You can tell if your HDR is good by looking for vivid colors, deep blacks, and bright highlights that are balanced and detailed without being washed out or overly saturated.
Here's how to assess your HDR experience:
1. Look for Vivid Colors
- Rich, saturated colors: HDR should enhance colors, making them more vibrant and lifelike.
- No color banding: There shouldn't be noticeable transitions between colors, especially in gradients.
- Accurate color representation: HDR should accurately reproduce the intended colors of the content you're watching.
2. Check for Deep Blacks
- Deep, inky blacks: HDR displays should have deep blacks that don't appear gray or washed out.
- Good contrast: The difference between blacks and whites should be noticeable and impactful.
- No blooming: Light shouldn't bleed from bright areas into darker areas.
3. Observe Bright Highlights
- Bright, detailed highlights: HDR should allow for brighter highlights, revealing more detail in areas like sunlight or reflections.
- No clipping: The brightest areas shouldn't be clipped, meaning they shouldn't lose detail and turn completely white.
- Balanced highlights: Bright highlights should be balanced with the rest of the image, not overwhelming the overall scene.
4. Consider the Overall Image
- Balanced and natural: HDR should enhance the image without making it look artificial or unnatural.
- Improved detail: HDR should reveal more detail in shadows and highlights, enhancing the overall image.
- Immersive experience: HDR should create a more immersive and realistic viewing experience.
If you're unsure about your HDR performance, you can compare your display to reference images or videos known for their HDR quality. You can also adjust your HDR settings to fine-tune the experience to your liking.
