Microsoft expands ‘Designed for Xbox’ program to include HDMI 2.1 gaming monitors and TVs

Buying a display that has all the features you need to play Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 games at their best is a . In addition to 120Hz support, you also need to look out if it supports variable refresh rates and HDR, among other features. Thankfully, Microsoft is taking some of the guesswork involved in buying a display to go along with your new console.

The company is expanding its “Designed for Xbox” program to include gaming monitors. Starting this summer, you’ll start to see some displays with a “Gaming Features for Xbox” badge. At a glance, the branding will tell you that a monitor includes an HDMI 2.1 connection and support for features like HDR and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Some of the first displays that will carry the branding include the $1,399 43-inch from ASUS and $950 28-inch , with more to come. Notably one of the products included in the launch lineup is the Philips Momentum 559M1RYV, a 55-inch monitor Microsoft describes as “a TV and soundbar in one,” so the types of panel that end up shipping with the badge may be more expansive than the “gaming monitor” moniker suggests.   

While mostly a branding exercise on Microsoft’s part, it’s still something that should help those in the market for a new display. Monitor manufacturers have been to their products, and the port is necessary if you want to output a 4K image at 120Hz.