frame generation uses machine learning to insert synthetic frames between real rendered frames. If your game renders at 60 FPS, frame generation creates additional frames from motion data, delivering 90-120 FPS to the display. The result: smoother motion at the cost of added display latency (typically 20-40ms additional input lag).
Frame generation works best when:
- Base frame rate is already playable (45+ FPS)
- GPU is the bottleneck (not CPU)
- Playing single-player games where latency matters less
- Playing older games that can’t use newer upscaling tech natively
Installation and Setup
- Buy Lossless Scaling on Steam (~$7 USD)
- Launch it before starting your game
- Configure upscaling and frame generation settings
- Launch your game in windowed fullscreen or borderless windowed mode (required)
- Press Ctrl+Alt+S to apply scaling to the game window
Key Settings
Frame Generation
LSFG (Lossless Scaling Frame Generation):
- x2: Doubles frame rate (60 → ~120)
- x3: Triples frame rate (40 → ~120) — more artifacts
- x4: Quadruples frame rate — mainly for very low base frame rates
Set Frame Generation to LSFG x2 as your starting point.
Mode:
- Performance: Faster generation, slightly more artifacts on fast movement
- Quality: Better artifact handling, slightly higher GPU overhead
Upscaling
Use upscaling if your GPU struggles to hit 60 FPS at native resolution:
| Mode | Quality | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| LS1 | Best quality | Moderate overhead |
| AMD FSR 1 | Good quality | Low overhead |
| Nearest | No processing | Fastest, pixelated |
| xBR | Good for pixel art games | Low overhead |
Set your game to a lower internal resolution (e.g., 1440p in a 4K display’s game settings), then let Lossless Scaling upscale + generate frames.
Capture API
- DXGI: Works with most modern games
- WGC: Windows Graphics Capture — better for games that don’t work with DXGI
Try DXGI first; switch to WGC if the capture fails.
Game Configuration
For Lossless Scaling to work correctly, games must run in borderless windowed mode:
- In game settings: look for “Window Mode” → “Borderless” or “Windowed Fullscreen”
- If the option doesn’t exist, use Windowed mode and resize to fill the screen
- Full exclusive fullscreen mode does NOT work with Lossless Scaling
Also enable V-Sync or a frame rate cap within the game. Frame generation multiplies your base FPS — uncapped base FPS creates inconsistent frame delivery.
Recommended setup:
- Cap game to 60 FPS (in-game or via RTSS)
- Enable LSFG x2
- Result: ~115-120 FPS delivered to display
Performance Expectations
| Base FPS | LSFG Mode | Output FPS | Latency Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 FPS | x2 | ~110-120 | ~30ms |
| 45 FPS | x2 | ~85-90 | ~35ms |
| 30 FPS | x2 | ~55-60 | ~40ms |
| 60 FPS | x3 | ~160-170 | ~45ms |
GPU overhead for LSFG x2: approximately 15-25% GPU load increase.
Best Use Cases
Ideal:
- Older AAA games (GTA V, Witcher 3, Skyrim) at high/ultra settings
- Games with heavy post-processing that limits FPS
- Single-player exploration or RPGs
- Emulated games via RetroArch or RPCS3
Avoid for:
- Competitive multiplayer — the added latency is noticeable and disadvantageous
- Fast-paced action where ghosting artifacts are distracting
- Already GPU-capped at 60 Hz (use native rendering instead)
Comparing to Native Frame Generation
| Feature | Lossless Scaling LSFG | NVIDIA DLSS 3 FG | AMD AFMF |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU requirement | Any GPU | RTX 40 series only | RX 7000+ (some cases) |
| Game support | Any windowed game | Supported titles only | Most DX11/12 games |
| Latency | Moderate | Low (with Reflex) | Moderate |
| Artifact quality | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Cost | $7 once | Included with GPU | Free |
Lossless Scaling is excellent value for its price. It genuinely extends the useful life of older GPUs by delivering smooth frame rates in GPU-limited scenarios where upgrading isn’t practical. For single-player gaming on a mid-range or older GPU, it’s one of the best $7 investments in PC gaming.