What’s the Best AI Video Upscaler for 2026?

General Discussion
1

If you’ve ever tried to fix an old blurry video or upscale a low-res clip, you probably already know it’s not as simple as hitting “increase resolution.” I’ve been testing a few AI video upscalers recently, and I wanted to share what actually worked for me as a regular user, not a pro editor.

:thinking: Why I Started Looking for an AI Video Upscaler

I had a bunch of old 720p travel clips and some compressed videos from my phone that looked pretty bad on a 4K screen. Everything felt soft, noisy, and honestly not worth keeping.

I didn’t want to manually edit frame by frame, so AI upscaling seemed like the easiest solution.

:test_tube: Tools I Tried (Real User Perspective)

:small_blue_diamond: Topaz Video AI

This is the one everyone talks about. And yeah, the quality is amazing. It can recover details in a way that feels almost unreal sometimes.

But for me, there were two issues:

  • :money_with_wings: It’s expensive

  • :desktop_computer: It can be slow depending on your hardware

If you’re doing professional work, it makes sense. For casual use, it felt a bit overkill.

:small_blue_diamond: Video2X (Free Option)

I also tried Video2X since it’s free and open source.

  • :+1: Really powerful with the right setup

  • :-1: Setup was a bit confusing

  • :-1: Needs a decent GPU to run smoothly

It works, but it’s definitely not beginner-friendly.

:star: What Surprised Me: HitPaw VikPea Video Enhancer

:movie_camera: HitPaw VikPea Video Enhancer

I didn’t expect much at first, but this one actually surprised me.

What I liked:

  • :high_voltage: Very easy to use (literally import, choose model, export)

  • :bullseye: Different AI models for different needs (general, sharpen, portrait)

  • :framed_picture: Noticeable improvement in clarity without weird artifacts

  • :magnifying_glass_tilted_left: Side-by-side preview helps a lot

I tested it on some old clips and social media videos, and the results were pretty clean. It won’t magically fix everything, but for most everyday videos, it does a solid job.

:mobile_phone: Bonus: Mobile and Online Tools

I also checked a few mobile and online options.

  • :mobile_phone_with_arrow: Mobile apps are convenient but slower and limited

  • :globe_with_meridians: Online tools are great for quick tests but usually have limits

They’re fine for short clips, but for better quality, desktop tools still win.

:light_bulb: My Honest Take

After trying these tools, here’s how I see it:

  • :trophy: Topaz Video AI → Best for maximum quality

  • :balance_scale: HitPaw VikPea → Best balance of quality, speed, and ease of use

  • :free_button: Video2X → Best free option if you don’t mind setup

For me personally, I ended up using HitPaw VikPea Video Enhancer the most. It’s simple, fast, and gives good enough results without needing a powerful setup or a lot of tweaking.

:bullseye: Final Thoughts

AI video upscaling has come a long way. You can now take old or blurry clips and make them look much better with just a few clicks.

If you’re like me and just want something that works without spending hours learning or tweaking settings, HitPaw VikPea is definitely worth trying.

Curious what others are using though. Anyone found something better lately? :eyes: