What do I need for better HDR?

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Hi all

I've currently got a Benq EW3270U. It's great for sdr, but hdr conent looks very washed out in Windows (less so with my Shield, but still not great).

I'm thinking about upgrading next year, but can anyone find me some pointers on what to look for? Is HDR600 enough, or do I really need HDR1000? For dimming, is 16 zones enough or should I be looking for FALD?

I thought about a TV, but 32" is as much as my desk will take.

Thanks!
 
Soldato
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I don't know what your expectations are, but no LCD really delivers impressive HDR. You have to look at OLED for that. Sure, HDR600 is slightly better than HDR400, and HDR1000 slightly better still, but even then, you will probably be underwhelmed. And if you've already seen an OLED in action, you DEFINITELY will be!

FALD can still have a low number of zones, and every LCD exhibits blooming to some degree. Only OLED avoids this with its per pixel illumination.
 
Soldato
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Thanks - also found the ViewSonic XG320U https://www.monitornerds.com/viewsonic-elite-xg320u-incoming/.

Possibly cheaper and hdmi 2.1. I'm figuring it should be good for 120Hz without DSC, so there's a bit of growing room.
Noticed that one only HDR600 and don't think it has FALD which means the blacks would be more like dark grey

I have a feeling we going to see some really good 4k HDR monitors come out over the next few years now 4K is really taking off (due to hdmi 2.1 , PS5, xbox one X, more powerful AMD & Nvidia GPU's etc )
 
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Soldato
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Thanks - also found the ViewSonic XG320U https://www.monitornerds.com/viewsonic-elite-xg320u-incoming/.

Possibly cheaper and hdmi 2.1. I'm figuring it should be good for 120Hz without DSC, so there's a bit of growing room.

The Viewsonic looks solid (and hopefully it's sensibly price), but that article stating HDR-600 is a "substantial experience" is somewhat laughable. Substantially disappointing perhaps. It's only marginally better than HDR-400, and if you've experienced OLED, it just isn't going to cut it.
 
Soldato
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Noticed that one only HDR600 and don't think it has FALD which means the blacks would be more like dark grey

I have a feeling we going to see some really good 4k HDR monitors come out over the next few years now 4K is really taking off (due to hdmi 2.1 , PS5, xbox one X, more powerful AMD & Nvidia GPU's etc )


We'll see more HDMI 2.1, high refresh, 4K options for sure, but I don't hold out much hope for HDR. It's limited by the technology, and LCD is always going to struggle with its backlight solution. There's blooming evident even with monitors that have 512-zones, and we won't be seeing that arrive at an affordable price point. The only chance for HDR to shine on a monitor is if they release smaller OLEDs. Until then, I expect the experience to remain underwhelming. And certainly anyone who has experienced OLED first hand will never be truly satisfied.
 
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I don't know what your expectations are, but no LCD really delivers impressive HDR. You have to look at OLED for that. Sure, HDR600 is slightly better than HDR400, and HDR1000 slightly better still, but even then, you will probably be underwhelmed. And if you've already seen an OLED in action, you DEFINITELY will be!

FALD can still have a low number of zones, and every LCD exhibits blooming to some degree. Only OLED avoids this with its per pixel illumination.
Upper range QLEDS’s are awesome for HDR. They pop more than OLED imo. Certainly can go brighter.
 
Soldato
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We'll see more HDMI 2.1, high refresh, 4K options for sure, but I don't hold out much hope for HDR. It's limited by the technology, and LCD is always going to struggle with its backlight solution. There's blooming evident even with monitors that have 512-zones, and we won't be seeing that arrive at an affordable price point. The only chance for HDR to shine on a monitor is if they release smaller OLEDs. Until then, I expect the experience to remain underwhelming. And certainly anyone who has experienced OLED first hand will never be truly satisfied.
I think there no point in worrying about comparing LCD PC monitors to an OLED as OLED are far to big for a PC desk and suffer to much burn in to ever be sold or used as a PC monitor

This is really funny as it was the exact same story 10+ years ago when Plasma TV's had much better blacks & picture quality then LCD did but you also couldn't use a plasma TV as a PC monitor due to there huge size & Screen burn..
 
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Soldato
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Upper range QLEDS’s are awesome for HDR. They pop more than OLED imo. Certainly can go brighter.

Brightness and pop yes, but they can't compete with the per pixel illumination of OLED. Contrast is what matters, and the pure blacks of OLED will forever be a dream of LCD. Ambient lighting (or lack thereof) and the content being watched obviously factor into the viewing experience, but side by side, across varied content, OLED is superior.

I think there no point in worrying about comparing LCD PC monitors to an OLED as OLED are far to big for a PC desk and suffer to much burn in to ever be sold or used as a PC monitor

This is really funny as it was the exact same story 10+ years ago when Plasma TV's had much better blacks & picture quality then LCD did but you also couldn't use a plasma TV as a PC monitor due to there huge size & Screen burn..

Of course OLED are currently too big, although 48" is workable for some people. JOLED are working on smaller panels though, so we will see OLED hit the monitor space in the near future. Burn-in is an exaggerated problem, and there are many ways it can be mitigated. The concern will always be there I understand, but it's a needless worry in the vast majority of use cases.
 
Soldato
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Here’s my video comparing the blacks on a VA panel with my nano IPS in a dark scene video...

https://youtu.be/JVtSAxlFjD0

That's a pretty poor example of IPS. Mine isn't nearly that bad, but VA will always do a better job with contrast, and won't suffer with glow like that. VA can have bleed though, so the typical panel lottery still applies. Personally, I find watching ANY LCD monitor or TV in a pitch dark room exposes its flaws. You can only really do that with OLED. If you're seeing strong glow or bleed in a well lit room though, it should be an instant return. No way is that acceptable.

I'd say VA will generally be a better choice for watching any TV/movie content, and games also unless someone is quite sensitive to ghosting/overshoot. Always best to check reviews of an individual monitor as some are better than others. Gamma shift can be evident on most VA panels also, but this isn't really an issue outside of desktop use or professional work. It isn't noticeable in games or watching content.
 
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I'd say VA will generally be a better choice for watching any TV/movie content, and games also unless someone is quite sensitive to ghosting/overshoot. Always best to check reviews of an individual monitor as some are better than others. Gamma shift can be evident on most VA panels also, but this isn't really an issue outside of desktop use or professional work. It isn't noticeable in games or watching content.

I've not had too many issues using my current VA panel for photo editing (slight gamma shift but nothing like the ultrawide I tried before), but I'll have to be careful with the reviews in that case.
 
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