What Is Intel XeSS and How Does It Work? Explained!

With high-end graphics playing cards getting dearer every year — typically sufficient to bankrupt most people — holding onto your pricey previous GPUs for some time longer appears an increasing number of like a fantastic concept. You might not get essentially the most frames per second in your favourite on-line video games, however you’ll get by, wouldn’t you? Now, if solely there was a strategy to get higher gaming efficiency with out shelling out a ton of money. Luckily for you, Intel has you lined with XeSS (Xe Super Sampling), which can provide a substantial increase in FPS and (presumably) image high quality.

What is Intel XeSS: Explained (2023)

XeSS, or Xe Super Sampling, is an AI-based upscaling expertise designed by Intel to ship a greater, smoother, and more constant gameplay expertise. But how does it work, and the way huge a bounce in efficiency are you able to anticipate? Let’s discover out.

How Does Intel XeSS Work

XeSS renders video games in a decrease decision and makes use of machine studying and synthetic intelligence algorithms to upscale the image to your native decision. For instance, in case you are taking part in a recreation at a 1440p decision, XeSS will render all frames at a decrease decision (900p, 720p, 800p, relying on which high quality/ mode you select) and artificially improve the image high quality to make it appear like 1440p. The upscaled image is much like the native render, or higher, in some instances.

Rendering frames at decrease resolutions additionally offers you an enormous efficiency uplift. Since your GPU doesn’t should push as many bodily pixels, it could as a substitute focus its horsepower to produce more frames per second. If you’ve gotten ever been a low-spec gamer, you recognize video games run quicker at decrease resolutions (at the price of image high quality). However, with XeSS enabled, you get more frames at no cost with out compromising on image high quality. That’s a win-win state of affairs, people.

Intel XeSS Compatible GPU List

Unlike Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling, Nvidia’s proprietary upscaling tech that solely works with RTX collection GPUs), Intel XeSS presents wider compatibility. XeSS is open-source and can work on any GPU that helps the DP4a instruction set. Below, we have now enlisted Intel XeSS-compatible GPUs.

Nvidia GPU

• GTX 10 collection
• GTX 16 collection
• RTX 20 collection
• RTX 30 collection
• RTX 40 collection

AMD GPU

• RX 5000 collection 
• RX 6000 collection
• RX 7000 collection

Intel GPU

• Intel Arc GPUs
• Intel Xe-LP built-in GPUs (eleventh era cell CPUs and newer)

While XeSS works with all non-ancient graphics playing cards, its upscaling efficiency is considerably higher on the Intel Arc A770 and A750. The higher-end Arc GPUs function XMX (Xe Matrix Extension) cores, that are much like the Tensor cores present in Nvidia GPUs, and work by offering more compute functionality for AI-accelerated workloads. Thanks to the XMX cores, the Arc A770 and A750 can obtain higher outcomes with XeSS. If you’re a proud proprietor of a Team Blue GPU (that rhymes, huh?), you can be happy with the efficiency increase that XeSS presents. 

Even in the event you don’t have an Intel Arc GPU, you’ll nonetheless get an honest bounce in efficiency. However, I’d suggest making an attempt out each Intel XeSS and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (additionally out there for a variety of GPUs whatever the model) to see which presents higher efficiency numbers. Check out our AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) protection to know more. 

Intel XeSS Supported Games

The help for XeSS has grown considerably up to now few months, which is an effective signal. However, in comparison with the competitors, Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, the checklist is reasonably slim. Hopefully, we are going to see more AAA video games on the checklist quickly. Until then, discover the checklist of video games that at present help XeSS right here:

How to Enable XeSS in Supported Games

It’s like flipping a change (actually). If your recreation helps XeSS, navigate to its show/ graphics settings and click on the “XeSS” toggle to allow it, as proven within the screenshot under. Some video games will provide you with a affirmation immediate with a “Yes/ No” possibility. Select “Yes” within the pop-up window.

When you activate XeSS, you will notice another choice to regulate the upscaling high quality. You can set it to:

• Performance: a major improve in FPS with barely diminished image high quality
• Balanced: strong increase in efficiency with minimal degradation of image high quality
• Quality: higher image high quality and an honest (however not big) improve in efficiency
• Ultra Quality: near native image high quality (or typically higher), however the FPS improve received’t be as drastic. 

Intel XeSS: In-Game Performance

With XeSS set to Performance mode, video games like Hitman III and Ghostwire: Tokyo carried out 2x higher, which is terrific! Even some graphically demanding video games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider noticed a 1.4x improve in efficiency, leaping from 62 FPS to 87 FPS at 1440p maxed-out settings. Calling it spectacular can be an understatement.

However, not everybody desires to take care of the compromise on image high quality. Let’s be lifelike. If graphics high quality didn’t matter, we might all be nice operating 20-year-old video games with character fashions that appeared like potatoes. Sometimes, you wish to benefit from the gorgeous visuals of your favourite AAA recreation.

Well, setting XeSS to Balanced mode will provide you with comparatively higher image high quality, albeit with a slight discount in FPS numbers. Here, Hitman III and Ghostwire: Tokyo carried out 1.75x and 1.61x higher than native, which remains to be improbable! When you select Quality and Ultra Quality modes, the efficiency will take successful, and you might not see any enchancment in frames per second.

Enhance Your Gameplay with Intel XeSS

In conclusion, Intel XeSS isn’t as highly effective as Nvidia’s DLSS and doesn’t help as many video games as AMD’s FSR. So, I like to recommend sticking with DLSS if in case you have an RTX 20, 30, or 40 collection GPU. If you’ve gotten an older Nvidia card (GTX 10 collection & up) or an AMD card (RX 460 & up), FSR might provide you with barely higher efficiency (and recreation help). However, XeSS remains to be a brand new but excellent upscaling expertise that can give as much as 2x the efficiency in your current graphics playing cards! I’d strongly suggest profiting from it every time you may. More frames at no cost is simply too good a deal to cross. Are you already using XeSS in-game? Did this text persuade you to strive it out? Do tell us within the feedback under.