DisplayHDR
The Higher Standard for HDR Monitors
With the increasing availability of HDR content, the DisplayHDR and DisplayHDR True Black specifications from VESA provide an important benefit to the display industry and consumers. The DisplayHDR and DisplayHDR True Black specifications assure that HDR content will appear vivid and life-like, with accurate color and contrast reproduction. Consumers should look for VESA tested and certified DisplayHDR or DisplayHDR True Black products. VESA’s multi-tiered performance ratings and logo system for DisplayHDR and DisplayHDR True Black represent visible, meaningful performance levels relevant to specific applications and usage scenarios.
Choose Certified DisplayHDR Products
DisplayHDR is the open standard for HDR quality and performance and only displays that meet all the specifications may carry the DisplayHDR logo.
If a monitor claims HDR support without a DisplayHDR performance specification, or refers to pseudo-specs like “HDR-400” instead of “DisplayHDR 400” it’s likely that the product does not meet the certification requirements. Consumers can refer to the current list of certified DisplayHDR products on this website to verify certification.
What’s the difference between HDR-10, HDR-1000, and DisplayHDR 1000? Read our post “Not All HDR is Created Equal” to learn more.
Getting Started with DisplayHDR
Up and Running with DisplayHDR
Connected and ready to experience your DisplayHDR monitor? Read our step-by-step guide to ensuring your HDR-capable PC setup is in HDR mode.
Backlight Dimming, Explained
To achieve the contrast ratios demanded by HDR content, an LCD must be capable of changing the backlight brightness. Read our post explaining local and active dimming to learn more.
Questions about DisplayHDR?
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for answers and links to additional information about DisplayHDR.
LUMINANCE + COLOR GAMUT + BIT DEPTH
Summary of Performance Differences by Tier
|
Minimum Peak Luminance |
Range of Color | Static Contrast Ratio |
Maximum Black Level Luminance |
Max ΔTP Color Patch Error |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightness in cd/m2 |
DCI-P3 (D65) Coverage |
Brightness in cd/m2 |
Number of Video Frames |
||
| DisplayHDR 400 | 400 | 90% | 1,300 : 1 | 0.4 | 8 |
| DisplayHDR 500 | 500 | 95% | 7,000 : 1 | 0.1 | 8 |
| DisplayHDR 600 | 600 | 95% | 8,000 : 1 | 0.1 | 8 |
| DisplayHDR 1000 | 1000 | 95% | 30,000 : 1 | 0.05 | 6 |
| DisplayHDR 1400 | 1400 | 95% | 50,000 : 1 | 0.02 | 6 |
| DisplayHDR True Black 400 |
400 | 95% | N/A | 0.0005 | 8 |
| DisplayHDR True Black 500 |
500 | 95% | N/A | 0.0005 | 8 |
| DisplayHDR True Black 600 |
600 | 95% | N/A | 0.0005 | 8 |
The DisplayHDR specification for LCDs establishes distinct levels of HDR system performance to facilitate adoption of HDR throughout the PC market: DisplayHDR 400, DisplayHDR 500, DisplayHDR 600, DisplayHDR 1000, and DisplayHDR 1400. The DisplayHDR True Black specification for OLED and other emissive displays includes three levels of HDR system performance: DisplayHDR True Black 400, DisplayHDR True Black 500, and DisplayHDR True Black 600. Additional tiers are expected to be added later for both standards to support continuous innovations and improvements in display performance. All tiers require support of the industry standard HDR10 format.
Member Participants
More than two dozen active member companies contributed to the development of DisplayHDR, including:
What is DisplayHDR?
The High-Performance Monitor and Display Compliance Test Specification (DisplayHDR) from VESA defines the display industry’s first fully open standard specifying HDR quality, including luminance, color gamut, bit depth, and rise time (see EE Times article). With DisplayHDR, VESA is helping to alleviate consumer confusion surrounding HDR performance specifications in the PC space by:
- Creating an open specification for the PC industry shared publicly and transparently
- Developing an automated testing tool that end users can download to perform their own testing if desired. You can download DisplayHDR Test Tool for HDR display performance verification aimed at professional users here.
- Delivering a robust set of test metrics for HDR that clearly articulates the performance level of the device being purchased
The first release of the DisplayHDR specification, DisplayHDR version 1.0, was introduced in December 2017 and is geared toward liquid crystal displays (LCDs). In January 2019, VESA followed this up with the release of the DisplayHDR True Black standard, a variant on DisplayHDR, which is optimized for emissive display technologies – including organic light emitting diode (OLED) and future microLED displays. DisplayHDR True Black allows for significantly deeper black levels in addition to greater dynamic range and improved rise time – enabling a visually stunning experience for home theater and gaming enthusiasts in subdued lighting environments.
Why DisplayHDR?
High Dynamic Range (HDR) displays deliver better contrast and color accuracy, as well as more vibrant colors, compared to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) displays. As a result, HDR is gaining interest for a wide range of applications, including movie viewing, gaming, and creation of photo and video content. HDR logos and brands abound, but until now, there has been no open standard with a fully transparent testing methodology. Since HDR performance details are typically not provided, consumers are unable to obtain meaningful performance information.