Display smooth gray and color gradients to look for visible steps, posterization and banding across tonal transitions.
Why this test is useful
A smooth gradient should change gradually. Repeated stripes, abrupt steps or posterized zones can indicate banding somewhere in the display or signal chain. After an artificial pattern reveals something, check the same area with real photos, video or games at your normal viewing distance.
Before you start
- Use the display native resolution when possible and keep browser zoom at 100 percent so fine patterns are not rescaled.
- Temporarily disable Night Light, reading modes and strong color filters when the goal is to compare channels or neutral tones.
- If automatic brightness or dynamic contrast keeps changing the image, turn it off for the comparison and restore it afterward.
A reliable way to run the test
- A smooth gradient should change gradually. Repeated stripes, abrupt steps or posterized zones can indicate banding somewhere in the display or signal chain.
- Inspect the whole panel in an ordered path from one corner to the other rather than staring only at the center.
- When you notice a suspicious point or region, remember its exact position and repeat the same location with another pattern.
- After an artificial pattern reveals something, check the same area with real photos, video or games at your normal viewing distance.
How to read the result
A smooth gradient should change gradually. Repeated stripes, abrupt steps or posterized zones can indicate banding somewhere in the display or signal chain. After an artificial pattern reveals something, check the same area with real photos, video or games at your normal viewing distance. If black or white levels merge unexpectedly, also check RGB range, HDR mode, black level and contrast settings before assuming the panel is defective.
What to do next
- After an artificial pattern reveals something, check the same area with real photos, video or games at your normal viewing distance.
- When comparing monitor modes, change one setting at a time and use the same test speed, brightness and viewing position.
- If black or white levels merge unexpectedly, also check RGB range, HDR mode, black level and contrast settings before assuming the panel is defective.
What this test cannot prove
Do not make a hardware decision from one pattern alone. Repeat the observation with a second pattern or related test. This is a visual reference, not color calibration. Accurate calibration requires measurement hardware and a controlled color workflow. Browser timing and display information are practical estimates, not laboratory instruments or certified specifications.