HDR Gaming Monitor Guide 2025
Understanding HDR standards and finding monitors that deliver real high dynamic range
The Truth About HDR Monitors
HDR400 is NOT real HDR. For a genuine HDR experience, you need at minimum DisplayHDR 600 with local dimming, or an OLED panel. Most budget monitors with "HDR" support provide a worse experience than just using SDR mode.
Table of Contents
What is HDR?
HDR (High Dynamic Range) expands the range of brightness and color your monitor can display, creating more realistic and immersive visuals. Instead of the limited brightness range of SDR (Standard Dynamic Range), HDR can show deep blacks and bright highlights simultaneously.
SDR (Standard Dynamic Range)
- Brightness: 100-400 nits typical
- Color: sRGB (16.7 million colors)
- Bit Depth: 8-bit
- Contrast: Limited by backlight
Limited brightness range
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
- Brightness: 600-10,000+ nits peak
- Color: DCI-P3 / Rec.2020 (billions of colors)
- Bit Depth: 10-bit+
- Contrast: Dramatically improved
Expanded brightness range
What HDR Improves
Highlights
Sun, explosions, and light sources appear dramatically brighter and more realistic
Shadows
Dark areas retain detail without crushing to pure black
Colors
Wider gamut enables more saturated, vibrant colors
DisplayHDR Standards Explained
VESA's DisplayHDR certification provides standardized tiers for HDR performance. Understanding these helps you avoid marketing hype.
| Standard | Peak Brightness | Black Level | Local Dimming | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDR400 | 400 nits | 0.4 nits | Not required | Not real HDR |
| HDR500 | 500 nits | 0.1 nits | Global only | Minimal HDR |
| HDR600 | 600 nits | 0.1 nits | Required | Entry-level real HDR |
| HDR1000 | 1000 nits | 0.05 nits | Required (FALD) | Good HDR |
| HDR1400 | 1400 nits | 0.02 nits | Required (FALD) | Excellent HDR |
| True Black 400 | 400 nits | 0.0005 nits | Per-pixel (OLED) | OLED certified |
| True Black 500 | 500 nits | 0.0005 nits | Per-pixel (OLED) | OLED certified |
Avoid: HDR400
HDR400 monitors typically:
- - Have no local dimming
- - Cannot display true blacks
- - Make SDR content look washed out
- - Provide no real HDR benefit
Best to keep HDR off on these monitors.
Target: HDR600+ or OLED
Real HDR monitors provide:
- + Local dimming for contrast
- + Noticeable highlight punch
- + Better color volume
- + Actual improvement over SDR
Worth using HDR in games.
What Makes "True" HDR?
For HDR to look impressive rather than washed out, a monitor needs several key components working together:
High Peak Brightness (600+ nits)
HDR's "wow factor" comes from bright highlights - the sun, explosions, neon signs. Without at least 600 nits peak brightness, highlights won't pop. 1000+ nits is ideal.
Local Dimming
Allows different areas of the screen to have different brightness levels simultaneously. Without local dimming, bright highlights raise the entire screen's black level. FALD (Full Array Local Dimming) or OLED per-pixel dimming is best.
Deep Black Levels
Contrast ratio is brightness divided by black level. A monitor with 1000 nits but 1 nit blacks (1000:1) has less dynamic range than one with 500 nits and 0.05 nit blacks (10,000:1).
Wide Color Gamut (90%+ DCI-P3)
HDR content uses wider color spaces than sRGB. A monitor needs to display at least 90% DCI-P3 to show HDR colors properly. Without this, colors appear muted.
10-bit Color Depth
HDR requires smooth gradients across the expanded brightness range. 8-bit panels show banding in HDR content. 10-bit (or 8-bit + FRC) is necessary for smooth HDR.
HDR Technologies: OLED vs Mini-LED vs Edge-Lit
OLED - Per-Pixel HDR
Each pixel produces its own light and can turn completely off. This provides infinite contrast and zero blooming.
Pros
- + Perfect blacks (pixels off)
- + Zero blooming/halos
- + Instant response times
- + Perfect for dark content
Cons
- - Lower peak brightness (250-1000 nits)
- - ABL limits sustained brightness
- - Burn-in risk
- - Higher cost
Best for: Dark room gaming, movies, perfect contrast
Mini-LED - Zone-Based HDR
Thousands of small LEDs behind the panel create hundreds to thousands of dimming zones. Better than edge-lit but not per-pixel.
Pros
- + High peak brightness (1000-2000+ nits)
- + No burn-in risk
- + Excellent for bright HDR highlights
- + Good in bright rooms
Cons
- - Blooming around bright objects
- - Blacks not as deep as OLED
- - Zone transitions can be visible
- - Premium pricing
Best for: Bright room gaming, HDR highlights, no burn-in concerns
Edge-Lit / FALD (Limited Zones)
LEDs around the edge or limited backlight zones (8-96 zones). Entry-level HDR solution.
