Intel's new version of its graphics drivers goes further than the usual bug fixes: XeSS 3 makes its debut.
XeSS (for Xe Super Sampling) technology is the Intel equivalent of what NVIDIA has produced for its GeForce graphics cards, DLSS (for Deep Learning Super Sampling). Equivalent, but not identical, and certainly not able to evolve in the same way over time. NVIDIA has a head start in this field, but Intel has no intention of falling too far behind.
That's the message of the 32.0.101.8362/8425 graphics drivers, which of course address a number of technical problems with the latest games, such as a graphics problem on certain water surfaces in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, or the causes of outright crashes at the launch of Star Citizen. But, as we said at the outset, these new drivers go much further: they officialize the implementation of XeSS 3 technology and, with it, the introduction of multi-frame generation (MFG), which complements/reinforces the frame generation (FG) introduced with XeSS 2.
Intel diagram of how multi-frame generation works on XeSS 3 © Intel
The principle behind FG is to entrust the creation of every other frame in video games to an artificial intelligence trained on powerful models: frame A is rendered by the GPU, frame C is rendered by the GPU, but it's the AI that takes charge of creating frame B, relying on a whole host of information, notably taken from the differences between frame A and frame C. Well, MFG is exactly the same thing, but taken a step further: the AI no longer interposes one image between the two generated by the GPU (the x2), but can interpose two (the x3) or even three (the x4) to increase the fluidity of the animation even more, while taking even more of the load off the GPU. Here's how Intel makes it official:
" Launch driver for Intel Core Ultra Series 3 with integrated Intel Arc B390, B370 GPUs (codenamed Panther Lake).
Intel XeSS 3 support: introduction of multi-frame generation
XeSS multi-frame generation builds on XeSS frame generation by inserting up to 3 generated frames between two rendered frames, going from a 1:1 ratio to 3:1 for an ultra-smooth gaming experience. "
Screenshot of the latest Intel graphics drivers and MFG option © VideoCardz
As Intel explains, it's important to note that to take advantage of XeSS 3 and its MFG, you need the latest Intel GPUs: we're talking exclusively about the ARC B370 and ARC B390 integrated graphics solutions deployed within the new Intel Panther Lakes. This is not surprising - AMD and NVIDIA are doing the same - but it does mean that no Intel-signed dedicated graphics card is able to take advantage of XeSS 3... for the time being! Unlike its competitors, Intel intends to deploy XeSS 3 across its entire ARC range, from Panther Lake, Meteor Lake, Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake iGPUs to Alchemist (ARC A-series) and Battlemage (ARC B-series) graphics cards.
