Simple Answer
Since the best things in technology are often found in new gadgets, an HDR Monitor is without a doubt better than older monitors with its capability of showing the most purer of whites, deepest of blacks, contrast enhancement and crystal display of a multitude of colors in any shade they might naturally be in.
Gaming has never been the same ever since words got out about the development of the HDR Monitor and its subsequent introduction into the gaming market. HDR Monitors have meritoriously found their way on the front shelves and became the first choice pick for anyone shopping for a monitor that will show images beyond what the human eyes have been used to.
What is an HDR Monitor?
The acronym HDR stands for “High Dynamic Range,” it is a visual technology that has been in use for yonks with wide application and acceptance mainly in photography where it has produced photographs that are as realistic as possible.
Having achieved this feat in photography, it wasn’t long and we saw the HDR technology adapted to computer monitors, birthing what we now term HDR Monitor. They became a topic of discussion among consumers of electronic products after being displayed at CES 2017 and has since then sent engineers of top brands of monitor manufacturers into and out of their research and development rooms as they turn out the best that has been seen of this monitor so far.
Is HDR Monitor worth it? Here are all the Reasons you should get It.
Before the advent of HDR Monitors, most people were probably using SDR Monitors, 4K or even 4k UltraHD monitors or anything older than what we have today. This certainly means that the HDR Monitor does not have a monopoly in the monitor market. The older products heralded what we have today and as such can do some of what the newer monitors were made to do better.
So, is it really worth it; investing and owning an HDR Monitor? The simple answer to this question is yes it is worth it and here is why!
- Higher Resolution Images
There is no question on whether or not any HDR Monitor is better than what we’ve had in the past. If it weren’t good enough, there wouldn’t have been any need to introduce them let alone the huge commercial success it has recorded since its market entrance.
Any HDR Monitor will render images with Wide Color Gamut (WCG) that are sharp with a unique depth of darkness finished off with lightning and contrast ratios that will ultimately show a touch of realism on your monitor, ultimately rendering better images than what any standard dynamic range or SDR Monitor will show. Provided that you are viewing an HDR content, you are good to go.
In a more technical explanation, an HDR Monitor is designed to show images beyond REC. 709 color space which is the standard for most dynamic range panels. The target for this is the DCI-P3 which is currently being used in film recording. With this, it then means that an HDR monitor will render images that will be as good as those in the cinema industry which in itself targets Rec. 2020 which covers 76% of a visible spectrum.
- Cross-Platform Support
One pertinent question that has always been on the lips of people is whether their current operating system supports HDR or will getting an HDR Monitor warrant the purchase of an entirely new system.
In case you haven’t heard, your operating system whether Windows, IOS or Android already have HDR support, provided you are not stuck with devices from ancient days. More so, devices like Apple TV and some Roku Models are all HDR Monitor compliant so if you have been getting bored of late viewing your content with standard monitor displays, it is high time you take a turn for the better. After all, you won’t be coughing out extra bucks.
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Most visual contents that have HDR display option in them will often prompt the user to select the option to be viewed in HDR at the start of the program.
However, bear in mind that this technology still has a lot of grounds to cover, for example, not many apps on Android and even Android phones have an HDR display capability, in addition to this, HDR has been reported to be a bit not too pleasant on Windows 10. But whatever be the case, it is dominating and in no time will set the standards for many applications and products that will use it.
- HDR Games and Game Consoles
Interestingly the PlayStation 4; be it the regular, Slim or Pro version and the Xbox One whether it is the regular, S, and X all support HDR. Games on console like Gears of War, Battlefield, and Forza Horizon 3 are already in HDR while on PC, Shadow Warrior 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and Hitman (2016) are all in HDR as well. Other HDR PC games that later joined the list include Mass Effect: Andromeda, Obduction, Paragon and Resident Evil 7. Need For Speed: Payback and Star Wars: Battlefront 2 are expected to come compatible for any HDR Monitor.
Now that these games were primarily designed with rich graphical contents, there is no argument in reinstating the fact that a richer gaming experience will be derived when they are played on an HDR monitor when compared to others. So if you haven’t really enjoyed any of these games like you have heard others talk about them, it is high time you try them out on an HDR monitor.
Conclusion
While to the uninformed, the debate on whether HDR monitors are worth it or not continues to go on, you have been better informed on the advantages this new piece of technology offers (better images, cross-platform application, compatible with many games and gaming consoles). More so, expect more visual gadgets and virtual products to come totally compatible for any HDR monitor. This being the case, an HDR monitor is worth a purchase if you haven’t got one already.