Best A.I. Image Upscaler? Top 7 Software Compared!

PiXimperfect
16 Dec 201922:30

TLDRIn this video, the host compares the top 7 AI image upscaling software, testing each on a low-resolution portrait. The platforms evaluated include Image Larger, Let's Enhance, Big JPEG, Deep Image AI, Image Upscaler, Gigapixel AI, and Photoshop's built-in upscaling. The host shares personal opinions on the quality and pricing of each service, ultimately ranking Image Larger as the best, followed by Let's Enhance and Image Upscaler. Gigapixel AI is disqualified due to artifacts in the results, and the host expresses disappointment with the investment required for the software.

Takeaways

  • 🖼️ Image upscaling is essentially guessing missing pixels using various technologies, including AI and machine learning.
  • 🏆 The video compares the top 7 image upscaling platforms and shares personal opinions on their performance.
  • 📷 Photoshop's built-in upscaling feature is tested against online platforms and other software.
  • 🥇 Image Larger is ranked first for its quality and detail preservation during upscaling.
  • 🥈 Let's Enhance is ranked second, offering a softer look but slightly losing some details compared to Image Larger.
  • 🥉 Image Upscaler provides good results, with smooth skin texture, but falls behind the top two in certain areas.
  • 🎨 Big JPEG offers a higher resolution limit and larger file size limit but ranks fourth, with noticeable artifacts in the upscaled image.
  • 🤖 Deep Image AI, despite being free, ranks sixth, with results not as sharp as the top platforms.
  • 🚫 Gigapixel AI is disqualified due to creating visible artifacts and horizontal lines in the upscaled images.
  • 💸 The cost of using these platforms varies, with some offering free plans with limitations and others requiring a subscription or one-time purchase.
  • 🔍 It's important to consider the type of image being upscaled, as different platforms may perform better with different types of content.

Q & A

  • What is the fundamental challenge in image upscaling?

    -The fundamental challenge in image upscaling is to accurately guess and fill in the missing pixels when increasing the resolution of an image.

  • What is Photoshop's built-in upscaling technology called?

    -Photoshop's built-in upscaling technology is called 'Preserve Details 2.0'.

  • What is the main limitation of Image LargerDotCom in terms of file size?

    -The main limitation of Image LargerDotCom is that it can only process images with a resolution of up to 1200 by 1200 pixels and file sizes less than 5 megabytes.

  • How does the pricing model work for Image LargerDotCom?

    -Image LargerDotCom offers a free plan with 19 images per month, and premium versions with different pricing for processing more images per month.

  • What is the primary advantage of Deep Image AI over other platforms?

    -The primary advantage of Deep Image AI is that it is completely free to use, with no limitations on the number of images you can upload.

  • What issue was encountered with Gigapixel AI from Topaz Labs?

    -Gigapixel AI produced unwanted horizontal lines and artifacts in the upscaled images, which was considered unacceptable despite the high cost of the software.

  • Which platform was ranked the best in the comparison?

    -Image Larger was ranked as the best platform for image upscaling in the comparison.

  • What is the main drawback of Big JPEG in terms of user experience?

    -The main drawback of Big JPEG is that it does not disclose its pricing upfront and requires users to log in to get a quote, which can be seen as a less transparent approach.

  • What additional options does Let's Enhance Dot IO provide during the upscaling process?

    -Let's Enhance Dot IO provides options to choose the type of image being upscaled, such as photos or art, and whether to add textures or improve color.

  • How does the video script describe the overall ranking of the image upscaling platforms?

    -The overall ranking from best to worst according to the script is: Image Larger, Let's Enhance, Image Upcaler, Photoshop's built-in upscaling, Deep Image AI, Big JPEG, and Gigapixel AI being disqualified due to quality issues.

Outlines

00:00

🖼️ Introduction to Image Upscaling and基本概念

The paragraph introduces the concept of image upscaling, explaining that it involves increasing the resolution of a digital image by guessing the missing pixels. It sets the stage for a comparison of different image upscaling platforms, starting with a simple example of a 5-pixel image being upscaled to 10 pixels. The speaker emphasizes that all upscaling technologies, whether they use AI or machine learning, essentially aim to fill in these missing pixels. The paragraph also introduces a low-resolution portrait that will be used to test the top 7 most common image upscaling platforms in the market, with the goal of determining which one performs the best.

05:00

🔎 Review of Image Upscaling Platforms - Part 1

This section delves into the review process of the first three image upscaling platforms: Image Larger, Let's Enhance, and Big JPEG. The speaker provides a hands-on demonstration of how each platform works, including their user interfaces, options for image enhancement, and limitations such as file size restrictions. The review highlights the quality of the upscaling results, the pricing models, and the speaker's personal experiences and preferences. The platforms are evaluated based on their effectiveness in upscaling a low-resolution portrait, with a focus on maintaining detail and avoiding artifacts.

10:00

🤖 Deep Learning and Free Platforms - Part 2

The paragraph continues the review process, focusing on the next three platforms: Deep Image AI, Image Upscale, and Gigapixel AI. The speaker highlights Deep Image AI as the only completely free platform, despite not requiring users to sign up. The review also covers Image Upscale, which offers manual retouching services in addition to its upscaling tool. The most expensive platform, Gigapixel AI, is critiqued for its high cost and the presence of artifacts in the upscaling results. The speaker expresses disappointment with Gigapixel AI, leading to its disqualification from the comparison.

15:01

💻 Comparison with Photoshop's Built-in Upscaling

In this part, the speaker compares the results from the various image upscaling platforms with Photoshop's built-in upscaling feature. The comparison involves a detailed analysis of the quality of the upscaled images, focusing on aspects like hair texture, facial details, and the presence of artifacts. The speaker shares their personal ranking of the platforms based on the quality of the upscaling, with Image Larger taking the top spot, followed by Let's Enhance and Image Upscale. The built-in upscaling of Photoshop is ranked fifth, with Deep Image AI in sixth place, Big JPEG in seventh, and Gigapixel AI disqualified due to its subpar performance.

