HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and it refers to the contrast between the brightest and darkest parts of an image. HDR gaming is becoming more common each year, featuring on more TVs and gaming monitors than ever before. HDR is an umbrella term for a series of standards designed to expand the color and contrast range of video displays far beyond what current hardware can produce. HDR gaming is mostly about peak brightness, and HDR quality is reliant on a displays peak brightness, especially when gaming.
To achieve true HDR gaming, you need a capable, color-accurate Mini-LED (or OLED) display that can reach a peak brightness of 1,000 nits or better. A game must have native support for HDR to reap the benefits of an HDR gaming monitor. The majority of games released prior to 2017 won’t have HDR support, but the library has been steadily growing since then. Games that support HDR include Far Cry 5, Destiny 2, Battlefield 5, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and Metro Exodus, among others.
In summary, HDR gaming is a technology that expands the color and contrast range of video displays beyond what current hardware can produce. It is mostly about peak brightness, and to achieve true HDR gaming, you need a capable, color-accurate Mini-LED (or OLED) display that can reach a peak brightness of 1,000 nits or better. A game must have native support for HDR to reap the benefits of an HDR gaming monitor, and the majority of games released prior to 2017 won’t have HDR support.
