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arXiv · 2604.14558

The Fourth Challenge on Image Super-Resolution ($\times$4) at NTIRE 2026: Benchmark Results and Method Overview

Zheng Chen·Kai Liu·Jingkai Wang·Xianglong Yan·Jianze Li·Ziqing Zhang·Jue Gong·Jiatong Li·Lei Sun·Xiaoyang Liu·Radu Timofte·Yulun Zhang·Jihye Park·Yoonjin Im·Hyungju Chun·Hyunhee Park·MinKyu Park·Zheng Xie·Xiangyu Kong·Weijun Yuan·Zhan Li·Qiurong Song·Luen Zhu·Fengkai Zhang·Xinzhe Zhu·Junyang Chen·Congyu Wang·Yixin Yang·Zhaorun Zhou·Jiangxin Dong·Jinshan Pan·Shengwei Wang·Jiajie Ou·Baiang Li·Sizhuo Ma·Qiang Gao·Jusheng Zhang·Jian Wang·Keze Wang·Yijiao Liu·Yingsi Chen·Hui Li·Yu Wang·Congchao Zhu·Saeed Ahmad·Ik Hyun Lee·Jun Young Park·Ji Hwan Yoon·Kainan Yan·Zian Wang·Weibo Wang·Shihao Zou·Chao Dong·Wei Zhou·Linfeng Li·Jaeseong Lee·Jaeho Chae·Jinwoo Kim·Seonjoo Kim·Yucong Hong·Zhenming Yan·Junye Chen·Ruize Han·Song Wang·Yuxuan Jiang·Chengxi Zeng·Tianhao Peng·Fan Zhang·David Bull·Tongyao Mu·Qiong Cao·Yifan Wang·Youwei Pan·Leilei Cao·Xiaoping Peng·Wei Deng·Yifei Chen·Wenbo Xiong·Xian Hu·Yuxin Zhang·Xiaoyun Cheng·Yang Ji·Zonghao Chen·Zhihao Xue·Junqin Hu·Nihal Kumar·Snehal Singh Tomar·Klaus Mueller·Surya Vashisth·Prateek Shaily·Jayant Kumar·Hardik Sharma·Ashish Negi·Sachin Chaudhary·Akshay Dudhane·Praful Hambarde·Amit Shukla·Shijun Shi·Jiangning Zhang·Yong Liu
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Abstract

This paper presents the NTIRE 2026 image super-resolution ($\times$4) challenge, one of the associated competitions of the NTIRE 2026 Workshop at CVPR 2026. The challenge aims to reconstruct high-resolution (HR) images from low-resolution (LR) inputs generated through bicubic downsampling with a $\times$4 scaling factor. The objective is to develop effective super-resolution solutions and analyze recent advances in the field. To reflect the evolving objectives of image super-resolution, the challenge includes two tracks: (1) a restoration track, which emphasizes pixel-wise fidelity and ranks submissions based on PSNR; and (2) a perceptual track, which focuses on visual realism and evaluates results using a perceptual score. A total of 194 participants registered for the challenge, with 31 teams submitting valid entries. This report summarizes the challenge design, datasets, evaluation protocol, main results, and methods of participating teams. The challenge provides a unified benchmark and offers insights into current progress and future directions in image super-resolution.

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Zheng Chen, Kai Liu, Jingkai Wang, Xianglong Yan, Jianze Li, Ziqing Zhang, Jue Gong, Jiatong Li, Lei Sun, Xiaoyang Liu, Radu Timofte, Yulun Zhang, Jihye Park, Yoonjin Im, Hyungju Chun, Hyunhee Park, MinKyu Park, Zheng Xie, Xiangyu Kong, Weijun Yuan, Zhan Li, Qiurong Song, Luen Zhu, Fengkai Zhang, Xinzhe Zhu, Junyang Chen, Congyu Wang, Yixin Yang, Zhaorun Zhou, Jiangxin Dong, Jinshan Pan, Shengwei Wang, Jiajie Ou, Baiang Li, Sizhuo Ma, Qiang Gao, Jusheng Zhang, Jian Wang, Keze Wang, Yijiao Liu, Yingsi Chen, Hui Li, Yu Wang, Congchao Zhu, Saeed Ahmad, Ik Hyun Lee, Jun Young Park, Ji Hwan Yoon, Kainan Yan, Zian Wang, Weibo Wang, Shihao Zou, Chao Dong, Wei Zhou, Linfeng Li, Jaeseong Lee, Jaeho Chae, Jinwoo Kim, Seonjoo Kim, Yucong Hong, Zhenming Yan, Junye Chen, Ruize Han, Song Wang, Yuxuan Jiang, Chengxi Zeng, Tianhao Peng, Fan Zhang, David Bull, Tongyao Mu, Qiong Cao, Yifan Wang, Youwei Pan, Leilei Cao, Xiaoping Peng, Wei Deng, Yifei Chen, Wenbo Xiong, Xian Hu, Yuxin Zhang, Xiaoyun Cheng, Yang Ji, Zonghao Chen, Zhihao Xue, Junqin Hu, Nihal Kumar, Snehal Singh Tomar, Klaus Mueller, Surya Vashisth, Prateek Shaily, Jayant Kumar, Hardik Sharma, Ashish Negi, Sachin Chaudhary, Akshay Dudhane, Praful Hambarde, Amit Shukla, Shijun Shi, Jiangning Zhang, Yong Liu. 2026-04-16. The Fourth Challenge on Image Super-Resolution ($\times$4) at NTIRE 2026: Benchmark Results and Method Overview. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.14558

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