Microsoft is testing Dolby Vision HDR gaming on the Xbox Series X and S. The company is rolling out the feature for Xbox users on the Insider Alpha ring with the 2104 release.
The update enables Dolby Vision gaming on the Xbox Series X and S for titles that support the HDR technology. The gaming consoles already support HDR10 gaming.
Xbox Games Offer Better Image Quality With Dolby Vision
There are only a handful of games for the Xbox Series X and S that support Dolby Vision. The latest Alpha Ring update has added Dolby Vision support for four titles: Borderlands 3, Gears 5, Halo: Master Chief Collection, and Wreckfest.
As reported by Forbes, Xbox users who got the update claim that the picture quality with Dolby Vision is better than HDR10. They note improved brightness, black levels, and color saturation when compared to playing the game in HDR10.
Umm….is this right? At 4am BL3 in HDR10 and at 7pm after alpha update #DolbyVision…??? Also, Insider App will not open. It Errors out. pic.twitter.com/4IeCRQzRlJ
— Action Jackson (@jujackson79) March 18, 2021
Microsoft confirmed the testing and also teased that the feature would be rolled out to all Xbox Series X and S units “soon.” The Redmond-based company had promised last year in September to bring Dolby Vision gaming to the Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2021.
As we announced last year, we’re excited to be bringing Dolby Vision support for gaming to our new Xbox consoles in 2021. The feature is currently in testing and we’ll have more to announce on general availability timing and functionality soon.
Adding Dolby Vision support to the Xbox Series X/S will give Microsoft a technical edge over Sony’s PlayStation 5, which only supports HDR10.
Microsoft recently rolled out another update for the Xbox Series S/X that lets you suspend your game to speed up downloads.
Dolby Vision Gaming Requires a Compatible TV
Do note that to enjoy Dolby Vision gaming on your Xbox gaming console, you’ll need a Dolby Vision-compatible TV. While all Dolby Vision TVs can support HDR10, the opposite is not possible.
If you are looking to buy a new HDR TV, check out the difference between Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG.
Additionally, even after Microsoft rolls out Dolby Vision gaming support on the Xbox Series X/S, it will be up to game developers to add support for this HDR technology to their games. Most popular AAA game titles should add Dolby Vision support on the Xbox Series X/S by the end of this year.
Technically, Dolby Vision is better than HDR10, another HDR format. The former features dynamic metadata control, which allows the content creator to manage the brightness, contrast levels, and black levels on a scene-by-scene basis.
In comparison, HDR10 has static metadata control, which means only one brightness and color level settings are applied to all frames. This makes Dolby Vision superior to HDR10. However, HDR10 is the more prevalent format since it is an open standard and is cheaper for OEMs to implement.