Goes full screen and cycles through gradients. Tap or use arrow keys to switch, Esc to exit. Look for visible steps instead of a smooth blend - the dark grayscale shows banding best.
What is color banding?
Color banding is when a smooth gradient shows visible steps or stripes instead of blending cleanly, most often in skies and dark scenes. It means a screen, or the video itself, cannot show enough shades between two colors. This free test displays full-screen gradients so you can see how much banding your TV or monitor shows and judge how well it handles 8-bit and 10-bit color.
How to test for color banding
- Dim the room so subtle steps in the gradient are easier to see.
- Press Start gradient test and view each gradient full screen.
- Move through the grayscale, dark grayscale and the red, green and blue gradients.
- A good screen shows a smooth blend. Distinct stripes or steps, especially in the dark grayscale, mean banding.
- Turn off picture processing such as dynamic contrast and noise reduction, which can add banding of their own.
8-bit
256 shades per color channel, about 16.7 million colors. Standard for most screens, but can show banding in smooth gradients and skies.
10-bit
1024 shades per channel, over a billion colors. Gradients look far smoother. Used for HDR content on better TVs and monitors.
8-bit + FRC
An 8-bit panel that rapidly mixes shades to fake 10-bit. Often very good, sometimes shows faint flicker or residual banding.
Color banding FAQ
What is color banding?
Color banding is when a smooth gradient shows visible steps or stripes instead of a clean blend. It happens when a screen or the content cannot show enough shades between two colors, and is most obvious in skies and dark scenes.
What is the difference between 8-bit and 10-bit color?
8-bit color shows 256 shades per channel, about 16.7 million colors. 10-bit shows 1024 shades per channel, over a billion colors, so gradients look smoother with far less banding. Many panels use 8-bit plus FRC to mimic 10-bit.
How do I test my screen for banding?
Run the gradient test full screen in a dimly lit room and look for distinct steps in the blend, especially in the dark grayscale gradient. Smooth is good, visible stripes mean banding.
Is the banding from my screen or the video?
It can be either. Compressed video and some apps introduce banding before it reaches the screen. Turn off picture features like dynamic contrast, noise reduction and sharpness, which can make banding worse.
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