Intel plans to make all XeSS 2-ready games compatible with its new XeSS 3 multi-frame generation (MFG) technology, providing users with a robust support catalogue from the get-go. The brand is seemingly injecting XeSS 3 through its driver suite, making developer intervention unnecessary. This is a great move as it allows existing Arc GPU owners to enjoy this feature at no additional cost.
At the time of writing, Intel lists 44 XeSS 2 titles, with upcoming releases pushing the total above 50. To do so, the company is leveraging XeSS 2’s game integration to access engine data such as motion vectors and depth maps to build multiple intermediary frames. In a way, this is similar to how Nvidia and AMD are swapping older DLSS and FSR implementations for newer ones.
Both single- and multi-frame generation technologies hold the last two rendered frames to use as guides for the ‘AI’ generated ones. However, unlike single-frame generation, MFG lets you choose how many frames you want to generate in between, up to three. Thus, depending on the overhead, you can see up to four times smoother motion when factoring in the rendered frame.
Understandably, the higher the number of generated frames, the greater are the chances of noticing visual artefacts, since up to three out of four frames are not rastered in the traditional sense, and thus subject to interpolation errors. Likewise, due to the need to retain a rendered frame in the buffer, latency will be higher than native rendering where no frame generation takes place.
To minimise these inconveniences as much as possible, it’s recommended to only enable single/multi-frame generation above 60 native fps. Higher fps means shorter times between frames, which reduces the time a ‘broken’ generated frame remains on display.
At the same time, Intel is also updating its PresentMon frame-time monitoring tool with frame generation metrics, allowing you to measure how many frames are generated and how many are rendered. A great way to balance the frame smoothness and input latency.
Though Intel didn’t share detailed tests of its x2, x3, and x4 MFG technology, its demos, shaded by @hm1193 on X, show about 245fps in PainKiller and 133fps in Dying Light: The Beast. Of these, 62.9fps and 34.2fps were rendered, respectively, i.e. x3.9. These are some nice figures which should deliver a smooth experience, especially considering that both games were running at max graphics, leaving more room for improvement. Assuming the other titles can scale this well, AAA gaming on the high-end 12Xe core Panther Lake could definitely be a thing.
Intel’s XeSS multi-frame generation technology is expected to launch alongside the Panther Lake CPU lineup, featuring the latest Xe3 graphics. So, laptop gamers are in for a treat at the start of next year.
