HDR, game consoles are most guides that focus on passive viewing experiences for an essential part. The Xbox One S, Xbox One X, Sony PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony, and Microsoft have set their flags on HDR mountain, although it can be much more challenging to access all the benefits that you would expect.
1. Xbox One S and Xbox One X
We started with Microsoft’s update to the Xbox One because it is a much simpler overall story. While the first-generation Xbox One did not feature support for HDR, the makeover version.
The 4K content support (complete with HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2), HDR10, is supported for both games and general entertainment, although Dolby Vision is not.
Xbox HDR streaming is currently limited to Netflix. Still, Microsoft has gone one step further by including a built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc, which means you double your bang for your buck, especially considering that the Xbox One S is quite competitively priced.
Xbox One S console does not support native 4K Ultra HD content for games. Xbox One X supports native 4K, while HDR is supported on any of the consoles for various competitions, including Battlefield 1, Gears of War 4, and Forza Horizon 3.
2. PlayStation 4 Pro
Sony added HDR to the original PS4, but without 4K Ultra HD support. That means it won’t be beneficial as a streaming device for HDR, primarily apps like Netflix; Amazon prime video currently only supports HDR alongside 4K.
The onboard HDR support here will only be useful for a select number of HDR games, although more are expected to be implemented soon.
The Sony PS4 Pro features HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 ports; it allows PS4 Pro to offer both 4K content and HDR10 but does not offer Dolby Vision. Like the previous point, this is currently only useful for gaming, as the Playstation apps for Amazon and Netflix do not support 4K or (High Dynamic Range) HDR.
This is quite surprising, considering that the built-in DVD drive helped the sales of the PlayStation 2, while the PlayStation 3 helped Sony’s Blu-ray format win the high-definition hardware war over HD-DVD.
4K native play is possible on the PS4 Pro, although it is a tricky situation as some games are native while others are enhanced. HDR games are compatible with various titles, including Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us: Remastered, Thumper, and many more.
Then there is the complication of VR. Sony has also focused heavily on VR with its PSVR hardware, but this presents a problem for those who could like to play in HDR, as the two are mutually exclusive.
In other words, you can’t watch HDR on your TV with the PSVR connected. This isn’t ideal, but both consoles are dealing with 4K and HDR related issues. As time goes on, the bugs are likely to be fixed, although it remains to be seen whether the problem can be fixed with PSVR.
3. Ultra HD Blu-ray Players
UHD Blu-ray enables 4K UHD resolution, HDR, color expansion, and revolutionary surround-sound codecs such as Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. The HDMI 2.0a format update was intended to pave the way for HDR devices, including new Blu-ray players and other devices.
Ultra HD Blu-ray versions with HDR have become the new standard, and HDR10 is currently the leader here, although Dolby Vision is working hard to catch up. Something good to see? Please take a look at our picks for the best 4K UHD versions on Blu-Ray.
