Hark! Could it be that Microsoft, in a fierce competition with AMD and Intel, shall unveil a mighty foe to Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS)? A revelation hath come to pass with Copilot+ PCs, wherein a new feature named Auto SR doth emerge, akin to DLSS, yet guided by the wise counsel of AI. Exclusively bestowed upon Copilot+ PCs for now, yet the gates of opportunity are left ajar for other platforms to partake in its glory.
‘Tis whispered among the wind that Microsoft, though not confirming Auto SR’s communion with the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) within Copilot+ PCs, hath dropped hints aplenty with its current exclusivity. Upon the Copilot+ page, ’tis stated that Auto SR doth dwell within “a curated set of games” at its dawn, implying a bespoke integration tailored to each game’s realm.
Lest ye fret and mourn the exclusivity of Auto SR to Copilot+ PCs, know ye not that this feature doth differ from the legendary DirectSR foretold in days of yore. DirectSR dost unite the powers of upscalers like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS under a singular banner, whilst Auto SR doth solely focus on the art of upscaling. Microsoft doth elucidate the distinction thusly: “Auto SR is the first AI-based super resolution solution integrated directly into an operating system to seamlessly enhance existing games right out of the box with no input required from players or developers. Ultimately, Auto SR simplifies the experience for players while DirectSR simplifies the experience for developers.”
Behold the visage of Auto SR, poised to elevate the gaming experience with its AI-driven magnificence. Microsoft’s grand design hints at a future wherein this wondrous feature may grace other devices, as the description divulges: “At initial launch, this feature will be exclusive to Copilot+ PCs equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor,” foreshadowing a wider embrace in times yet to come.
As the dawn breaks upon the realm of technology, the presence of NPUs hath spread from laptops into the very bowels of desktops. AMD’s Ryzen 8000 desktop processors and Intel’s forthcoming Arrow Lake CPUs stand as witnesses to this evolution. Should Auto SR find its abode within the NPU, ’tis likely that Microsoft shalt extend its reach across the lands in the days ahead.
Bearing witness to the genesis of Auto SR earlier this year, as it mistakenly surfaced in preview builds of Windows 11, one doth recall the scribes of PCWorld who glimpsed its form. Alas, in those early musings, no boon in performance was found, hinting once more at its NPU roots and the unfolding of its capabilities over time.
An aura of uncertainty envelops the timeline for Auto SR’s widespread advent. Yet, as other Copilot+ features, like Recall, are slated to arrive through a Windows update, one doth sense that Auto SR shall tread a similar path towards ubiquity.
