Intel graphics driver adds support for Integer Scaling

NVIDIA beat Intel to the punch by adding integer scaling support for Turing GPUs with the GeForce 436.02 Gamescom Special driver but now the chip giant finally delivers its promised integer scaling support. This feature was requested by retro gamers, it results in better image quality when you render low-resolution games on high-resolution screens.

The Intel Graphics 25.20.100.7155 beta driver now features beta support for Retro Scaling, but unfortunately the feature is exclusively available for the new Ice Lake-based processors with Intel Graphics Gen11.

Integer scaling (IS) is a nearest-neighbor upscaling technique that simply scales up the existing pixels by an integer (i.e., whole number) multiplier. Nearest-neighbor (NN) interpolation works by filling in the missing color values in the upscaled image with that of the coordinate-mapped nearest source pixel value. Both IS and NN preserve the clarity of the original image. In contrast, traditional upscaling algorithms, such as bilinear or bicubic interpolation, result in blurry upscaled images because they employ interpolation techniques that smooth out the transition from one pixel to another. Therefore, integer scaling is particularly useful for pixel art games that rely on sharp, blocky images to deliver their distinctive look.

You can download the new Intel Graphics driver over here.