In order to help eliminate confusion about which displays works best with its latest consoles, today Microsoft is expanding its Designed for Xbox program to include new badges for TVs and monitors.
Previously, the Designed for Xbox program was limited to gaming accessories such as controllers, headsets, and expandable storage. But Microsoft said in a blog post today that the company will start certifying displays that are capable of delivering full support for the range of specs and visual quality you can get from the Xbox Series S/X, starting with displays from Asus, Acer, and Philips.
The main specs covered by the new “Gaming Features for Xbox” badge are support for variable refresh rate (VRR), HDR, 4K, and 120Hz refresh rates, with some of the manufacturers throwing in a few extra features depending on the model.
The new monitors and TVs launching as part of the expanded Design for Xbox program include the 55-inch Philips Momentum, which is a display that comes with a built-in sound bar validated by Microsoft to pump out an optimal experience for the Xbox Series S/X. Philips also tacked on its Ambiglow tech that projects coloured light on the wall behind the display for some added ambiance.
The Momentum also comes with 4K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, along with a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. The Philips Momentum is expected to come out later this winter in the U.S. and will cost $US1,600 ($2,052).
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for local Australian pricing and availability.
Asus and Acer also have two new displays coming out soon that will be part of the Designed for Xbox program. The Asus ROG Strix Xbox Edition is a 43-inch monitor with a speedy 1ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and a 4K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. Similar to the Philips Momentum, the ROG Strix Xbox Edition also features VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification and wide colour gamut that covers 90% of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Unfortunately, Asus hasn’t release pricing for this monitor yet, so stay tuned for more as we get closer to its official release sometime in October.
Finally, there’s Acer’s 28-inch Xbox Edition Gaming monitor which switches things up with a lower DisplayHDR 400 rating for brightness in exchange for a built-in KVM switch for hooking up multiple PCs to the same keyboard and mouse, along TUV/Eyesafe certification, which helps reduce potentially harmful blue light. And like all of the Designed for Xbox displays, Acer’s $US950 ($1,218) Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor (available later this spring) also supports a 4K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate via HDMI 2.1.
Oh, and in case you’re having trouble finding the right cord to connect your Xbox S/X to your display, Microsoft is working with partners to certify cables too, with Microsoft praising Cable Matters’ Active Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable as being one of the longest certified HDMI 2.1 cables on the market.
And while Microsoft’s expanded Designed for Xbox program will only have three new monitors to start, Microsoft says it’s looking forward to adding more TVs and monitors to the program in the future. That said, it’s important to remember that not every TV or monitor that supports 4K HDR at 120Hz will get a Microsoft badge, so if you’re looking for something like a fancy OLED TV to pair with a new Xbox S/X, there are other non-certified options like an LG C1 that can deliver a great gaming experience too.