Microsoft Bringing Native HDR Display Support In Windows This Year

After 3D and 4K technologies, HDR is the new trend on high-end TVs. Microsoft believes that HDR will be adopted faster than 4K TVs because consumers can clearly see the difference between a HDR and a regular TV. There are several HDR TV models shipping now and more devices are expected starting 2017.

These HDR displays offers brightness up to 1,000 nits whereas the current displays offer only up to 300 nits. Since HDR displays offers such wide range of brightness, developers can make use of them in games and applications. It allows the stars and the moon in space to shine remarkably bright in the complete darkness of space, or for a lighting strike to seem almost real. This is due to brightness data, calculation data and backlight control of content, overcoming brightness expression limits and can display all types of light, such as radiant sunlight or sparkling stars in the night sky. Game developers would love to take advantage of this new capability in their games and apps.

To enable game developers take advantage of these HDR displays, Microsoft is planning to include native support for them in Windows 10. Support will be available as part of Windows Insider program later this year and it will be released to general public in 2017.