Color Banding Test
Check gradients for visible bands, steps, and uneven color transitions.
Grayscale Gradient
Keys: ← / → switch · F full screen · D direction · Esc exit
Choose test mode
Look for visible bands, steps, or stripes instead of a smooth transition.
Direction
What do you see?
Visual inspection only. It cannot determine color depth or prove the cause of banding.
Guide
How to test
01
Set normal viewing conditions
Use typical display brightness and normal room lighting.
02
Go Fullscreen
Start the test and press F to view the gradient at fullscreen size.
03
Check the grayscale gradient
Look for visible steps, stripes, or abrupt transitions from black to white.
04
Check RGB gradients
Switch between red, green, and blue and compare their smoothness.
05
Inspect shadow and highlight areas
Pay extra attention to the darkest and brightest parts, where banding may be easier to notice.
06
Record Observations
Choose the result that best matches what you see.
About
About this test
Visual inspection only
This test checks for visible banding in browser-rendered gradients. It cannot determine the display's physical color depth or prove the cause of visible banding.
What can affect the result
Display settings, browser and OS color processing, GPU output, color management, viewing conditions, ambient light, and the source content can affect visible banding.
How it differs
Color Banding Test
Smoothness of continuous gradients.
Greyscale and Uniformity
Discrete shade discrimination and spatial evenness.
Gamma Test
Visual tonal-response comparison.
Contrast Test
Separation of dark and bright extremes.
What is Color Banding?
Color banding occurs when a smooth color or brightness transition appears as visible steps, stripes, or distinct bands instead of a continuous gradient.
FAQ
Color Banding Test FAQ
01What does color banding look like?
Color banding appears as visible steps, stripes, or abrupt changes where a gradient should look smooth.
02How do I test my monitor for color banding?
Display grayscale and color gradients fullscreen and look for visible bands or steps instead of smooth transitions.
03Why does my monitor show color banding?
Banding can come from the display, source content, compression, color processing, GPU settings, or other parts of the rendering chain.
04Does color banding mean my monitor is defective?
Not necessarily. Visible banding does not by itself identify the cause or prove that the panel is faulty.
05Can this test tell if my monitor is 8-bit or 10-bit?
No. A browser gradient test can show visible banding, but it cannot reliably determine the physical panel's bit depth.
06Why is banding easier to see in dark areas?
Small changes between very dark shades can be harder for a display or rendering pipeline to reproduce smoothly, making steps easier to notice.
07Can 10-bit eliminate color banding?
Higher bit depth can provide more tonal levels, but it does not guarantee that every source, application, or display pipeline will be free of visible banding.