What is HDR, and do you need it?

HDR is the biggest jump in TV picture quality since 4K, and also the most oversold badge on the box. Done properly it is genuinely striking; done cheaply it does nothing, or even makes the picture worse. Here is what it actually is, the formats worth caring about, and how to tell real HDR from a sticker.

What HDR actually is

HDR stands for high dynamic range. Where ordinary video (now called SDR, standard dynamic range) has a limited span between its darkest and brightest parts, HDR widens it dramatically: Brighter, more dazzling highlights, deeper shadows with detail still in them, and a wider range of colors in between. A sunset keeps the glare of the sun and the detail in the clouds at the same time, instead of blowing one out to keep the other. It is less about more pixels, which is 4K, and more about better pixels.

The formats, briefly

HDR10 is the baseline. Every HDR TV and nearly all HDR content supports it. It sets its brightness once for the whole film.
Dolby Vision is the premium one, and the most widely used on streaming. It adjusts the picture scene by scene, which usually looks better, and most big shows are mastered in it.
HDR10+ is Samsung and Amazon's scene-by-scene answer to Dolby Vision. Good, but backed by less content.
HLG is the broadcast flavor, used for live TV and sport where it needs to work on SDR and HDR sets alike.

You do not need to chase all of them. HDR10 plus Dolby Vision covers almost everything worth watching.

Do you need it?

If you watch films or play modern games and your TV can genuinely do HDR, then yes, it is a real upgrade and worth having on. The words "your TV can genuinely do it" are doing the heavy lifting, though, and lead straight to the catch below.

The cheap-HDR trap

Here is the part the box will not tell you: HDR is a set of instructions, and a TV can accept those instructions without having the brightness or color range to carry them out. A budget set can proudly display "HDR" while lacking the brightness to make highlights pop or the local dimming to hold deep shadows. The result is HDR that looks flat, or even darker and duller than the SDR version. Real HDR needs a genuinely bright panel and a wide color gamut, not just the badge. On a weak HDR TV you are often better off leaving it in SDR.

Questions people ask

Is HDR better than 4K?

They are different things, and HDR is the one most people notice more. 4K adds pixels (sharpness); HDR adds range (brighter highlights, deeper shadows, more color). On a capable TV, HDR usually makes a bigger visible difference than the jump from 1080p to 4K.

Why does HDR look worse or darker on my TV?

Usually because the panel cannot reach the brightness the HDR content asks for, so it maps everything down and the mid-tones sink. A bright room makes it worse. On a weak HDR set, SDR can genuinely look better. Our guide on why a TV looks dark covers the settings that help.

Do I need Dolby Vision, or is HDR10 enough?

HDR10 is enough to enjoy HDR; it is on every HDR TV. Dolby Vision is a nice extra that adjusts the picture scene by scene and covers most streaming content, so it is worth having if the choice is free, but not worth stretching the budget for on its own.

To see whether HDR is actually being signalled to your screen, run the TV Capability Test. If HDR looks dim rather than dazzling, the why is my TV so dark guide has the fixes.