Intel Unveils XeSS 2: A Major Leap in AI-Driven Gaming Performance

Intel unleashes XeSS 2 for Arc GPUs with huge changes to speed up PC games, borrowing a few pages from Nvidia's DLSS playbook

Intel has just unveiled new Battlemage desktop GPUs, and alongside those graphics cards comes a fresh version of XeSS, its upscaling tech to rival Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR. Yes, XeSS 2 is here, and Intel is making some big changes with the technology in this sequel. In fact, XeSS 2 is being split into two core components: XeSS Frame Generation and XeSS Super Resolution. In other words, this is going the same route as Nvidia, when with DLSS 3, Team Green brought in frame generation - which means artificially inserting extra frames into the game, to make it smoother. It's a separate technology to the actual upscaling component of DLSS 3, and so this is what Intel has done - split XeSS into Super Resolution (upscaling) and Frame Generation (extra frames generated to bolster the frame rate). On top of that, Intel is introducing Xe Low Latency, which is essentially equivalent to Nvidia Reflex - a complementary tech to reduce input lag which helps to smooth over the lag wrinkles that are a side effect of frame generation. In terms of support, only Intel's Alchemist and Battlemage GPUs will get XeSS 2 - not any third-party GPUs - and on the games side, developers will need to code in support for all these new technologies (including frame generation, and low latency). However, we've also seen mentions of manually enabling low latency (at the driver level), so we'll have to see how that shakes out. On top of this, Intel has deployed a new control panel for its Arc GPUs which will simply be called 'Intel Graphics Software' (in much the same vein as Team Green's new and renamed Nvidia App). This is billed as an 'all-in-one hub' for all your Arc GPU needs, from updating drivers to game optimization, enabling Intel's tech such as low latency mode, changing display options, monitoring performance (frame rates and GPU status), along with controls for overclocking. Hat tip to VideoCardz for picking up on both of these developments. There are some major changes here, as we noted at the outset, and aside from all the new tech - implemented very much along the lines of DLSS - there's also that switch in support for GPUs. Previously XeSS allowed AMD and Nvidia GPUs (or some of them) to use and benefit from the tech, but that's no longer the case due to frame generation requiring Intel's own hardware (XMX AI Engines). Team Blue might work around that in the future, but for now, XeSS 2 will be for Intel Arc graphics cards only. It's not really surprising to see Intel moving in the same direction as Nvidia - after all, DLSS is very much regarded as the killer solution for boosting frame rates. What's good to see with Team Blue is that XeSS 2 also allows for frame generation with older Alchemist graphics cards, whereas with DLSS 3, only RTX 4000 - the very newest Nvidia GPUs - get the frame generation component. (RTX 3000 graphics cards support everything else in DLSS 3, to be fair, including ray reconstruction - but not frame generation). If Intel is to stay competitive in the GPU space, it's certainly important that it keeps XeSS up to speed, as upscaling is regarded as a core piece of the future of gaming. More and more games are relying on such technology to achieve smooth frame rates, particularly at the likes of 4K resolution (or its upscaled equivalent, we should say). We're seeing upscaling become a key part of consoles - witness the PlayStation Pro 5 with PSSR - and on PCs, what'll make it even more prevalent is Microsoft's move with DirectSR, an effort to make it much easier for game developers to use XeSS, DLSS and FSR in their games.

Intel announces XeSS 2 with new Frame Generation and Low Latency tech

TL;DR: Intel XeSS 2, an AI-driven technology, enhances gaming performance by combining Super Resolution, Frame Generation, and Low Latency. It significantly boosts FPS and reduces latency, as demonstrated in F1 24. XeSS 2 requires game integration, with initial support in titles like Assassin's Creed Shadows and Dying Light 2 coming soon. Intel XeSS, or Xe Super Sampling, is the company's answer to NVIDIA's DLSS and AMD's FSR. However, as it utilizes the AI hardware and XMX Engines found in all Arc Graphics products, it's often seen as a better solution than FSR for maintaining image quality. Alongside Intel announcing its first next-gen Battlemage GPU with the new Intel Arc B580 today, the company has also lifted the lid on Intel XeSS 2. And yes, it includes frame generation. When NVIDIA launched DLSS 3 Frame Generation alongside the GeForce RTX 40 Series, it took a minute or two to understand what was happening. XeSS 2 is similar in that it combines three bits of technology - XeSS Super Resolution, XeSS-FG Frame Generation, and XeLL Low Latency. Super Resolution does the AI upscaling. Frame Generation leverages AI-powered 'Optical Flow Reprojection' and other game data to create a new frame. XeLL dramatically lowers system latency to improve responsiveness. What does that mean? Well, it transforms F1 24's native 1440p Ultra performance on the Intel Arc B580 from 48 FPS with an overall latency of 57ms to 152 FPS with an overall latency of 28ms. Yes, it's a game-changer, but like DLSS and XeSS, it requires game integration, so it will take a while before it becomes readily available in many games. On that note, Intel has announced the first XeSS 2 games: Assassin's Creed Shadows, Harry Potter Quidditch Champions, RoboCop Rogue City, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Dying Light 2, F1 24, Ascendant, Marvel Rivals, Killing Floor III, and Citadels. With XeSS available in over 150 games and Arc Graphics and XeSS 2 covering both the Intel Arc B-Series and Intel's mobile APUs with integrated Arc chips, there's a good chance XeSS 2 support will ramp up in the coming months.

