The Gradient Banding test checks for ‘Posterization’, a visual artifact where smooth color transitions are broken up into distinct, ugly steps. This is a key test for photographers, designers, and HDR enthusiasts who require deep color accuracy.
Banding Controls & Options
🌫️ Linear Grayscale Gradient: The standard test for overall bit-depth and luminance transition from pure black to white.
🔴 🟢 🔵 Primary Channels (Red, Green, Blue): Check if specific color subpixels have trouble with smooth power curves or “voltage steps”.
🟦 🟪 🟨 Secondary Channels (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow): Verify the display’s internal processing for combined colors.
⬅️ ➡️ Navigation: Click the background or use Arrow Keys to cycle through the available channels.
Banding: What to Look For
📉 Step Patterns (Banding): Do you see clear vertical lines or “steps” instead of a silky-smooth transition? This indicates the panel is struggling to represent 8-bit or 10-bit color depth accurately.
✨ Dithering Noise: Look closely at the gradient. Do you see a faint “sand-like” moving pattern? This is Temporal Dithering (FRC), a technique used by panels to simulate more colors than they can natively show.
🎯 Gray Tracking: In the Grayscale gradient, look for unintended tinting. If certain sections look slightly green or pink, your monitor’s gray tracking is inconsistent across the brightness range.
Banding Expert Interpretation & Calibration
While almost all digital gradients have some banding due to 8-bit signal limitations, a high-quality 10-bit panel should look nearly perfect from a normal viewing distance.
- 🖥️ Set OS/GPU bit depth: Ensure your system is set to the highest bit depth (10-bpc) in your GPU control panel.
- 🎚️ Use Full range: Verify you are using “Full” dynamic range rather than “Limited.”
- 🛠️ Disable aggressive processing: Turn off “Dynamic Contrast” or “Game Mode” if they crush the color curve.
Professional online gradient test for 8-bit vs 10-bit displays. Detect posterization, dithering, and color depth issues without expensive hardware.