20:01

🏆 Final Rankings and Conclusion

The conclusion summarizes the final rankings of the image upscaling platforms based on the speaker's tests and comparisons. Image Larger is declared the winner, followed by Let's Enhance and Image Upscale in the second and third places, respectively. The speaker also reiterates their disappointment with Gigapixel AI and emphasizes that the results may vary for different users and types of images. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to like, share, and subscribe for more content, and acknowledges the support of Patreon contributors who help keep the channel ad-free.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI Image Upscaler

AI Image Upscaler refers to artificial intelligence-based software or platforms that enhance the resolution of digital images by guessing and filling in the missing pixels. In the context of the video, it is the primary technology being evaluated and compared across various software to determine which provides the best upscaling results. The video script discusses several AI upscaling tools, such as Image Larger, Let's Enhance, and Big JPEG, among others, and compares their effectiveness in increasing image resolution, particularly for a low-resolution portrait. The AI upscaling process is likened to guessing the missing pixels based on the existing ones, which can involve simple or complex mathematical approaches.

💡Pixels

Pixels are the smallest units that make up a digital image, and they represent individual points of color within that image. The resolution of an image is determined by the number of pixels it contains. In the video, the concept of pixels is crucial as it is the basis for the upscaling process, where AI algorithms work to increase the pixel count and improve image quality. The video begins with a simple question about what the smallest unit of a digital image is, which is a pixel, setting the stage for the discussion on image upscaling and the role of pixels in this process.

💡Resolution

Resolution refers to the quality or detail of an image, typically measured in pixels. A higher resolution means more pixels, resulting in a more detailed and clearer image. In the video, resolution is a central theme as the purpose of using AI Image Upscalers is to increase the resolution of low-quality images. The comparison between the original low-resolution portrait and the upscaled versions is a key part of the evaluation process.

💡Machine Learning

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that involves the development of algorithms and statistical models that allow computers to learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data. In the context of the video, machine learning is the underlying technology that powers the AI Image Upscalers. These platforms use machine learning algorithms to analyze patterns in the existing pixels of an image and predict how to fill in the additional pixels when upscaling, aiming to maintain or improve the image's quality.

💡Image Larger

Image Larger is one of the AI Image Upscaling platforms mentioned in the video. It is described as a straightforward website that offers both online processing and a downloadable software for image upscaling. The platform is noted for its user-friendly interface, where users can upload a low-resolution image and select the desired upscaling option. In the video, Image Larger is tested and compared with other upscaling platforms to determine its effectiveness in enhancing image quality.

💡Let's Enhance

Let's Enhance is another AI Image Upscaling platform discussed in the video. It requires users to create an account and offers both free and premium plans for image processing. The platform provides additional options such as the type of image being upscaled (photos, art, etc.) and the degree of upscaling. In the video, Let's Enhance is compared with other platforms to evaluate its performance in upscaling images and preserving details.

💡Big JPEG

Big JPEG is an AI Image Upscaling platform with a higher resolution limit compared to others. It allows users to upscale images with a resolution of up to 3000 by 3000 pixels and a file size limit of 10 MB. The platform offers a free version with certain limitations and also has premium plans for more extensive usage. In the video, Big JPEG is evaluated for its upscaling capabilities and compared with other platforms to determine its effectiveness and quality of results.

💡Deep Image AI

Deep Image AI is an AI Image Upscaling platform that is noted for being completely free to use. It offers unlimited image uploads without requiring a sign-up, providing a simple and accessible interface for users. The platform is evaluated in the video for its ability to upscale images while maintaining quality and compared with other platforms to determine its ranking among the tested tools.

💡Gigapixel AI

Gigapixel AI is a high-end AI Image Upscaling software developed by Topaz Labs. It is a one-time purchase software that promises to deliver high-quality upscaling results. However, in the video, the reviewer expresses disappointment with the software's performance, noting the presence of artifacts and lines in the upscaled images. The software is compared with other platforms and ultimately disqualified due to these issues.

💡Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely recognized software for image editing and manipulation developed by Adobe. In the context of the video, it is used as a built-in upscaling tool for comparison with other AI Image Upscaling platforms. The video discusses the use of Photoshop's 'Preserve Details 2.0' technology for upscaling images and compares the results with those from the AI platforms to evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing image quality.

Highlights

The smallest unit of a digital image is pixels.

Image upscaling technologies guess and fill in the missing pixels.

AI and machine learning are used for complex pixel-filling processes.

Photoshop is among the platforms tested for image upscaling.

Image Larger dot-com offers a straightforward website for image upscaling.

Let's Enhance dot IO provides additional options for photo and art enhancement.

Big JPEG dot com has a higher resolution limit and a longer processing time.

Deep Image dot ai is the only free platform among the tested ones.

Image Upscaler dot com has an old-school website but delivers decent results.

Gigapixel AI from Topaz Labs is a high-priced software that did not meet expectations.

Photoshop's built-in upscaling uses the Preserve Details 2.0 technology.

The ranking of the image upscaling platforms is based on quality and user experience.

Image Larger produced the best results in the comparison.

Let's Enhance was ranked second for its soft and pleasing output.

Deep Image AI and Big JPEG were ranked third and fourth respectively.

Gigapixel AI was disqualified due to creating artifacts in the upscaled images.

Photoshop's upscaling was found to be decent but ranked lower than Image Larger.

The final ranking of the image upscaling platforms was presented at the end of the comparison.