Pros
- + Lower cost
- + Thin design
- + Some HDR benefit
Cons
- - Significant blooming
- - Limited contrast improvement
- - May look worse than SDR
Best for: Budget HDR, users who don't prioritize HDR
Our Recommendation
For the best HDR gaming experience: OLED if you game in a dark room and want perfect contrast. Mini-LED if you need higher brightness, play in lit rooms, or worry about burn-in. Skip entry-level FALD unless the monitor excels at SDR and HDR is just a bonus.
Best HDR Gaming Monitors
LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B
32" | 4K | 240Hz | W-OLED | True Black 400
$1,399
OLED provides perfect per-pixel HDR with infinite contrast. While peak brightness is lower than Mini-LED, the perfect blacks create stunning HDR in dark scenes. Best HDR for movies and atmospheric games.
Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 (G85NB)
32" | 4K | 240Hz | Mini-LED VA | HDR2000
$1,099
2000 nit peak brightness with 1196 Mini-LED zones. Incredible HDR highlights that truly "pop." VA panel provides good native contrast. Best for bright, explosive HDR gaming.
Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 (G75NB)
32" | 4K | 165Hz | Mini-LED VA | HDR1000
$799
More affordable Mini-LED option with 1196 zones and 1000 nit peak. Excellent value for quality HDR gaming without OLED pricing.
ASUS ROG Swift PG32UCDM
32" | 4K | 240Hz | QD-OLED | True Black 400
$1,299
QD-OLED provides even more saturated HDR colors than W-OLED. Higher peak brightness in HDR highlights. ROG features and build quality.
Sony InZone M9
27" | 4K | 144Hz | IPS | FALD 96 zones | HDR600
$899
Entry point for "real" HDR with FALD. 96 zones provide some local dimming benefit. Excellent for PS5 with Auto HDR Tone Mapping.
HDR Setup Guide
1. Enable Windows HDR
- Open Settings > Display
- Select your HDR monitor
- Toggle "Use HDR" ON
- Click "HDR Calibration" and follow the wizard
2. Configure Monitor Settings
- - Enable HDR mode in your monitor's OSD
- - Set Local Dimming to "Auto" or "High"
- - Adjust peak brightness (usually max for HDR)
- - Set color space to "Auto" or "HDR"
3. In-Game HDR Settings
- - Enable HDR in game video settings
- - Adjust "Peak Brightness" slider to match your monitor's specs
- - Tune "Paper White" or "UI Brightness" for SDR elements
- - Check that highlights are bright without clipping
Troubleshooting Washed-Out HDR
- - Run Windows HDR Calibration app again
- - Check that game HDR settings match monitor specs
- - Ensure you're using HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort (not older cables)
- - Try disabling then re-enabling Windows HDR
- - Update GPU drivers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HDR400 worth it for gaming?
HDR400 provides minimal HDR benefit and is not considered "true HDR" by most enthusiasts. It only requires 400 nits peak brightness and no local dimming, meaning you won't see the dramatic highlight and shadow improvements that define HDR. Most HDR400 monitors make SDR content look washed out when HDR is enabled. Consider HDR400 a marketing checkbox rather than a meaningful feature.
What is the minimum for good HDR on a gaming monitor?
For meaningful HDR on a gaming monitor, you need at minimum: 600+ nits peak brightness, local dimming (preferably FALD or Mini-LED), and 90%+ DCI-P3 color coverage. DisplayHDR 600 is the entry point for "real" HDR. DisplayHDR 1000 with Mini-LED or OLED provides a truly impressive HDR experience.
Is OLED better than Mini-LED for HDR?
OLED and Mini-LED excel at different aspects of HDR. OLED offers perfect per-pixel contrast with infinite black levels, eliminating blooming artifacts. Mini-LED provides higher peak brightness (often 1000-2000 nits vs OLED's 250-1000 nits) for more impactful highlights, but can show blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds. For dark room gaming, OLED wins. For bright room HDR gaming, Mini-LED may be better.
Do I need HDR for gaming?
HDR is not essential for gaming, but it significantly enhances visual quality in supported games. HDR provides more realistic lighting, deeper blacks, brighter highlights, and wider color range. Many modern AAA games support HDR excellently (God of War, Spider-Man, Cyberpunk 2077). If you play mostly competitive games where performance matters more than visuals, HDR is less important.
Why does HDR look washed out on my monitor?
HDR looking washed out usually means: 1) Your monitor doesn't have enough brightness/contrast for true HDR (common with HDR400), 2) Windows HDR calibration needs adjustment (use Windows HDR Calibration app), 3) The game's HDR settings need tuning, or 4) The monitor's local dimming isn't working properly. True HDR monitors (HDR600+) should never look washed out when properly calibrated.