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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.
The AW2525HM accepts HDR10 signals and switches modes without user intervention. There are four dedicated modes available, focused on different uses: Desktop, Game, Movie and an adjustable option, Custom Color HDR. The BenQ XL2566X+ is absent from this test because it does not support HDR.
HDR Brightness and Contrast
I managed to measure over 419 nits in SDR mode, but the AW2525HM only topped out at 355 nits for HDR content. That isn’t a huge drop in brightness, and its offset by a field dimming feature that takes contrast to over 2,700:1, more than double the SDR value. That’s thanks to very low black levels. I noted that a zero signal shuts off the backlight, so I had to put a tiny info bug on the screen to take an HDR black level measurement. In the comparison, you can see the VA screens have about the same dynamic range for SDR and HDR, and the Asus uses more aggressive dimming to raise its contrast ratio.
Grayscale, EOTF and Color
In the AW2525HM’s HDR grayscale test, I saw near-perfect tracking with errors above 70% just touching the 3dE threshold. This is an acceptable result. The EOTF runs a tad dark below 40%, then rides the reference line until the tone map transition at 65% where it takes a softer turn than the reference. In practice, there is no effect on detail rendering.
The AW2525HM has a large color gamut that delivers better HDR saturation than its competitors. With nearly full coverage of DCI-P3 and linear oversaturation, the image pops and makes HDR games stand out from their SDR counterparts. Hue tracking is on-point as well. In the BT.2020 test, color runs out at 85% red, 65% green and 95% blue.
Test Takeaway: If you want really good HDR, I wouldn’t normally recommend a fast FHD display, but the AW2525HM challenges that statement. Clearly, it is just as colorful as QHD and UHD offerings and it manages above-average contrast for a $250 gaming monitor. It’s accurate too, with no tweaking required so that you can enjoy HDR right out of the box. Based on this group of tests, the AW2525HM has no equal in its price category for HDR performance.
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