It has been announced this week that NVIDIA and Valve are working together to bring Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) to the Linux operating system through their Proton compatibility layer, providing Linux gamers access to Nvidia’s premiere RTX technology. Later this month, NVIDIA plans to offer support for Vulkan DLSS titles on Linux through Proton, and by the autumn of 2021, they aim to expand their support to cover DirectX games.
What is NVIDIA DLSS?
“Nvidia’s DLSS technology is an AI-based technology that allows Nvidia to generate high-resolution images from lower resolution samples, effectively allowing Nvidia to deliver 4K levels of image quality with higher framerates than native resolution rendering. Proton is a tool that allows Windows games to be played on Linux through Steam, using Wine and DXVK to deliver Windows PC games on non-Windows systems.”
NVIDIA DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, leverages artificial intelligence to upscale lower resolution images to higher resolutions. This technology uses deep learning algorithms and the dedicated AI cores on NVIDIA’s RTX GPUs to enhance image quality while maintaining or even improving performance. This means gamers can enjoy visually stunning graphics without sacrificing frame rates, which is particularly beneficial for high-resolution gaming.
Proton and Its Role in Linux Gaming
Proton is a compatibility layer developed by Valve that allows Windows games to run on Linux. It integrates Wine, an open-source compatibility layer, and DXVK, a Vulkan-based translation layer for Direct3D 11 and 10. Proton enables Linux users to play a wide range of Windows-exclusive games seamlessly on their Linux systems. By incorporating DLSS into Proton, NVIDIA and Valve are making it possible for Linux gamers to experience the same high-quality graphics and performance enhancements that Windows users enjoy.
“NVIDIA, Valve, and the Linux gaming community are collaborating 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 favourite Windows Games running on the Linux operating system. Support for Vulkan titles is coming this month with DirectX support coming in the Fall.”
This collaboration is a significant milestone for the Linux gaming community. Historically, Linux has lagged behind Windows in terms of gaming support and performance. However, with the introduction of DLSS through Proton, Linux gamers can now enjoy a more competitive gaming experience. This move also highlights the growing importance of Linux as a viable gaming platform, encouraging more developers to consider Linux compatibility for their games.
Moreover, the support for Vulkan DLSS titles this month and the upcoming DirectX support in the fall of 2021 will broaden the range of games that can benefit from this technology. Vulkan is an open-source, cross-platform API that provides high-efficiency, cross-platform access to modern GPUs. DirectX, on the other hand, is a collection of APIs used for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. By supporting both Vulkan and DirectX, NVIDIA ensures that a wide array of games can leverage DLSS on Linux.
The integration of NVIDIA DLSS into Proton marks a significant advancement for Linux gaming. It not only enhances the gaming experience for Linux users but also underscores the potential of Linux as a mainstream gaming platform. As more games and technologies become compatible with Linux, we can expect to see a growing number of gamers making the switch to this open-source operating system. This development is a testament to the collaborative efforts of NVIDIA, Valve, and the Linux gaming community in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming.
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