Intel XeSS 1.3 SDK Released: New Presets & Scaling Factors To Boost Performance, Updated XMX & dp4A Models

Intel has updated its XeSS SDK to version 1.3, adding new presets and scaling factors for boosted performance & updated models.

Intel XeSS 1.3 SDK Ushers In The Next Chapter of Super Sampling With Updated Presets, Boosted Performance & Enhanced Models

Just like the Arc GPUs which have seen some big performance optimizations and fixes through driver updates, Intel has also updated its Super Sampling technology with the release of XeSS 1.3 SDK.

XeSS is currently available in more than 100 titles and the list keeps on growing thanks to the open nature of the SDK. The new software development kit aims to improve on multiple fronts, adding new presets & scaling factors that increase performance while also updating the XMX & dp4A models for better image quality than the previous releases.

To showcase the performance optimizations made possible with XeSS 1.3 SDK, Intel used a modified build of XeSS that was injected with the updates made in version 1.3 and used it in gaming titles that don’t officially include XeSS 1.3 builds (yet!). The performance tests were showcased on an Intel Arc A750 GPU and an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU with Arc Xe iGPUs.

Titles such as Hitman 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, The Witcher 3: Next-Gen Update, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Diablo IV & Ghostrunner 2 were used. The titles were running a mix of High and Ultra settings with a mix of Ray Tracing and Non-Ray Tracing scenarios. Comparing the performance with older XeSS builds such as 1.1 and 1.2, XeSS 1.3 offers an average of 10.11% boost on the Arc A750 GPU and an 8.28% boost on the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU. In specific games, the boost is up to 28% which is a solid increase.

But performance is just one aspect of the Intel XeSS 1.3 SDK. You also get a boost in terms of visual quality. The updated XMX & dp4A models also enable more detailed image reconstruction, better anti-aliasing, less ghosting, and increased temporal stability.

In an example, Intel showcases a small snippet from Like a Dragon: Ishin! where you can see fewer artifacts across the bamboo curtains. The XeSS 1.3 produced image is much more stable and clear but there is still some room for image quality improvement which is something that we can expect in future versions of the SDK.

In addition to these updates, there are also new quality presets for XeSS which include Ultra Quality Plus, Ultra Performance, and Native Anti-Aliasing. The latter is the equivalent of NVIDIA’s DLAA and AMD’s FSR 3 Native mode. The Ultra Performance mode offers a 3x resolution factor, Ultra Quality Plus mode offers a 1.3x resolution factor while the native mode as the name implies, offers the native resolution with XeSS anti-aliasing applied over it for increased image fidelity.

As of right now, the Intel XeSS 1.3 SDK is available on GitHub. The blue team will be working with game developers on upgrades and new integration methods to make it easy for them to utilize XeSS 1.3 SDK in their current and next-generation titles. We should also mention that Intel has plans to launch their version of XeSS Frame Generation which is expected to launch soon.