New Chrome Version Will Support Nvidia 4K Upscaling

Nvidia RTX Video Super Resolution
(Image credit: Nvidia)

Google has released an ‘Early Stable Update for Desktop’ which heralds the arrival of Nvidia’s RTX Video Super Resolution to the Chrome browser. This new video stream upscaling feature, using the same kind of AI that has made Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) such a success in the games sphere, now only needs a new GeForce driver to hit the PC mainstream. However, before you read further, we think it is important to point out that Nvidia is only supporting this new AI video scaling tech on its GeForce RTX 30 and RTX 40 GPUs.

(Image credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia RTX Video Super Resolution was announced at the CES 2023 last month. In brief, it takes in video at resolutions between 360p and 1440p (inclusive) and uses AI derived from deep learning and neural networks to upscale the video up to 4K. Of course, the special sauce delivered by Nvidia’s AI is a more impressive upscaling quality than what could previously be achieved by your hardware / software combo.

Above you can check out Nvidia’s infomercial for RTX Video Super Resolution, which was shared during CES 2023. In the video you see some game footage from Apex Legends captured at 1080p using H.264 at the 8mbps bitrate. Nvidia shows some illuminating split screen, and zoomed in detail comparisons - contrasting the gaming footage at 1080p and AI-upscaled to 4K. Gamers may appreciate that the RTX Video Super Resolution feature will support up to 144Hz video, too.

The results look good in the video, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t look impressive, with the similar DLSS having progressed through several major versions and refinement steps over the years. Applying the RTX Video Super Resolution to game footage might even show the tech at its best, and makes one wonder how well it would work in the wide range of online video genres to which it might be applied; nature documentaries or sports videos would present the Ai with very different upscaling challenges to something like Apex Legends.

VideoCardz spotted that Google’s latest stable version of Chrome (110.0.5481.77), now has the ‘NvidiaVpSuperResolution’ feature turned on by default – something that was previously a beta-only feature. The general release of the new stable Chrome 110 is expected tomorrow, February 7. As mentioned in the intro, Nvidia has yet to release a GeForce game ready or studio driver with support, but with any luck it should also arrive tomorrow, too. It would be fortunate to see Microsoft Edge updated for support simultaneously to give users a choice from day one.

(Image credit: Nvidia)

With any upscaling technology, the proof of the pudding is in the watching, as all the major graphics chip vendor firms have been boastful about their various upscaling technologies previously – even when they weren’t anywhere as good as they have become recently. Fingers crossed we will be able to test Nvidia RTX Video Super Resolution, with the wide variety of streaming video content out there, very shortly.

Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

  • PlaneInTheSky
    In brief, it takes in video at resolutions between 360p and 1440p (inclusive) and uses AI derived from deep learning and neural networks to upscale the video up to 4K

    Oh man, lemme go buy a $1,000 GPU so I can upscale that 360p cat video on Youtube from 1994.

    Nice way to drain your battery on laptops too.

    This just screams desperation. Cut your GPU prices in half if you want people to buy them.
    Reply
  • Alvar "Miles" Udell
    However, before you read further, we think it is important to point out that Nvidia is only supporting this new AI video scaling tech on its GeForce RTX 30 and RTX 40 GPUs.


    Stopped reading there. Better be a good reason they're leaving out the RTX 2000 series...
    Reply
  • PlaneInTheSky
    https://i.postimg.cc/VsF6VB65/rspu-YBr-Yw-Puo-Ln-Rg-Fp-Bc-Ue-1920-80-jpg.webp
    Sure...this image is not faked at all...

    https://i.postimg.cc/L8WhV9sT/dtryeryrtyryryryry.jpg
    Reply
  • DavidLejdar
    And now to also wait for results about how much the power consumption of the GPU will increase for watching videos..
    Reply
  • RedBear87
    Alvar Miles Udell said:
    Stopped reading there. Better be a good reason they're leaving out the RTX 2000 series...
    The article should be amended, Gerardo Delgado (Nvidia's Product Line Manager) confirmed that support for RTX 2000 series will come later:
    1610737673781776384View: https://twitter.com/gerdelgado/status/1610737673781776384
    Reply
  • setx
    PlaneInTheSky said:
    https://i.postimg.cc/VsF6VB65/rspu-YBr-Yw-Puo-Ln-Rg-Fp-Bc-Ue-1920-80-jpg.webp
    Sure...this image is not faked at all...
    It's true story: original on the right, RTX Video Super Resolution on the left.
    Reply
  • Koklade
    PlaneInTheSky said:
    Oh man, lemme go buy a $1,000 GPU so I can upscale that 360p cat video on Youtube from 1994.

    Nice way to drain your battery on laptops too.

    This just screams desperation. Cut your GPU prices in half if you want people to buy them.

    For someone who watches a lot of Youtube and Twitch on their 4K monitor this is pretty great to be honest. 1080p on a 4K screen results in a noticeably pixelated video.

    Most videos on Youtube are in 1080p and max streaming resolution on Twitch is also 1080p.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    I hope they (eventually?) include frame interpolation, as well. They've given some impressive demos of that, in years past.

    PlaneInTheSky said:
    Oh man, lemme go buy a $1,000 GPU so I can upscale that 360p cat video on Youtube from 1994.
    I have lots of DVDs and blu-ray discs. If it can be used for playback of those, or other types of video files, then its value is substantial.

    Also, they didn't say exactly which models would be supported, did they? What if it works even with a RTX 3050?

    Over the years, I've spent money on GPU upgrades and various hardware solutions to improve video deinterlacing and scaling. I would definitely consider buying a new Nvidia GPU for this, depending on how well it works and its overall capabilities.
    Reply
  • Chung Leong
    Did engineers at Nvidia feed the AI with tons of 4K porn? We all know that's how this feature will be primarily used in practice.
    Reply
  • thisisaname
    Alvar Miles Udell said:
    Stopped reading there. Better be a good reason they're leaving out the RTX 2000 series...

    I'm surprised they included the 30 series but thinking about it the only reason they excluded it from DLSS is how poor the increase the 40 series is over the 30 series without it.
    Reply