What’s Intel XeSS, and the way does it evaluate to Nvidia DLSS?

Intel XeSS is an thrilling improvement on this planet of upscaling PC video games. We first heard concerning the characteristic greater than half a 12 months in the past, and Intel has maintained a choked drip-feed of particulars since then. We all know way more about Intel XeSS now, however some vital particulars stay a thriller.

We’ve rounded up the whole lot you could learn about Intel XeSS, the way it works, what video games it helps, and when it’s coming.

What’s Intel XeSS?

Intel XeSS, or Xe Tremendous Sampling, is an upcoming upscaling characteristic of Intel Arc Alchemist graphics playing cards. It really works by rendering your sport at a decrease decision after which upscaling it utilizing machine studying to enhance efficiency whereas sustaining as a lot picture high quality as potential.

XeSS works rather a lot like Nvidia’s Deep Studying Tremendous Sampling (DLSS). The important thing distinction is that Intel XeSS helps graphics playing cards from a number of distributors, whereas DLSS is proscribed to Nvidia graphics playing cards.

In supported video games, gamers will be capable of choose between 5 high quality modes. Increased-quality modes provide higher picture high quality at the price of efficiency, whereas low-quality modes enhance efficiency extra however might not look as nice:

Along with extra choices, it appears like XeSS will be capable of scale the enter decision even additional than AMD’s FidelityFX Tremendous Decision (FSR). 5 high quality modes ought to give gamers extra choices, as DLSS and FSR solely provide three high quality modes, with some titles supporting an elective fourth.

How Intel XeSS works

For specifics, XeSS takes depth, movement, colour, and lighting inputs from the sport. After performing the upscaling, the ultimate outcomes from these inputs are saved in an inside historical past. That historical past feeds knowledge to the following incoming body and the cycle continues. Whereas that’s occurring, XeSS takes the body you see and performs temporal anti-aliasing (TAA) to scrub up jagged edges. XeSS replaces conventional anti-aliasing, as it will possibly upscale and carry out anti-aliasing in the identical step.

The key sauce is machine studying. Intel Arc Alchemist graphics playing cards embody Xe Matrix Extension (XMX) cores, which run the A.I. mannequin to carry out the upscaling. They’re just like Nvidia’s Tensor cores on RTX 30-series graphics playing cards, and Intel says they supply the highest quality with XeSS.

Nevertheless, XeSS can even work with out the XMX cores. Graphics playing cards that assist DP4a directions — helpful for A.I. calculations — additionally work. We have now a full checklist of supported GPUs under, however the newest RX 6000 graphics playing cards from AMD assist these directions, as do the final a number of generations from Nvidia.

Intel XeSS launch date

Intel hasn’t introduced a launch date for XeSS but. The characteristic will arrive alongside Intel Arc Alchemist graphics playing cards, that are slated to launch within the first half of 2022. These playing cards had been imagined to arrive within the first few months of 2022, however rumors recommend Intel pushed them again after struggling inside delays.

Intel XeSS video games

Intel has solely introduced a number of key titles that may assist XeSS when it launches, although the corporate says it has a number of extra partnerships within the works. Listed here are the introduced video games that may assist Intel XeSS when it releases:

• Hitman 3
• The Riftbreaker
• Demise Stranding: Director’s Lower
• Grid Legends
• Tremendous Folks
• Grit
• Dolmen

Though Intel has solely revealed a number of titles that may assist XeSS, we must always see broader assist sooner or later. Intel says it’s working with studios like Techland (Dying Gentle 2), 505 Video games (Management, Ghostrunner), and Ubisoft to deliver XeSS to extra titles.

Help will likely be a key issue for the upscaling tech’s success. Between Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR, a whole lot of video games have already got an upscaling characteristic, so XeSS is getting into a crowded market.

Intel XeSS compatibility

Intel XeSS has competitors from Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR, but it surely appears to mix the most effective of each items of tech below a single roof. That’s as a result of XeSS helps each Intel and third-party graphics playing cards, together with some which are a number of generations previous.

Solely Intel’s Arc Alchemist graphics playing cards can have the devoted XMX cores, and Intel says they supply the highest quality and efficiency. Nevertheless, GPUs that assist DP4a instruction can even run XeSS, simply with a slight trade-off between picture high quality and/or efficiency. Listed here are the GPUs that assist DP4a for Intel XeSS:

• Intel Arc Alchemist (Xe-HPG)
• Intel Xe-LP built-in graphics (Eleventh-generation cellular)
• AMD RX 6000 (RDNA 2)
• Nvidia RTX 30-series (Ampere)
• Nvidia RTX 20-series (Turing)
• Nvidia GTX 10-series (Pascal)

Though XeSS doesn’t have as broad compatibility as FSR, it covers much more floor than Nvidia DLSS — and it seems to operate in the identical approach.

Intel is providing XeSS as an open-source package deal for builders, freed from cost. As well as, XeSS will likely be supplied by a plugin in Unreal Engine, making it simple for builders to implement of their video games. We don’t know if XeSS will make its method to consoles like AMD FSR has but.

Intel XeSS versus Nvidia DLSS