HDR That Matters

PC HDR often looks wrong because the baseline is wrong. Use this minimal Windows HDR setup to keep highlights readable and avoid dim, washed images.

HDR is not always better. Use this simple decision matrix to pick HDR or SDR per game based on readability, stability, and your display’s real behavior.

HDR looks bad when the baseline is wrong: mode mismatch, skipped calibration, dynamic processing, or wrong black/white levels. Fix the pitfalls in order.

HDR is optional. Use this decision rule: if HDR reduces readability, adds instability, or makes UI harder to read, SDR is the right choice.

Washed out HDR is usually calibration and processing, not HDR itself. Use this simple method: correct mode, calibrate once, then per-game decisions.

HDR is not always better. Use this simple decision rule to choose the mode that gives readable highlights, stable UI, and consistent feel.

You don’t need perfect calibration. You need a stable baseline: correct mode, correct levels, and no processing that ruins readability.

HDR should improve usable detail, not reduce clarity. Learn a clean HDR baseline, what ruins readability, and when SDR is the better choice.

HDR can look amazing or awful. Learn the practical basics: what makes HDR real, what tone mapping does, and how to set expectations per display.

HDR is often worse than SDR when setup is wrong. This playbook fixes the common failures: washed out image, crushed blacks, and unreadable UI.