High Dynamic Range (HDR) is the next big leap in color clarity and visual realism in images and videos. From vivid highlights to rich, shadowy depths, HDR makes every scene pop with jaw-dropping contrast and more lifelike hues. Compared to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR), HDR content doesn’t just look better — it feels more real. SDR, by comparison, looks a little… well, dim.
Curious about how HDR works and what it means for your viewing experience? Keep reading for a complete guide (and a handy checklist to make the switch) or explore our lineup of monitors designed with precision color accuracy in mind.
They say ‘high’ takes things to the next level — high definition, high speed, high performance. High Dynamic Range (HDR) is no different. As the successor to SDR, HDR is generating serious buzz for its ability to showcase more colors, greater contrast, and unparalleled depth.
What is Dynamic Range?
Before we dive into HDR, let’s talk about dynamic range. Of course, every image you see — whether it’s a photo, video, or game — has areas of brightness and darkness. The balance between these extremes is known as the dynamic range. So, if an image has a high dynamic range, that means it contains a healthy mix of dark and bright details, making it feel more complete and true to life. Think of a breathtaking sunrise or sunset where the glowing sun contrasts with the rich hues of the horizon — that’s HDR in action.
Now, for photographers, filmmakers, and videographers, dynamic range is often measured in “stops,” a term borrowed from camera aperture settings. Each stop represents a doubling (or halving) of the light level. The more stops an image can handle, the wider its dynamic range. But here’s the problem: When an image is overexposed, the brighter parts lose detail and become “blown out.” On the flip side, when an image is underexposed, the darker areas lose detail and become “crushed” into solid black. This loss of detail is a common issue in older display technologies and images with limited dynamic range.

What is HDR?
HDR takes everything we just discussed about dynamic range and cranks it up to 1oo. To put it simply, HDR is an imaging technique that’s made its way onto smartphones, TVs, monitors, and more. It captures, processes, and reproduces content in a way that enhances both the brightest highlights and the deepest shadows in a scene, rendering them in a wider range of colors. It does so by calculating the amount of light in a given scene and using that information to preserve details within the image, creating a more realistic-looking image even in scenes with large variations in brightness.
So, what does this mean for you? It means that with an HDR display, your favorite movies, shows, and games will have richer colors, sharper contrast, and more visible detail in every frame. Unlike SDR (Standard Dynamic Range), which often clips or crushes these details, HDR preserves them, creating a more immersive, true-to-life experience. For this article, we’ll focus on how HDR transforms video content.
HDR vs. SDR Compared
SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) is the current standard for most video and cinema displays. It’s reliable but limited, only capable of representing a small fraction of the dynamic range that HDR can achieve. This is why HDR delivers a more striking visual experience — it’s able to show a level of detail that SDR simply can’t achieve.
When you put HDR and SDR side by side, the difference is undeniable. Here’s how they stack up:
- Color and Detail: HDR captures and presents a broader range of colors and finer details, resulting in vibrant, true-to-life visuals, while SDR supports a narrower color range, leading to flatter, less dynamic images.
- Brightness and Contrast: HDR maintains highlight and shadow details, even in scenes with extreme brightness or darkness, while SDR often clips bright highlights and crushes shadows, losing essential detail.
- Dynamic Range: HDR offers a dynamic range of approximately 17.6 stops, allowing for significantly more brightness and shadow detail, while SDR is limited to around 6 stops, reducing its ability to display the full spectrum of light and dark areas.
To put it simply, HDR allows you to see more of the detail and color in scenes with a high dynamic range.

Unlocking HDR: What Makes It Work?
HDR isn’t a one-size-fits-all technology. The quality and performance of HDR are influenced by a few key factors — from the type of HDR standard being used to the compatibility of your devices and the content you’re watching. Let’s break it down.
HDR Standards: Dolby Vision vs. HDR10
When it comes to HDR, two prominent standards dominate the market: Dolby Vision and HDR10. Each has its own strengths, limitations, and industry support. Here’s what you need to know:
Dolby Vision: The Premium Choice
Dolby Vision is considered the “premium” HDR standard, offering 12-bit color depth and a potential brightness ceiling of 10,000 nits — far beyond what most displays can achieve today. However, it comes at a cost. Dolby Vision requires specialized hardware (a Dolby Vision chip) and comes with licensing fees for manufacturers. As a result, only select high-end TVs, monitors, and devices support Dolby Vision, making it a luxury feature for those seeking the best possible HDR experience.
HDR10: The Accessible Standard
Unlike Dolby Vision, HDR10 is an open standard, meaning manufacturers don’t have to pay licensing fees to use it. It offers 10-bit color depth and supports up to 1,000 nits of brightness, which is more than sufficient for most consumer displays. As the default HDR format for 4K UHD Blu-ray and widely used on platforms like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, HDR10 is more accessible and widely supported across TVs, monitors, and gaming consoles. It’s also a key feature in monitors from ViewSonic ColorPro and ViewSonic GAMING, making it a go-to choice for creatives and gamers alike.

