And that means that the much anticipated DirectStorage feature is withheld from Windows 10. Not a big deal, considering you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free.

Windows 11 improvements will not end with the graphical interface. The new OS will include Direct Storage, and an Auto HDR similar to the Xbox Series S / X, and advanced integration with the Microsoft Store and Xbox Game Pass, significantly improving the gaming experience.

DirectStorage will allow the graphics card to load textures directly from the SSD bypassing the processor, freeing up processor cycles for other tasks and speeding up texture load times. In this way, if they have a solid M.2 disk, they will be in the game in less than 5 seconds even on large maps, a negligible time compared to the loading times we are used to today. The technology will not come to Windows 10 as originally announced, but will be exclusive to Windows 11, so those who want to use it will be forced to update their operating system.

Another great innovationwill be Auto HDR, the technology present in the Xbox Series S / X that will come exclusively to Windows 11 to add HDR to games that do not support it and thus improve its graphic quality. It will be compatible with all games that use DX11 and DX12, without the need for additions by developers, so it will support thousands of games.

Microsoft will redesign the Xbox application, which will now be integrated directly into the operating system, avoiding having to install it separately. In this way, we will have faster access to the games available through Game Pass, including the latest announcements from EA and Bethesda from day one, in addition to all the news from Xbox Game Studios.

It is still unknown if Auto HDR and DirectStorage will be available from day zero, or will have to wait for a future update to use it. We're sure to hear more news as we get closer to the release of Windows 11 this spring.