DirectSR, a new Windows API that Microsoft recently announced, will allow programmers to create popular AI super-resolution AI upscaling technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS with just one line of code. DirectSR, according to the tech giant, is the “missing link” between games and different super-resolution techniques. It was developed in collaboration with AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.
It’s currently challenging to include support for various upscaling techniques because game developers must write code for each upscaling technique. According to the company, developers will be able to use AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, Intel XeSS, and Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution without having to add support for each one because the new API enables “multi-vendor SR through a common set of inputs and outputs.”
Thus, players will have more options to select from. For instance, based on their graphic vendor, players of PC games with multiple upscaling methods enabled can select between DLSS, FSR, or XeSS. Additionally, it will significantly improve gaming performance for players without sacrificing image quality—especially for those without the best graphics cards.
The blog post also mentions that the Agility SDK will shortly offer a public preview of DirectSR for Windows, and that the API will work with both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The upscaling technique may be effective on recently released graphics cards, even though Microsoft has not yet released any information about DirectSR. The company has stated that DirectSR will be shown off at the upcoming Game Developers Conference (GDC).
Microsoft was testing “Automatic Super Resolution,” a new feature for Windows 11 that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to “make supported games play more smoothly with enhanced details,” a few weeks ago. But now, it appears that the tech giant wants to use already-existing upscaling techniques rather than developing a new super-resolution technology.
