Contrast Ratio Test
Test your display's ability to distinguish near-black and near-white shades, plus checkerboard contrast.
What to look for
- Near-black: Count how many distinct shades you can see. More = better contrast.
- Near-white: Can you distinguish 254 from 255? Indicates highlight detail.
- Checkerboard: Should appear crisp without blurring between squares.
Testing guide
How to test monitor contrast ratio
This test uses near-black steps, near-white steps, and a checkerboard pattern to reveal how well your display separates dark shades and highlight detail, the two things a stated contrast ratio number cannot show you directly.
Best for
- Checking whether shadow detail in dark scenes is genuinely visible or crushed to solid black.
- Checking whether near-white highlights are distinguishable or clipped to solid white.
- Comparing perceived contrast between an LCD, VA, and OLED panel side by side.
How to run the test
- 1Open the Near Black pattern in a dimly lit room and count how many of the ten shades you can distinguish.
- 2Open the Near White pattern and check whether the brightest few patches still look distinct from pure white.
- 3Open the Checkerboard pattern and confirm the squares look crisp with no blurring at the edges.
- 4Run all three in fullscreen for the clearest read, since browser chrome and other UI elements affect your eyes adaptation to black.
How to read the result
If the darkest 2 to 3 near-black patches all look identical, your blacks are being crushed and shadow detail is lost.
If the brightest 2 to 3 near-white patches all look identical, highlights are clipping and losing detail.
VA panels typically separate more near-black shades than IPS; IPS typically separates near-white shades better than VA.
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a good contrast ratio for a monitor?
Typical ratios are 600:1 to 1000:1 for TN, 800:1 to 1500:1 for IPS, 3000:1 to 6000:1 for VA, and effectively infinite for OLED since each pixel can switch off completely. Higher is better for perceived depth, especially in dark rooms.
Why can I not see the darkest shades in the near-black test?
This usually means your monitor brightness or black level (sometimes labeled black equalizer or gamma) is set in a way that crushes near-black detail into solid black. Lowering brightness slightly, or adjusting the black level setting, can bring back separation between the darkest shades.
Does this test measure the exact contrast ratio in numbers?
No. It is a visual check for how many distinct steps you can see near black and near white, which reflects real shadow and highlight detail. An exact contrast ratio measurement requires a hardware light meter or colorimeter.
Why does the checkerboard pattern look blurry?
A blurry checkerboard usually means the display is not running at its native resolution, or that a sharpness or upscaling filter is softening fine detail. Confirm native resolution first, then check the Sharpness Test for a closer look.
Is higher contrast always better?
For perceived image depth, yes, higher contrast generally looks more impactful, especially for movies and games in dark rooms. For long text-reading sessions in a bright room, extremely high contrast between white backgrounds and black text can feel more fatiguing for some people.
Testing guide
How to test monitor contrast ratio
This test uses near-black steps, near-white steps, and a checkerboard pattern to reveal how well your display separates dark shades and highlight detail, the two things a stated contrast ratio number cannot show you directly.
Best for
- Checking whether shadow detail in dark scenes is genuinely visible or crushed to solid black.
- Checking whether near-white highlights are distinguishable or clipped to solid white.
- Comparing perceived contrast between an LCD, VA, and OLED panel side by side.
How to run the test
- 1Open the Near Black pattern in a dimly lit room and count how many of the ten shades you can distinguish.
- 2Open the Near White pattern and check whether the brightest few patches still look distinct from pure white.
- 3Open the Checkerboard pattern and confirm the squares look crisp with no blurring at the edges.
- 4Run all three in fullscreen for the clearest read, since browser chrome and other UI elements affect your eyes adaptation to black.
How to read the result
If the darkest 2 to 3 near-black patches all look identical, your blacks are being crushed and shadow detail is lost.
If the brightest 2 to 3 near-white patches all look identical, highlights are clipping and losing detail.
VA panels typically separate more near-black shades than IPS; IPS typically separates near-white shades better than VA.
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a good contrast ratio for a monitor?
Typical ratios are 600:1 to 1000:1 for TN, 800:1 to 1500:1 for IPS, 3000:1 to 6000:1 for VA, and effectively infinite for OLED since each pixel can switch off completely. Higher is better for perceived depth, especially in dark rooms.
Why can I not see the darkest shades in the near-black test?
This usually means your monitor brightness or black level (sometimes labeled black equalizer or gamma) is set in a way that crushes near-black detail into solid black. Lowering brightness slightly, or adjusting the black level setting, can bring back separation between the darkest shades.
Does this test measure the exact contrast ratio in numbers?
No. It is a visual check for how many distinct steps you can see near black and near white, which reflects real shadow and highlight detail. An exact contrast ratio measurement requires a hardware light meter or colorimeter.
Why does the checkerboard pattern look blurry?
A blurry checkerboard usually means the display is not running at its native resolution, or that a sharpness or upscaling filter is softening fine detail. Confirm native resolution first, then check the Sharpness Test for a closer look.
Is higher contrast always better?
For perceived image depth, yes, higher contrast generally looks more impactful, especially for movies and games in dark rooms. For long text-reading sessions in a bright room, extremely high contrast between white backgrounds and black text can feel more fatiguing for some people.