About this test
Good displays show gradients without visible stripes and can tell apart near-black and near-white shades. These patterns reveal banding from low bit depth or heavy processing, crushed shadows from wrong brightness or black level, clipped highlights from too much contrast, and gamma errors that make images look washed out or too dark.
How to use this test
- Pick a pattern and switch to full screen.
- Compare what you see with the description under the pattern.
- Adjust brightness, contrast or picture mode on the monitor and check again.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I see bands in a smooth gradient?
The panel may be 6-bit with dithering, the GPU may output limited range, or a picture mode is compressing the signal.
What gamma should my monitor have?
2.2 is the standard for computers and the web. Some monitors offer gamma presets in their on-screen menu.