Both Microsoft and Intel are preparing video upscaling tools that are reportedly similar to Nvidia's new VSR or Video Super Resolution technology (opens in new tab). [Microsoft's video upscaler was announced as an update to Windows 11's Edge browser (opens in new tab). Meanwhile, Intel's scaler is still unofficial but has been reported to work with Google's Chrome browser.

According to Benchlife (opens in new tab), the Intel scaler is known as Intel Video Processor Super Resolution and requires at least Intel Gen 9 integrated graphics. In other words, it requires a 10th generation Core processor or later Intel CPU and an Intel Arc graphics card.

Intel Scaler is enabled by a command string in Chrome's startup shortcut; according to Benchlife, Intel Scaler seems to work more strongly with low-resolution videos at 360p and 480p; with 720p videos, video processing by the GPU appears to be almost nonexistent.

As for Microsoft's scaler, also known as Video Super Resolution, the big news is that it is compatible with both all Nvidia RTX GPUs and AMD GPUs from the RX 5700 onward. Intel's scaler clearly has a lower resolution video, just as Microsoft's Edge VSR only supports video resolutions below 720p.

It is also not compatible with streaming content protected by DRM technology. The MS VSR also requires that the PC be running on wall power, not battery power.

Microsoft states that "This feature is currently available to 50% of users on the Canary Channel and will be enabled when the above conditions are met. When this feature is enabled, an HD icon will appear in the address bar. Clicking on the icon will enable or disable this functionality."

Also, "The HD icon will appear in the address bar when this functionality is enabled.

The feature can also be enabled by dropping in the following flag:edge://flags/#edge-video-super-resolution

Early user reports indicate that Microsoft's scaler makes a difference is limited and seems to indicate that it is even smaller than the fairly modest impact of Nvidia's VSR. Similarly, given the sort of limitations of Intel's new scaler, none of these upscaling tools are likely to turn throbbing 360p video into crisp 4K. Of course, such expectations are likely to be unrealistic.