Steam Deck can now run Nvidia DLSS 3.7 upscaling, thanks to this mod
A new mod called HelixSR allows Steam Deck users to run Nvidia's DLSS 3.7 upscaling technology on AMD-based hardware. By using compute shaders, the mod improves image quality for DirectX12 games without requiring specialized AI hardware.
Why it matters
This demonstrates how community-driven software modifications can significantly enhance the performance and visual fidelity of handheld gaming devices.
Games still believe they're running AMD FSR 3.1, but HelixSR passes upscaling duties to Nvidia DLSS 3.7.
It’s now possible to run Nvidia DLSS 3.7 on your Steam Deck, albeit unofficially, thanks to a new mod dubbed Helix Super Resolution (HelixSR). The mod not only opens the door to significantly better upscaled image quality on Valve’s handhelds, but also across other AMD-based handhelds, if they’re using RDNA 3 or RDNA 2 GPUs.
Sole developer lonewolf0622 describes HelixSR as an “FSR/DLSS hybrid upscaler,” as it combines Nvidia’s neural reconstruction with AMD’s interface and input handling. In a nutshell, games communicate with the mod via FSR 3.1, but the upscaling step in the rendering pipeline uses DLSS 3.7 instead.
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