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Xbox Series X|S Dolby Vision testing goes live, but only for a select few

By Eric Abent/

Some Xbox Insiders who happen to have an Xbox Series X or S console on hand have quite the surprise waiting for them. Microsoft has revealed that Dolby Vision HDR is now available to certain Xbox Insiders, giving them an alternative to HDR10, which has been available on Xbox consoles for a number of years. We've known that Dolby Vision would be coming to Xbox Series X|S before those consoles even launched, but now it seems Microsoft is getting the ball rolling in a big way.

Unfortunately, those who are going to be able to test Dolby Vision are probably limited in number. Not only is this test restricted to Xbox Insiders in the alpha and alpha skip-ahead rings – already a fairly exclusive club – but those testing will also need a Dolby Vision-compatible TV and either an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

Given the continued rarity of those consoles, it's probably safe to assume that many Xbox Insiders haven't managed to get their hands on one yet. Microsoft did just launch a Console Purchase Pilot program that allows Xbox Insiders to sign up for a chance to buy an Xbox Series X or S, so perhaps there will soon be plenty of Xbox Insiders with the hardware to actually put Dolby Vision through its paces.

In any case, Dolby Says that Dolby Vision for Gaming – which so far is an exclusive to Xbox Series X|S – will offer brighter highlights and deeper black levels compared to other HDR techs, along with up to 12-bit color depth. "When you play in Dolby Vision, you unlock the most realistic and lifelike visuals the game has to offer, with brightness, contrast, color, and depth that goes beyond even traditional HDR games," the company said back when this team up with Microsoft was originally announced.

The plan, it seems, is to expand Dolby Vision testing to more people as time goes on before rolling the feature out to all Xbox Series X|S owners at some point later this year. In the meantime, though, those of you in the alpha and alpha skip-ahead Xbox Insider rings should keep an eye out for Dolby Vision support to arrive this week.

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