Windows 11 is getting the Xbox HDR calibration app and higher windowed gaming

Microsoft’s huge upcoming function record for Windows 11 consists of some necessary optimizations and enhancements behind the scenes for PC video games. The software program large is planning to convey its Xbox HDR Game Calibration app to Windows 11, and make older video games run with much less enter lag, Auto HDR, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in the event that they’re working windowed as a substitute of fullscreen.

The upcoming Windows HDR Calibration app will enable PC players to enhance coloration accuracy and consistency of an HDR show, identical to on Xbox. It will embody three take a look at patterns to calibrate HDR effectively, and Windows 11 testers will be able to access the app soon forward of its basic launch.

Windows 11 shipped with the Auto HDR function from the Xbox Series X / S consoles, and Microsoft is now making some optimizations for windowed video games that may enable them to help Auto HDR and VRR. The optimizations can even “significantly improve latency” for older video games working in windowed mode, in keeping with Microsoft.

A brand new “Optimizations for windowed games” setting will seem within the graphics a part of the Windows 11 Settings interface, and it’ll apply to older DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 video games. While you’ve usually needed to run video games in fullscreen prior to now to get all of the latency and efficiency advantages, Microsoft has made adjustments to DirectX in each Windows 10 and now Windows 11 to spice up video games working in windowed mode.

“This new optimization specifically applies to Windowed and Borderless-Windowed games because when you’re running in Fullscreen, a similar optimization already exists, and this new setting brings a consistent experience no matter which mode you are running in,” explains Hannah Fisher, a program supervisor within the graphics and DirectX workforce at Microsoft. “You don’t need to worry about DirectX 12 games as they already take advantage of the new presentation mode.”

These new optimizations basically improve how a sport is offered on a show to a extra fashionable mannequin. This is named the fashionable flip-model, and whereas a number of video games already use this, hundreds don’t. Bungie is just simply moving Destiny 2 to this modern flip-model with the upcoming Witch Queen growth subsequent week, permitting gamers to get the identical efficiency in windowed mode and allow HDR.

Image: Microsoft

While options like this sound promising for older video games, there might be bugs and points. Microsoft is permitting PC players to choose into these optimizations in take a look at builds of Windows 11 this week, and also you’ll even be capable to exclude particular video games or apps in case you discover any points. “We disable apps that have known issues on default to ensure that you have the best settings without having to do much guesswork on what might be wrong,” says Fisher.

Microsoft has solely simply began testing these new gaming additions to Windows 11, so it could be months earlier than they’re totally accessible to all customers. The software program maker revealed earlier this week that it’s now planning to ship new Windows 11 options extra repeatedly, as a substitute of an enormous annual drop stuffed with adjustments.