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The X34 X0 supports HDR10 with an automatic switch and two specific picture modes, Auto and HDR1000. I saw almost no difference between them, so I stuck with Auto for these tests.
HDR Brightness and Contrast
I’ll always say that OLED renders the best HDR, but a bright FALD Mini LED monitor comes very close to that standard. The X34 X0 can top 1,000 nits full screen. In fact, I noted that the dimming, which is always on in HDR mode, has a greater effect on black levels, which can’t be measured because the backlight is turned off. With 1,152 dimming zones, you won’t see the halo effect in most HDR content. The X34 X0 rivals many OLEDs in this test. And I remind you that very few OLEDs can hit 1,000 nits over more than 3% of the screen. If you want super bright HDR, a Mini LED like the X34 X0 can outperform almost any other monitor. The HP has impressive contrast too but less than half the peak output potential.
Grayscale, EOTF and Color
There are no calibration options available in HDR mode, but my sample measured reasonably well. There is a slight cool tone in the steps above 70% but this wasn’t visible in the content I observed. The super bright peaks pushed the tone-mapping transition to an impressive 75%. This means the display does less work because HDR10 metadata typically peaks at 1,000 or 2,000 nits.
In the color tests, the X34 X0 takes full advantage of its prodigious color volume with some reasonable oversaturation in the mid tones. To say that HDR is colorful is to engage in understatement. The image literally pops from the screen. Remember that only Quantum Dot screens like this can fully cover DCI-P3, which is the basis for a lot of HDR content. It also covers more of BT.2020 with the limit coming at 90% red, 80% and 100% blue. This is excellent performance.
Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 is one of the brightest and most colorful HDR monitors you can buy. Though it doesn’t quite equal the best OLEDs, it is far better than LCDs with less light output and less color volume. With Quantum Dots and an honest 1,000 nits, it delivers a spectacular HDR picture.
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