Our verdict: Video2X is a free way to upscale old or low-resolution videos and add frames for smoother motion on your own GPU. Version 6 is a fast C/C++ rewrite with a Qt GUI and a proper Windows installer. It needs a Vulkan GPU and an AVX2 CPU, and AI upscaling of long videos still takes a lot of time.
About Video2X
Video2X is an open-source video super-resolution and frame interpolation tool under the AGPL v3, developed by K4YT3X. Version 6.0 rewrote it in C/C++ with a faster pipeline, a new Qt6 GUI and an installer for Windows. It needs no extra disk space during processing beyond the final output file.
It offers two modes: filtering, which upscales with Real-ESRGAN, Real-CUGAN or Anime4K v4 and other MPV-compatible GLSL shaders, and frame interpolation with RIFE. The models run through ncnn and Vulkan. The precompiled builds require a CPU with AVX2 (Intel Haswell or AMD Excavator and newer) and a Vulkan GPU such as NVIDIA Kepler, AMD GCN 1.0 or Intel HD 4000 and newer.
What it does well
- AI upscaling. Real-ESRGAN, Real-CUGAN and Anime4K v4 enlarge video frames.
- Frame interpolation. RIFE models add frames for higher frame rates or slow motion.
- Custom shaders. Supports MPV-compatible GLSL shaders alongside Anime4K.
- Vulkan acceleration. Runs on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs through ncnn and Vulkan.
- GUI and command line. Qt6 desktop app on Windows plus a command-line tool.
Who it is for
Good fit
Anime fans and video hobbyists who want to upscale or smooth clips locally for free.
Look elsewhere
PCs without a Vulkan-capable GPU or AVX2 CPU, and users who need fast results on long films.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open source
- Several upscaling models plus RIFE interpolation
- Works on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs
- No temporary frame files on disk
Cons
- Needs a Vulkan GPU and an AVX2 CPU
- Processing long videos takes hours
- No macOS version
How to install Video2X
The button downloads the Windows Qt6 installer from the official GitHub release. Update your GPU driver so Vulkan works. In the app, add a video, choose upscaling or interpolation and a model, and pick the output resolution. The GUI is available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French and German.
Questions about Video2X
Is Video2X free?
Yes. Video2X is open source under the GNU AGPL v3 and free to use.
Can Video2X increase frame rate?
Yes. Besides upscaling, it has a frame interpolation mode that uses RIFE models to add in-between frames.
