Intel Arc Alchemist GPUs to Feature XeSS AI-Upscaling Technology
Intel recently unveiled more details about its upcoming Alchemist GPUs, the first generation of its Arc graphics cards, at Architecture Day 2021. A key feature highlighted was XeSS, an AI-powered upscaling technology designed to compete with NVIDIA’s DLSS.
XeSS, or Xe Super Sampling, utilizes a lower resolution image and upscales it to a higher target resolution for smoother performance. Intel leverages dedicated Xe cores within its GPUs and the Xe Matrix eXtensions (XMX) engine to optimize AI processing through hardware acceleration.
XeSS Rendering Time Comparison
Similar to NVIDIA’s DLSS, XeSS employs machine learning to reconstruct pixels around the lower resolution frame and upscale it to a higher resolution without significant detail loss. Intel promises up to a two-fold increase in performance. While AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) operates with a similar upscaling mechanism, it takes a different approach than the AI-driven techniques of DLSS and XeSS. FSR aims for broader hardware compatibility without relying on specialized hardware like NVIDIA’s Tensor cores or Intel’s Xe cores.
Intel stated that XeSS won’t be limited to XMX-equipped products. Future Intel graphics products, including integrated graphics with DP4a instruction set support, will also benefit from XeSS.
In a demonstration video at the event, Intel showcased XeSS upscaling 1080p to 4K, claiming “double the FPS” compared to native 4K. However, the demo lacked specific performance metrics and only showed brief in-game snippets.
Beyond XeSS, Intel confirmed full DirectX 12 Ultimate support for Alchemist, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing with DirectX Raytracing (DXR) and Vulkan Ray Tracing. Support for Unreal Engine 5 was also confirmed.
Intel Arc Roadmap
Intel revealed that Alchemist production will be handled by TSMC. The company also outlined its Arc GPU roadmap, featuring four code names: Alchemist (first generation), Battlemage, Celestial, and Druid (using “next-generation Xe architecture”).
Intel’s foray into the discrete GPU market with Arc and XeSS represents a significant challenge to established players like NVIDIA and AMD. The performance and wider availability of XeSS will be crucial factors in determining Intel’s success in this competitive landscape.
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