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The Spectrum Black 32 takes a simple approach to picture modes by terming them according to color gamut. All are accurate with the proper color temp and gamma settings, and none require calibration.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
I could not improve upon the Spectrum Black 32’s grayscale and gamma performance with calibration so I’m showing the charts for Display P3 and sRGB modes. They are virtually identical as they should be with no visible errors and gamma traces that stick close to the 2.2 reference. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Comparisons
The Spectrum Black 32 compares well with a 1.59dE grayscale error both before calibration and after the other screens are adjusted. In practice, the difference between these panels is minute. In all scenarios, the Spectrum Black 32’s gamma is extremely tight with just a 0.04 range of values and a 0.91% deviation from 2.2. The actual average is 2.18, excellent performance.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The Spectrum Black 32 measures extremely well against both the DCI-P3 (Display P3) and sRGB standards. If I’m going to nit-pick, I’d note the slight under-saturation of the 100% points for red, green and blue. But no one would ever see this error in test patterns or content. You’re looking at perfect color here.
Comparisons
There aren’t many displays with color this accurate after calibration, much less before. The Spectrum Black 32 is adjusted at the factory to a very high standard. It’s rare that any monitor scores below 1dE in my test but the OLED category is well known for its color accuracy. This is one of the things that supports my statement, “you won’t find a bad one.”
The Spectrum Black 32’s only weakness is its lack of a Quantum Dot layer. That means volume tops out at 94.87% of DCI-P3. Visually, that’s a very small distance from 100%. The upside is higher light output which the Spectrum Black 32 has in abundance. You’ll see that benefit in the HDR tests on the next page.
Test Takeaway: The Spectrum Black 32 is one of the most accurate monitors I’ve tested. OLEDs are known for this trait so you can expect similar performance from just about any of them. But the Spectrum Black 32 is slightly better than most though it is a tad less colorful than a Quantum Dot display.
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