Intel XeSS 2 arrives alongside new Battlemage GPUs with frame generation and low-latency mode

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Launching alongside new Intel Battlemage GPUs today is XeSS 2, the next version of XeSS that adds frame generation and a low-latency mode, very similar to what we've seen from Nvidia with DLSS 3 frame generation and Reflex, as well as AMD with FSR 3 frame generation and Anti-Lag 2. The way Intel has described the operation of these new XeSS 2 features is very similar to DLSS 3. Frame generation interpolates between two rendered frames to create an additional frame to increase smoothness. This is done through optical flow reprojection, along with motion vector reprojection and other inputs. Intel says XeSS 2 has two AI models: the optical flow model and a blend model that combines the outputs generated through optical flow and motion vector reprojection. The UI is composited onto each frame at the end. Complementing this is Xe Low Latency, an equivalent to Nvidia Reflex that aims to lower game render latency to help mitigate the lack of latency improvement from enabling frame generation. Like XeSS 2 frame generation, XeLL needs to be integrated into games. The FPS increase seen from XeSS frame generation is similar to what we've seen previously from Nvidia and AMD's frame generation tech. Enabling XeSS 2 slightly lowers the native render rate of the GPU, but the output frame rate is higher and smoother. For example, in F1 24, Intel quotes an increase from 82 to 136 FPS when using XeSS Quality upscaling. That 136 FPS after frame generation implies a native render rate of 68 FPS - slightly slower than native but doubled for smoother output. Where Xe LL comes in is to try and provide latency similar to running without XeSS FG or LL. Of course, if you enable Xe LL and compare frame generation enabled to disabled, frame generation will always lead to higher latency, as seen in this chart. This is because the native render rate is lowered to run the frame generation algorithms. So, like with other FG technologies, Intel's frame generation doesn't improve latency directly. Instead, Xe LL works alongside frame generation to provide the best possible latency experience. Crucially, XeSS 2 frame generation requires Intel hardware, specifically their XMX AI engines featured in Alchemist and Battlemage. This means XeSS 2 will run on older Arc GPUs like the A770 in addition to the new B580 and B570, but it won't work on AMD or Nvidia graphics cards. Intel says they have received requests to create some form of XeSS 2 frame generation that works on other GPUs, but for now, it's Intel-only. This includes Xe-based integrated graphics like Lunar Lake. XeSS 2 will be coming to a range of titles, including Dying Light 2, F1 24, Marvel Rivals, and Assassin's Creed Shadows. XeSS adoption has been solid considering the relatively small market share of Arc GPUs, so we're keen to see how that goes for XeSS 2. The SDK for this technology also includes updates enabling support for DX11 and Vulkan titles, though XeSS 2 does not include an updated super resolution model for increased quality. Other software features Intel is launching alongside Battlemage include an overhauled Intel Graphics Software utility. This updated utility includes frequently requested features like an FPS metric in the overlay and display scaling settings. There are also expanded overclocking tools, including the ability to adjust board power limits, voltage-frequency curves, and memory from within the app. The utility will also include a driver-based Low Latency Mode, again very similar to what Nvidia and AMD offer in their drivers. Along with the launch of XeSS 2, this shows Intel is bringing its software up to the level offered by its competitors. For a full rundown of Intel's new Battlemage GPUs announced today, the Arc B580 and B570, check out our story where we detail specs, Intel's performance claims and a perspective of where the GPUs will stand in face of upcoming launches from AMD and Nvidia.

