Windows 11 is going to revolutionize PC gaming in a lot of ways. The new operating system will succeed Windows 10 and bring plenty of cool features, including built-in support for Xbox Game Pass, auto-HDR, and Microsoft DirectStorage API.
Windows 11 was revealed just recently, and there is a lot to hope for. According to Xbox Sarah Bond, corporate vice president for came creator experience and ecosystem, Windows 11 will be “the best Windows ever for gaming.”
Xbox Game Pass Baked in
First of all, the Xbox app will be pre-installed in all systems running the latest OS. Inside the program, you will be able to play your favorite Xbox games right on your PC.
Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users can enjoy Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is the company’s cloud streaming service. This integration will let you “play the highest-fidelity games on all PCs,” says Bond.
Although players can use Xbox Cloud Gaming right now, it is only available on web browsers and that will not provide you with the best possible experience.
It is worth noting that the PC-only Xbox Game Pass will not enable Cloud Gaming, but it still allows you to play from a library of 100+ games on your computer.
Auto-HDR
People who have an HDR monitor will be able to enjoy punchier graphics automatically. In Windows 11, so long as you are playing the right games and you have the appropriate hardware, HDR will be enabled by default.
Keep in mind that HDR monitors are more expensive than your standard computer screens. Aside from that, the game that you are planning to play should support HDR natively as well.
For those who do not know, High Dynamic Range (HDR) improves color, contrast, and shadows, on top of other features.
Microsoft DirectStorage API
Do you have an Xbox Series X? If so, you’ve probably noticed its blazingly fast loading times. Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. First, it uses an NVMe SSD that's faster than your mechanical hard drive and even some SATA SSDs. Second, it uses Microsoft’s DirectStorage API technology, which utilizes the GPU for data processing and loading.
PCs with a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD and an appropriate GPU can benefit from the feature, especially since the DirectStorage API will be built into Windows 11.
“DirectStorage-optimized Windows 11 PCs are configured with the hardware and drivers needed to enable this amazing experience,” explained Bond.
All of the said features are great and pretty exciting, particularly if you have the right hardware to enable them.
Another good thing is that Windows 11 is free if you have a licensed Windows 10.
So, what do you think about these gamer-centric features built into Microsoft’s next big OS?
