Gradient Test

How to Use the Gradient Test

1. Choose Gradient Type

Grayscale: Black to white (most revealing)
Color: Test specific color channels
Multi-color: Rainbow gradients

2. Adjust Parameters

Gradient Steps: Start with 256 steps for smooth transition
Reduce steps: Lower to 32 or 64 to see panel limitations
Direction: Test horizontal and vertical orientations

3. What You're Looking For

Smooth transitions: No visible "steps" or bands
Even spacing: Consistent color progression
No posterization: Continuous tone reproduction

4. Interpreting Results

If you see banding in 256-step gradients, your monitor has significant limitations. True 10-bit panels should show smooth transitions even at 1024 steps. 6-bit + FRC (dithering) panels will show some banding at 256 steps but acceptable performance for most work.

Mastering Color Depth

The Banding Problem

Color Banding (or posterization) occurs when your monitor can't display enough shades to create a smooth gradient. Instead of a seamless transition from black to white, you see distinct "steps" or stripes. This is a common issue in 6-bit and 8-bit panels.

8-bit vs 10-bit

Standard monitors are 8-bit (16.7 million colors). Professional monitors are 10-bit (1.07 billion colors), offering 64x more shades. This test reveals if your "10-bit" monitor is actually using dithering (FRC) or true native color depth.

Why Gradient Testing is Critical

1. Video Editing & HDR

HDR content requires 10-bit color to avoid banding in skies and shadows. If your reference monitor has banding, you might wrongly apply de-banding filters to your footage, degrading the image quality.

2. Digital Art & Illustration

Digital painters need to know if the banding they see is in their artwork or just their monitor. This test gives you a "perfect gradient" reference. If you see bands here, it's your monitor, not your brush settings.

3. Gaming Immersion

Modern games use volumetric fog and dynamic lighting. On a poor monitor, these effects look like blocky, pixelated messes. High-quality IPS or OLED panels handle these subtle transitions much better than cheap TN panels.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix color banding?

First, ensure your GPU is set to "Full Output Dynamic Range" (0-255) and 10-bit color (if supported). Calibrating your monitor's gamma can also reduce visible banding. If the issue persists, it's likely a hardware limitation of the panel.

What is dithering (FRC)?

FRC (Frame Rate Control) is a technique where pixels rapidly flash between two colors to simulate a third color. An "8-bit + FRC" monitor can display 10-bit color, but you might see subtle flickering or noise in dark gradients.

Is banding worse on HDMI or DisplayPort?

DisplayPort generally supports higher bandwidth and bit-depths than older HDMI versions. Always use DisplayPort for 10-bit workflows on PC. HDMI 2.1 is required for 10-bit 4K at high refresh rates.