Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Do it in ‘Dubly’: Dolby Vision HDR comes to Xbox One S and Xbox One X

By
Xbox One X review both
Les Shu/Digital Trends

The Xbox One S and Xbox One X currently support HDR10, making games, television shows, and movies pop with a wider range of colors, but what if we could do it in “Dubly?” (to offer a Spinal Tap reference). If you’re a member of the Xbox Insiders program, you can now use Dolby Vision HDR — kind of.

With the latest Xbox One system software update available in Preview, Xbox One S and Xbox One X users can now enable Dolby Vision HDR for streaming video. If you want to use Dolby Vision — or any other type of HDR — for Netflix, you’ll need to pay extra for a subscription to Netflix Premium, which also allows you to watch content at 4K resolution.

Recommended Videos

Dolby Vision is quite similar to HDR10, which is the more popular of the two formats and is the only one supported for games on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Dolby Vision supports a higher color depth than HDR10, as well as higher theoretical brightness, and it more easily adapts to your individual display.

Related

HDR10 has been more widely embraced by television manufacturers, and companies like Vizio later added support for the format through a firmware update. With updates, it should now be possible for televisions using HDR10 to add support for Dolby Vision, if you find yourself preferring it.

You’ll still have to use HDR10 if you want to see high-dynamic range content in your video games, however. It’s particularly impressive on the Xbox One X on games that also feature native 4K resolution and 60-frames-per-second gameplay, bringing you closer to the action without having to launch a full-on assault on your eyes. Though Xbox One S isn’t capable of rendering games at 4K, it does support HDR, so you’ll still be able to see the crisper colors on the less-expensive console.

The Xbox One system update also includes a few quality-of-life and accessibility features to make your experience even simpler. The console’s search function can now find games in your “ready to install” section so you can locate them more quickly, and the Narrator tool added support for Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Swedish, and Dutch.

If you aren’t a member of Xbox Insiders, you should expect to see the latest system update in the near future.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The Super Bowl is finally in Dolby Vision – if you have Comcast
A Comcast cable box, remote, and TV.

Last year, Comcast Xfinity customers got to brag about their FIFA World Cup 2022 viewing experience. It was the first time the soccer tournament was broadcast using Dolby Vision --  a dynamic version of HDR TV -- and Comcast had the exclusive on it. If that wasn't enough to drive up new subscriptions for Comcast, perhaps this will: the cable company now has the Dolby Vision exclusive for the biggest game of the year in the other football universe -- Super Bowl LVII.

When Fox Sports' coverage begins on February 12, Comcast Xfinity subscribers will be able to watch all the gridiron action in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR.

Read more
How to sync an Xbox Series X controller
The Xbox Series X controller on a black background.

Now that the Xbox Series X and Series S are readily available, you'll likely be excited to dive into some of the system's new games, as well as old favorites from Xbox One and prior. Out of the box, the Xbox Series X comes with everything you need to start playing, including a wireless Xbox controller. Though, syncing the controller with your new system can be tricky if you aren't familiar with the process.

In this guide, we'll go through everything you'll need to know about pairing an Xbox controller to the new Xbox Series X system, as well as information about compatible controllers and more. Here's how to sync an Xbox Series X controller.

Read more
Xbox Series X tips and tricks: how to set up your new console
Xbox Series X on a table.

There's no better feeling than booting up a new console and experiencing all the cool features and options available to you. On the flip side, some of the best parts of a console like the Xbox Series X are not automatically presented to you. You could just accept the system as it is and get used to it, but why ignore all the customization options and enhancements you could be enjoying with just a few tweaks?

We get that navigating a console's systems, especially if you're new to the ecosystem, can feel backwards and unintuitive to say the least. Rather than try and dig through layers of menus on your own, we've compiled a list of the best tips and tricks you should know about to get the most enjoyment out of your new Xbox Series X console.

Read more