Xbox Auto HDR coming to PC, available now in preview in latest windows dev build.

[AlexGoesHigh]

 

The Xbox consoles for a while now have a feature called auto HDR that makes games that do not feature HDR be playable in HDR, although games running in auto HDR aren't as bright or dim as proper HDR mastered games, auto HDR makes a noticeable difference against normal SDR.

 

Microsoft is now bringing this feature to PC and is available in preview in the latest dev build of windows (21337), the objective for auto HDR is to be able to support over 1000 DX11 and DX12 games but at the moment only a few games work, DX10 and lower as well as OpenGL and Vulkan aren't supported by this feature.

 

 

 

Quote

Today we’re excited to bring you a preview of Auto HDR for your PC gaming experience and we’re looking for your help to test it out. Jump to the How to Enable Auto HDR section to get started! When enabled on your HDR capable gaming PC, you will automatically get awesome HDR visuals on an additional 1000+ DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games!

What is Auto HDR and What Does it do for My Game?

HDR is a video/imaging technique where the lights and darks in a digitally reproduced scene can be shown with more detail than before. In video games, the increased range of color and luminance of HDR enables a more immersive, realistic experience. You’ll be able to see the details of haunting movement in dark shadows rather than just black. The bright sun will be a more radiant, warm yellow rather than a flat saturated white, but unless the game is displaying on your monitor with that improved dynamic range, you won’t get the benefits of a more immersive experience even if you have an HDR capable monitor.

 

Nice, this is one of the features from xbox that would have been nice to have and it's now coming, now if the ecosystem around PC HDR gets better with better HDR monitors and not so expensive monitors.
 

Sources

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/directx/auto-hdr-preview-for-pc-available-today/

 

[Master Disaster]

Given how terrible HDR is implemented into Windows currently I have my doubts that MS can make this work without making most games look worse than stock.

[Noirdrath]

12 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Given how terrible HDR is implemented into Windows currently I have my doubts that MS can make this work without making most games look worse than stock.

I think we all have the same feelings towards this. HDR SUCKS in Windows. It needs a major overhaul!

Hey maybe this will be and update that comes with that overhaul... That would be cool

[Doobeedoo]

Well good because HDR in PC space really needs more attention and work in general. Also monitors too.

[Mark Kaine]

On 3/18/2021 at 3:09 PM, Doobeedoo said:

Well good because HDR in PC space really needs more attention and work in general. Also monitors too.

I know some games don't switch automatically but isn't that on the devs more than windows because apparently when it's implemented right it just works.  I gotta say I'm glad my monitor has only 300 nits or something because holy hell is it bright... otherwise looks good though,  more spacey colors, yay!

 

 

Also looks terrible on desktop that obviously wasn't designed for this kind of thing, which is why I'm happy the auto switching for hdr works,  so far in any game I tried .

 

[Brooksie359]

3 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

I know some games don't switch automatically but isn't that on the devs more than windows because apparently when it's implemented right it just works.  I gotta say I'm glad my monitor has only 300 nits or something because holy hell is it bright... otherwise looks good though,  more spacey colors, yay!

 

 

Also looks terrible on desktop that obviously wasn't designed for this kind of thing, which is why I'm happy the auto switching for hdr works,  so far in any game I tried .

 

You can lower brightness lol. I like having high nits as it can be nice when you want it but you can always turn it down when you don't. I have a 1000 nits peak brightness display but 99% of the time I have it quite dim simply because I like to read alot. That and I generally use night theme whenever I can. 

[RejZoR]

Looking forward to this. I'm currently making HDR magic with FakeHDR shader in ReShade. I just love how it makes colors deep and actually more life like with very little overexposure. And it works in basically any game regardless of DirectX version.