Intel prepares support for dedicated XMX engines to use XeSS on SteamOS

Valve’s operating system, SteamOS, is perfectly integrated with AMD graphics, since its devices that use this operating system have graphics from this brand. But Valve is working with graphics card manufacturers to bring compatibility of this Linux-based OS to other graphics cards. It seems that The next compatibility to arrive will be Intel’s XeSSwhich will make use of its dedicated XMX engines instead of resorting to DP4a.

Intel brings XeSS with XMX to SteamOS via Proton

This time it is Intel that is working to improve FPS rate in Windows games under the Proton layer. An Intel engineer submitted code change requests on October 19, which include Proton, Wine, VKD3D-Proton, and DXVK. With these changes, Intel GPUs will be allowed use your dedicated XMX hardware for XeSS scaling technologyrather than relying on the alternative method commonly used with non-Intel hardware.

The requested change includes introducing a new library called libxess.dllwhich will forward XeSS calls from Direct3D 12 to the native Linux library libxess.so. In addition, VKD3D-Proton is capable of managing the use of Direct3D 12 and Vulkan objects, allowing the library to always have the necessary resources.

XeSS will be able to take advantage of the dedicated hardware of Intel GPUs

Another change is eliminating the solution currently offered by DXVK, which is capable of hiding Intel GPUs from games that use the old XeSS library. The changes would remove this workaround, as Proton may provide the corresponding XeSS library and necessary. VKD3D-Proton also enables Vulkan extensions and features required for using XeSS.

MSI Claw and future Steam Machines could benefit

Some options that can start using MSI Claw usersprovided they decide to add SteamOS to this portable console, instead of using Windows as it comes by default. It will also be welcome for those who want build your own Steam Machine for your living room with third-party hardware, and now you can add a Intel Arc card integrated or dedicated and make use of its hardware with XMX engines that improves XeSS scaling technology compared to cards that do not have these dedicated engines.