Late last year, before the release of the Xbox Series S and X, Microsoft updated its “Designed for Xbox” program to focus on continuous compatibility across generations. And announced today, for the first time, they are adding monitors to the program.

The key for these pieces of hardware is that they take advantage of all of the visual protocols that the Xbox Series S and X support. Meaning, if you see the “Designed for Xbox” on a monitor, it will support HDMI 2.1 and features like HDR, 4K at 120Hz, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).

The idea is that with a confusing array of HDMI support, display technologies, and other variables like refresh rate, finding a monitor that supports all the features provided by the Series S and X can be difficult for gamers who don’t live in the trenches of “tech specs”. Keep in mind that these are high-end displays and don’t come cheap but for those wanting to experience the best visual quality, these displays are a good place to start.

Philips Momentum 559M1RYV 55” – $1599.99

The Philips Momentum supports 4K resolution at 120Hz powered by AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technology to reduce screen tearing. It also introduces a new, dedicated Xbox picture mode. Players can enjoy high-contrast HDR with the VESA Certified DisplayHDR 1000, offering local-dimming and peak luminance more than 3x that of mid-grade displays on the market.

ASUS Strix Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor XG43UQ 43” – Price not announced yet

The ASUS ROG Strix Xbox edition comes in at 43 inches, delivering 4K UHD visuals and a 1ms moving picture response time, 120Hz gaming with HDMI 2.1, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Acer Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor XV282K KV 28” – $949.99

The Acer 28” Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor supports 4K at 120Hz and HDMI 2.1,  AMD FreeSync Premium Pro ready. Equipped with Acer VisionCare 3.0, the Acer Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor is among the first monitors to be TUV/Eyesafe certified.

Microsoft and the “Designed for Xbox” program are also dipping their toes into the cable game too. To unlock all the features these monitors offer, you will need an HDMI 2.1 cable at various lengths. But as long as you understand the differences in HDMI cables, and I don’t blame you if you don’t, you can likely find alternative cables that are not part of the program that work too.

Tagged with Designed for Xbox, Microsoft, Xbox