The Xbox Series X is available now, ushering in a brand new generation of gaming. Microsoft's system boasts numerous impressive features with one of the most lauded being its expansive support for earlier Xbox games. Xbox Series X not only plays games going all the way back to the first Xbox, but it enhances them with a new feature called Auto HDR.

HDR stands for "high dynamic range" and allows for rich, detailed colors. Whereas SDR is limited in the range of colors it can display, HDR has a greater scope and enables games to have a vivid look with shades of color more readily visible. The end result is a crisper picture that contains brighter, more defined colors.

Related: How Much Xbox Series X Games Will Cost

HDR has become more prevalent in recent years. Netflix even requires all new original films to be shot using it, but many classic video games missed out on the new trend, making them look washed out in comparison to their vibrant contemporaries. Microsoft aims to address this shortcoming with the Xbox Series X Auto HDR feature, which automatically upgrades older games and presents them with HDR's dynamic lighting. The system is AI-implemented and, according to our review, the feature works.

How Auto HDR Works AND What Games Are Compatible

Xbox Series X Menu Interface

In order to get the benefit of Auto HDR, Xbox Series X players have to do nothing: the feature is activated by default. Start playing any game on the Xbox Series X and Auto HDR will kick into effect and upscale the game. However, there are a few caveats.

While the Xbox Series X is backwards compatible with games across all Xbox generations, and many of those games will be upscaled with HDR and other bonuses like increased frame rate and reduced load times, some will default to SDR and deactivate Auto HDR. Microsoft wants players to experience the best version of classic games and, in some cases, HDR makes games look worse. For example, Auto HDR makes white jackets in GTA IV look unnaturally bright. So, Microsoft is deactivating Auto HDR on a game to game basis. However, the ultimate decision is up to the player. Players can choose to turn Auto HDR on or off at any time to suit their preferences.

Microsoft's Xbox Series X continues to impress, and it only just released. A modern system that not only plays decades-old games but modernizes their look with no extra charge is a surefire win, not just for Microsoft, but for gamers everywhere. Sony has a lot of catching up to do.

Next: Xbox Series X: Everything You Need To Know