Intel XeSS 2 SDK is Now Available for Developers
Developers and gamers interested in Intel's upscaling technology have good news. The Software Development Kit (SDK) for XeSS 2 is now out. Intel officially launched the tools. These tools are designed to make it easier for developers to include XeSS 2 in their games. This is a milestone moment. We look forward to XeSS 2 powering more of the games we enjoy.
XeSS 2 Toolbox: What's Included
XeSS 2 is more than a simple update. It is a technology suite, broken into significant pieces:
- XeSS Super Resolution (XeSS-SR): This is the base upscaling tech. It is designed to boost frame rates on most GPUs, including non-Intel ones. It works on anything with Shader Model 6.4 (DP4A) support.
- XeSS Frame Generation (XeSS-FG): Frame generation is optimized for smoother movement and increased frame rates. Currently, it is limited to Intel Arc GPUs with their unique Xe Matrix Extensions (XMX).
- Xe Low Latency (XeLL): Intel's solution for less input lag. XeLL is optimized for making gaming feel more responsive. It is supported by both dedicated and integrated Intel Arc graphics.
XeSS 2 now supports both DirectX 11 and Vulkan APIs. This allows more games, potentially including older ones, to benefit from it. Frame generation is a key feature. It places XeSS 2 directly in NVIDIA's DLSS' league regarding feature set. Intel has created plugins for popular game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine. This aims for drag-and-drop XeSS integration to ease developer workflows.
The Closed-Source Aspect
Despite the SDK release, XeSS remains closed-source. Intel is keeping information about the inner workings of XeSS 2 private. This differs from AMD's FSR, which is open-source. FSR allows for broader platform support and community-sourced improvement.
Being closed-source has potential downsides:
- Limited Platform Support: XeSS is primarily for Windows. This could limit usage on other platforms like Linux.
- Developer Dependence: Developers rely on Intel's binary distributions. They lack flexibility to deeply optimize the technology.
- Community Limitations: FSR's open-source nature allows community mods and experimentation. This will not be present with XeSS.
XeSS 2's Potential Impact
Intel is working to establish XeSS as a viable competitor in the upscaling market. The SDK rollout, engine plugins, and feature parity with DLSS are positive steps. However, the closed-source nature may deter wide adoption. This is especially true if open alternatives like FSR continue to evolve.
For players, increased competition in upscaling technology is beneficial. Whether XeSS 2 can seriously compete with DLSS and FSR is yet to be seen. It will depend on game support, performance, and Intel's future openness with the technology. The SDK is available. We now wait to see how many developers implement XeSS 2 in games.
