Xbox Series X & S owners begin testing Dolby Vision HDR in games

Microsoft is moving towards fulfilling its promise to make the Xbox Series X and S the first consoles to support the advanced HDR format Dolby Vision. So far, however, only for a small number of users. As Forbes reports, players have noticed that the latest build 2104 for Xbox Insider Alpha Test Program members allows Dolby Vision to be used in games on Series X and S.

So far, this HDR mode is only available in a few games, including Borderlands 3, Gears 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Wreckfest. Nevertheless, the technology proved to be quite effective – test participants stated that the picture quality with Dolby Vision improved over normal HDR10 – apparently due to dynamic data that adjusts the HDR visual component frame by frame.

Microsoft has confirmed to Forbes reporters that it has started testing Dolby Vision and again hinted to the public about the “imminent” launch of support for this curious technology. However, a more exact date was never named – the launch was promised somewhere in 2021.

Dolby Vision support could give the latest Xbox consoles an edge over the PlayStation 5, currently limited to HDR10. However, this is unlikely to become an important sales factor. You will need a compatible TV (and this is not Samsung) and support for specific games to see the improved graphics. In the future, the updated HDR mode, however, may become a more important factor, with the proliferation of a sufficient number of compatible TVs and games.

Microsoft says Dolby Vision will deliver the brightness, contrast, color, and depth beyond traditional HDR gaming, offering 40x brighter highlights, 10x deeper black levels, and support for color depths up to 12-bit. … Technically, Dolby Vision HDR for gaming was supported on the Xbox One X, but so far, it has only been available to testers through the Xbox Insiders program. Although Dolby Vision games have never been publicly offered on consoles before, some PC titles can be played in 12-bit HDR – for example, EA’s Mass Effect Andromeda and Battlefield 1 support Dolby Vision.