XeSS

XeSS
Name	XeSS
Developer	Intel
Released	27 September 2022
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Genre	Upscaling technology
License	Proprietary

XeSS. Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) is a temporal image upscaling technology developed by Intel for use in real-time 3D rendering, primarily within video games. It is a key feature of the Intel Arc graphics card lineup, designed to increase frame rates while maintaining or improving perceived image quality. The technology leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning, specifically trained on a supercomputer, to reconstruct detailed images from lower-resolution renders.

Overview

XeSS functions by rendering a game at a lower internal resolution and then using an AI model to upscale the image to the display's native resolution, similar in principle to competing technologies like NVIDIA's DLSS and AMD's FSR. A core aspect of its design is cross-vendor support, offering different quality modes and implementation paths. The technology was officially launched alongside the first Alchemist generation desktop graphics cards, such as the Arc A770, and has been integrated into game engines including Unreal Engine and Unity.

Technology

The technology employs a convolutional neural network trained on a datacenter supercomputer to perform its spatial and temporal reconstruction. XeSS uses motion vectors from the game engine to track object movement between frames, combining data from multiple frames to construct a higher-quality output. It offers two primary execution paths: a hardware-accelerated path using XMX (Xe Matrix Extensions) AI engines on Intel Arc GPUs for optimal performance, and a fallback path using standard DP4a instructions compatible with a wider range of hardware from AMD and NVIDIA. This dual-path approach is a distinguishing architectural feature.

Performance and image quality

In performance analyses, XeSS typically delivers substantial frame rate improvements, often doubling performance when upscaling from lower resolutions like 1080p to 4K resolution. Image quality is highly dependent on the selected quality mode, with the "Ultra Quality" mode providing results close to native rendering while "Performance" mode favoring speed. Reviews from outlets like Digital Foundry and Tom's Hardware note that the XMX-accelerated version on Intel hardware generally produces superior image reconstruction with finer detail retention and better stability compared to the DP4a version, though both can exhibit artifacts like ghosting or shimmering in high-motion scenes.

Supported hardware and games

XeSS is natively supported on all Intel Arc graphics cards starting with the Alchemist architecture. Through its DP4a path, it is also compatible with many modern GPUs from other vendors, including Radeon RX 6000 and newer series, and GeForce GTX 10-series and newer. The technology has been adopted in a growing list of game titles, including major releases like The Callisto Protocol, Hogwarts Legacy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Cyberpunk 2077. Integration is facilitated through plugins for popular engines and the Intel oneAPI toolkit.

Comparison with other upscaling technologies

XeSS is frequently compared to NVIDIA's proprietary DLSS and AMD's open-source FSR. Unlike DLSS, which requires specific Tensor Core hardware, XeSS offers broader hardware compatibility via its DP4a path, though its AI-accelerated quality peaks on Intel's own hardware. Compared to the non-AI, spatial upscaler FSR 1.0, XeSS generally provides better image reconstruction, but it faces strong competition from the temporal FSR 2.0 and later versions. Each technology involves trade-offs between image fidelity, performance gain, and vendor lock-in.

Development and history

XeSS was first publicly announced by Intel in August 2021 as part of its re-entry into the dedicated graphics market. The technology was developed by teams at Intel leveraging expertise from its Xe architecture and AI divisions. It entered a limited beta phase with select developers before its official consumer launch on September 27, 2022, coinciding with the release of the Arc A7-series desktop GPUs. Ongoing development has focused on expanding game support, refining the AI model, and improving the DP4a implementation's quality to be more competitive across the entire GPU market.

Category:Intel graphics processing units Category:Graphics software Category:Video game graphics techniques