Intel just stole a page from Nvidia's DLSS playbook

Intel is giving its XeSS upscaling tech a huge makeover. The aptly-named XeSS 2 steals -- or borrows, if we're being generous -- a page from Nvidia's DLSS 3, which has been a staple feature of some of the best graphics cards you can buy. XeSS 2 comes packed with super resolution like the original version, but also frame generation and a latency-reducing feature called XeLL. And it's launching alongside the new B580 graphics card. Point-for-point, XeSS 2 is basically identical to DLSS 3. The super resolution portion functions much in the same way as the original XeSS, providing you with various different quality settings to render your game at a lower resolution in order to improve performance. On the upscaling side, the major change is native support for DirectX 12 and Vulkan, which should open up XeSS to more games. Recommended Videos The big update overall is obviously frame generation. This works similarly to other frame generation tools by rendering two frames and comparing them to generate a frame in between. This process, called frame interpolation, is available through features like AMD's FSR 3 and even third-party tools like Lossless Scaling. However, with XeSS, Intel is running two AI models on the graphics card in real time to support the frame generation, similar to DLSS 3. Because of that, frame generation is only available to GPUs with Intel's dedicated XMX AI accelerators. Unlike DLSS 3, which is restricted to Nvidia's latest RTX 40-series GPUs, Intel says XeSS 2 will work on all GPUs with XMX cores. That includes discrete graphics like the Arc A770 and A750, as well as integrated GPUs with the additional cores. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming ReSpec Subscribe Check your inbox! Privacy Policy The method is interesting here. Basically all frame generation tools use frame interpolation, but Intel has previously researched methods that use frame extrapolation. Instead of comparing two frames, frame extrapolation simply uses previous frames to predict new ones, and given Intel's previous research on the topic, it could be a big feature in future versions of XeSS Frame Generation. To go along with XeSS 2, Intel is introducing XeLL, or Xe Low Latency. This feature is similar to Nvidia Reflex in that it sends a frame directly to the GPU after being processed by the CPU, bypassing the typical render queue. Intel says that, by default, XeLL is required for XeSS Frame Generation to work due to the fact that Frame Generation increases latency. With the new Arc B580, Intel says XeSS 2 can deliver up to 3.9x performance over your native frame rate in a game like F1 24. Intel hasn't said what game XeSS 2 will show up in first, though the company says it'll be included in upcoming titles like Assassin's Creed Shadows, Marvel Rivals, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Intel says the feature will launch alongside the B580, so it should appear in at least one game when that GPU releases on December 13.

Intel XeSS2 Official: Brings Frame Generation For 3.9x Perf & Low Latency Mode For Smoother Gaming, First Titles Announced

Intel XeSS2 is now official, bringing frame generation support along with Low Latency modes across a wide variety of launch titles. XeSS Reaches Over 150+ Game Support & Battlemage Debuts With XeSS2, Delivering Frame-Generation & Low-Latency Mode Support In Games In addition to today's Battlemage Arc B580 & B570 GPU announcements, Intel is also unveiling its next-gen XeSS2 technology which aims to take the existing XeSS standard to the next level with 2 brand-new technologies to the feature set, frame generation, and low-latency mode. With Intel XeSS, the company has shown tremendous progress with the most recent version being 1.3.1 SDK. The latest update to the XeSS stack now includes support for DirectX 11 and Vulkan APIs, further extending XeSS support in a range of games and older titles. XeSS has shown its strengths, matching NVIDIA's DLSS in terms of visual quality while harnessing both DP4a and Intel-exclusive XMX hardware. With the updated XMX engines on the Battlemage GPUs, the XeSS Super Resolution support will see faster performance and improved visual fidelity. But let's talk about XeSS2. The new technology brings with it one highly anticipated feature, which is Frame Generation. It looks like Intel has gone with the standard "interpolation" method instead of the "extrapolation" method that was talked about in a previous paper. The interpolation method has also been adopted by NVIDIA and AMD, which is to let AI work on the next frame that is to be generated. With XeSS2 frame generation, GPUs such as the Intel Arc B580 will be able to deliver up to 3.9x the performance uplift in Ultra Performance mode in 1440p Ultra gaming scenarios. This performance will scale on the preset being used, but even at the Quality preset, gamers can see up to a 2.8x boost in FPS over the native FPS. With frame generation now available with XeSS2, Intel GPUs and iGPUs can benefit from extended FPS boosts in a wide variety of games. As for the other feature, we have XeLL, which stands for Xe Low Latency mode. This feature allows for really low latency, especially when running frame generation. It is similar to NVIDIA's Reflex and AMD's Anti-Lag 2 technologies. Intel is also adding a driver-level low-latency mode which can be enabled in games, similar to Radeon Boost. With XeLL, Intel is claiming up to 45% improvement in the overall system and gaming responsiveness at the same 1440p Ultra gaming. As of today, Intel is announcing 10 games to feature support for XeSS2, which include: With XeSS2, Intel now achieves parity with NVIDIA's DLSS3 and AMD's FSR3. Both competitors are expected to update their respective technologies in the upcoming generation, but It's great to see that Intel is finally on the same level as its competitors and has some great mainstream products in its Battlemage B-Series stack to take advantage of these features.