Is Your Setup Ready for HDR?
Before you can enjoy the stunning quality of HDR, you’ll need to check if your devices are up to the task. Here’s a quick compatibility checklist:
1. Graphics Card (GPU)
The first step to unlocking the world of HDR content is making sure that your graphics card (GPU) supports HDR. To display HDR, your GPU must support HDMI 2.0a (or higher) and DisplayPort 1.4 (or higher). While these ports are essential for HDR, it’s also crucial that your GPU’s firmware and drivers support HDR output.
Fortunately, HDR support is now more accessible than ever. Modern GPUs from Intel, Apple (M1 chipsets and above), as well as Nvidia and AMD, are all equipped to handle HDR content. From laptops to gaming desktops, richer colors, sharper contrast, and more lifelike visuals are now within reach on a wide range of devices.
2. Display (Monitor or TV)
As far as your display goes, you’ll have to make sure that it too is capable of supporting HDR content, with at least Full HD 1080p resolution. But why settle for the minimum? High-resolution HDR10 displays like the ViewSonic ColorPro VP2786-4K and VP3881a are designed for creative professionals, delivering breathtaking visuals out of the box thanks to their factory-calibrated color accuracy.
3. Cables
Your display and GPU may be HDR-ready, but if your cable isn’t up to spec, you’ll miss out. To handle HDR signals without compression, make sure to use high-quality HDMI 2.0a (or higher) or DisplayPort 1.4 (or higher) cables. While these cables can handle HDR at 4K 60Hz, for higher frame rates or resolutions (like 4K 120Hz or 8K), you’ll need to upgrade to HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.0.

Where Can I find HDR Content?
It’s an easy mistake to make, especially if you own an HDR television, that all content is HDR content. Well, this is not the case; not all content is created equally! To provide an example, if you own a 4K television, you won’t be able to benefit from the 4K detail unless the content you’re watching is also in 4K. The same goes for HDR, in that to enjoy it, you’ll need to ensure that your viewing content created for HDR viewing.
Here’s where you’ll find HDR content ready to showcase the brilliance of your HDR display:
Streaming Platforms
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other major streaming platforms like Hulu, Paramount+, Rakuten TV, Apple TV+, and Disney+ offer HDR streaming for select titles. This means viewers can enjoy richer colors, sharper contrast, and a more immersive visual experience. With a growing library of HDR-supported shows and movies, these platforms provide access to higher-quality streaming, making every frame more vibrant, detailed, and true to life.
Physical Media:
For those who prefer physical media, HDR Blu-ray Discs offer some of the best picture quality you can get. Unlike streaming, where video is compressed to reduce file size, HDR Blu-rays preserve every pixel of detail. If you’re a cinephile or just want the ultimate viewing experience, 4K UHD Blu-rays with HDR are a must-have.
Gaming Consoles:
Gamers haven’t been left out of the HDR revolution. Both the Sony PlayStation 5 and the Microsoft Xbox Series X|S are HDR-compatible, meaning you can experience hyper-realistic graphics with richer colors, deeper shadows, and sharper highlights. HDR brings new life to immersive game worlds, enhancing every detail of your favorite adventures and competitive matches.
Is HDR Worth the Investment?
If you’re wondering whether HDR is worth it, think about it like this: Every leap in technology, from VHS to DVD to Blu-ray, has elevated our viewing experience — and HDR is the next step in that evolution. While high-definition TVs took time to become the norm, today Full HD is standard, and 4K is rapidly taking over. HDR is following a similar path, but instead of just adding more pixels, it makes every pixel better.
Unlike SDR (Standard Dynamic Range), HDR delivers sharper contrast, brighter highlights, and richer, more vibrant colors. Some argue that 1080p HDR can look better than 4K SDR! With growing support from streaming platforms, Blu-rays, and gaming consoles, HDR has become a standard feature in TVs, monitors, and even smartphones. As it becomes more accessible, HDR is fast becoming the new standard for entertainment.
So, for breathtaking visuals that feel more real than reality, HDR is absolutely worth it. Once you experience it, there’s no going back.
Final Thoughts
While of course, nothing is ever 100% certain, HDR technology has fortune in its favor. Currently, its inherent technology is tied closely to that of ultra-high definition resolution, otherwise known as 4K. Since 4K is being adopted by the general market with remarkable speed, it stands to reason that HDR will follow the same course going forward. We can compare HDR vs. SDR all day but whether or not HDR is good for you will ultimately come down to your own experience.
If you’re looking for the ultimate HDR viewing experience, be sure to check out ViewSonic’s HDR monitors for gamers and creatives. Or, why not dive deeper into the world of color with our article on color correction and color grading?