Windows · Field note 005
Windows gaming upscaling reaches Intel PCs
Auto SR is moving beyond Snapdragon, giving the first Intel Copilot+ PCs system-level AI upscaling for games.
Microsoft is expanding Windows 11’s automatic game upscaling to PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors.
Auto Super Resolution, or Auto SR, allows a compatible game to render internally at a lower resolution and then uses the computer’s neural processing unit to produce a higher-resolution image. The goal is to improve frame rates without giving up the visual character intended by the game’s developers.
The feature originally appeared on Copilot+ PCs using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X hardware. Its arrival on Intel’s “Panther Lake” generation marks Auto SR’s first move onto x86 processors.
How the Intel version works
For now, Intel users add the capability through Microsoft’s Auto Super Resolution Package in the Microsoft Store. Microsoft says it is tuned for an 800p rendering target and supports output up to 1080p on Core Ultra Series 3 systems.
Reported performance gains are generally around 15 percent, though results will vary by game and settings. Users can prioritize image quality or performance, and they can turn the feature off for individual titles.
Unlike game-specific upscaling implementations, Auto SR does not require a developer to add support or a graphics-driver vendor to create a dedicated profile. That broad approach is central to its appeal: Windows can apply the feature across a range of existing games.
A wider hardware future
Microsoft recommends trying Auto SR with visually demanding games including Control, Avowed, Frostpunk 2, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and several recent Assassin’s Creed titles.
Microsoft has not promised support for additional processor families. Its language about expanding coverage, however, leaves open the possibility that Auto SR could eventually reach more Windows hardware—including PCs based on AMD processors.