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This week's reveal of the Xbox One S is our first look at how console technology is evolving to match the increased functionality of the latest living room displays. The new unit is equipped with an HDMI 2.0 controller, opening the door to ultra HD media support and games rendered in HDR - high dynamic range.4K displays are dropping in price though fully HDR-ready screens still command a hefty price premium, while first-gen products are still some way off the finished article. However, content and display standards are fully locked down, and all major manufacturers and multimedia providers are on board.
With entry level prices for a 500GB unit starting at £249/$299/€299 and armed with a revised UHD Blu-ray drive, the new, slim Xbox One S may well be the cheapest, most fully featured 4K-capable media machine on the market when it launches in August. But on top of that, the HDR gaming support is already looking pretty impressive. During Microsoft's E3 presentation it was revealed that Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of War 4 support HDR - no doubt the first of many games to use the expanded dynamic range possible on the latest console revision. But what does this actually mean for the viewing experience? And how are games likely to take advantage of the added resolution and increase in contrast when processing power is limited on the console compared to high-end PCs?
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