High dynamic range (HDR) technology has the potential to revolutionize PC gaming by enhancing color and immersion, but its widespread adoption depends on both hardware and software support. While hardware compatibility has become increasingly common, with even budget monitors and graphics cards offering HDR support, many older or indie games may not natively support this feature. However, a recent discovery within Nvidia’s GPU drivers could offer a solution.
The latest Nvidia GPU drivers feature a tool called “RTX Video HDR,” which can convert standard range video to high dynamic range video. This capability, showcased at CES and described as “truly transformative” by some, is now available for experimentation on Windows 11 through the current driver release (version 551.23). Notably, a modder named “eMoose” has found that some of these tools can be applied to PC game visuals in real-time through a mode called TrueHDR, although it is not yet enabled by default.
According to eMoose, TrueHDR settings can be applied to virtually any 3D game that lacks native HDR support, potentially including older games using DirectX9 and even those utilizing OpenGL and Vulkan. While specific supported graphics cards are not explicitly listed, it is likely that those from the RTX 2000 series onwards are compatible.
The tool, which is a lightweight 27Kb executable, runs in the background and allows users to specify settings (low, medium, or very high) with corresponding performance impacts. It also includes an HUD indicator to confirm activation, although some users have reported difficulty displaying this indicator consistently.
Given the rapid development by a modder in just a few days, there is a strong possibility that Nvidia could officially enable this feature in the near future as an alternative to Windows AutoHDR. However, the absence of mention regarding gaming capabilities during its initial CES unveiling raises questions about potential technical challenges that need to be addressed before widespread implementation.