What is XeSS?
Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) is Intel’s solution for AI-upscaling in games for enhanced performance. This technology leverages the Xe architecture to render your game at a lower resolution and upscaling it by using AI (Artificial Intelligence) just like NVIDIA’s DLSS which uses the Tensor cores on the RTX-series of GPUs. Traditionally, your image goes through a set of processes before being displayed. The TAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing) is taken over by Intel’s XeSS technology using their algorithms and techniques to upscale and sharpen your image.
A Time Saver
Intel’s XeSS technology decreases render time by nearly 2x as shown in the graph below.
Performance
Lets move on to gaming. XeSS offers 4 performance-to-image quality levels similar to DLSS
PerformanceBalancedQualtiyUltra-Quality
This puts to show the massive performance increments you can expect by using Intel’s XeSS. However, the image quality may deteriorate as you turn the slider down to ‘performance’. Team blue provided us with some additional charts. In some games, the lowest ‘performance’ mode increases your framerate by over 2 times.
Easy To Implement
Are you a game developer looking to harness the power of AI to increase in-game performance? Intel’s got the solution for you. The XeSS SDK will be available to developers and studios and is similar to implementing TAA allowing for ease of use.
Supported Games
These benchmarks gave us more information regarding the games that support XeSS. The list is massive and even features the upcoming Call of Duty : Modern Warfare II showing that Intel is done playing around.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IIArcadegeddonGhostwire TokyoVampire BloodhuntGhostbusters Spirits UnleashedNaraka BladepointSuper PeopleGotham KnightsDioField ChroniclesDolmenChivalry IIRedout IIThe SettlersDeath Stranding: Director’s CutThe Rift BreakerHitman IIICHORVSShadow of The Tomb RaiderAnvil Vault Breakers
Better Safe Than Sorry
By the time Intel’s Arc A7 GPUs will arrive, we may already see NVIDIA’s Lovelace lineup announced. The first few generations will need this AI-enhanced technology to compete against the other giants. Moving forward, this may become supplementary as is the case with FSR and DLSS.
