# Upscaling Techniques and System Requirements: The Case of *Stalker 2*
In the past few days, the system requirements for *Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl* have garnered significant interest, mainly because of the high memory requirements. However, a fresh conversation has surfaced on Reddit, highlighting a different facet of the game’s performance: the influence of upscaling techniques like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) on these system requirements.
## How Were *Stalker 2*’s System Requirements Established?
A pivotal question that has arisen is whether the system specifications announced on November 12 pertain to playing the game at its native resolution or if they are dependent on upscaling methods like DLSS, FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), or TSR (Temporal Super Resolution). This differentiation is crucial as it directly affects the actual hardware capabilities needed to run the game efficiently.
Interestingly, the system requirements are indeed contingent upon upscaling technologies. Nevertheless, this was not clearly communicated in the initial release of the specifications. The graphics tied to the Steam announcement did not reflect the implementation of upscaling techniques, causing some misunderstanding among players and fans. It wasn’t until a subsequent update that the developers clarified the matter.
### The Importance of DLSS and Other Upscaling Techniques
The official Steam page for *Stalker 2* has since included a note indicating that the minimum system requirements are based on the utilization of TSR (Unreal Engine’s Temporal Super Resolution) and similar technologies. Furthermore, the recommended system requirements anticipate the employment of DLSS, FSR, and XeSS (Intel’s Xe Super Sampling).
This clarification is vital because upscaling methods enable games to render at a lower resolution and then enhance the image to reach the target resolution, often with minimal degradation in visual quality. This can significantly alleviate the pressure on a system’s GPU and CPU, allowing for increased frame rates and smoother gameplay while retaining a high degree of graphical detail.
### What is Upscaling?
In the realm of gaming, upscaling refers to the practice of rendering an image at a lower resolution and then employing sophisticated algorithms to upgrade it to a higher resolution. This method aims to maintain or even improve image quality while lightening the computational demands on the system.
– **DLSS (Nvidia)**: DLSS is an AI-based upscaling technology that leverages deep learning to elevate lower-resolution images to higher resolutions. It excels at preserving image sharpness and detail.
– **FSR (AMD)**: AMD’s FSR is a spatial upscaling method compatible with a wide array of hardware, including Nvidia GPUs. Unlike DLSS, it isn’t AI-based but still offers a performance enhancement by rendering at a lower resolution before upscaling.
– **TSR (Unreal Engine)**: TSR is a temporal upscaling approach integrated into Unreal Engine. It utilizes data from previous frames to enhance the quality of the upscaled image.
– **XeSS (Intel)**: Intel’s XeSS is another AI-based upscaling solution akin to DLSS, intended for use across various hardware setups.
### Why Employ Upscaling?
The primary impetus for using upscaling is to boost performance, especially regarding frames per second (FPS). Rendering a game at a lower resolution minimizes the GPU’s workload, potentially resulting in higher FPS as long as other elements like CPU speed or memory capacity aren’t constraining factors.
In contemporary gaming, where 4K resolutions and ray tracing are increasingly prevalent, upscaling techniques are vital for achieving smooth performance without the necessity of excessively costly hardware. For instance, a game rendered at 1080p and subsequently upscaled to 4K via DLSS can appear nearly as refined as native 4K while providing much better performance.
### How Impressive Does Upscaling Appear?
The visual fidelity of upscaling can differ based on the game, the specific technology utilized, and the quality settings selected. In optimal circumstances, upscaling can even enhance image quality in specific areas, such as mitigating aliasing (jagged edges) or improving texture details. However, in some instances, the upscaled image may seem slightly inferior to a native resolution image, potentially exhibiting artifacts like blurring or ghosting.
For *Stalker 2*, the developers are counting on these upscaling techniques to strike a balance between performance and visual quality, ensuring that the game operates efficiently across a broader spectrum of hardware configurations.
## How the Discussion Started
The discovery that *Stalker 2*’s system requirements are based on DLSS and other upscaling methods emerged from a question directed to the developers on Discord. This was subsequently chronicled in a Reddit post, which rapidly gained popularity within the gaming community.
The misunderstanding originated due to the initial system requirements not explicitly mentioning the utilization of upscaling technologies. This oversight led some players to presume that