Grayscale, Gamma And Color
Grayscale Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests are described in detail here.
White point errors in the C3583FQ’s Standard mode aren’t too bad but they are visible as a slight red tint. This has the further effect of pulling magenta, cyan, and yellow off their targets.
If you are unable to calibrate, our recommendation is to select sRGB from the Color Temp menu. The second chart shows this mode to be almost spot-on. And below you’ll see improvements in gamut accuracy as well. This choice would be perfect if brightness were not fixed at 300cd/m2. If you can work with such bright output, there is no need for further adjustment.
Calibrating the Standard mode produces a chart free of visible errors, but it took a bit of effort on our part. You can see that the RGB levels don’t track as flat as they should. A little warmth creeps in at the lower levels and brighter points start to go blue. It’s an acceptable result but not an ideal one.
Comparisons
A 4.52dE average error means you’ll want to do something to improve grayscale accuracy. As we’ve said, you can either choose sRGB or calibrate the Standard mode. Either option brings errors below the visible threshold, although the other monitors here measure a little better. Only you can decide if their slightly better result is worth a significant price premium. To the eye, there is little difference between sRGB and the calibrated Standard preset. If you use our settings from page two, you’ll get very close to our numbers.
Gamma Response
Gamma is another issue that needs to be addressed. The default setting is Gamma 1 which you can see in the first chart is much too dark. It runs at an average of 2.65; well-above the 2.2 standard. The C3583FQ’s high contrast makes up for that a little but the image still looks a little murky until you select Gamma 2 or simply choose the sRGB preset from the Color Temp menu. Either way, you’ll get perfect gamma tracking at the 2.2 level. This is excellent performance.
Comparisons
None of the monitors have any significant gamma issues. The Acer X34 suffers from a couple of spikes and dips in its tracking but the others are quite flat in their result. A .06 range of values means the C3583FQ stays very close to an ideal luminance curve. Its 1.81 percent deviation results from an average value of 2.24; almost perfect. That coupled with high contrast gives this monitor one of the best images we’ve seen to-date.
Color Gamut And Luminance
For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, please click here.
The color tests follow a pattern similar to the grayscale and gamma benchmarks. The C3583FQ has a native gamut that is slightly larger than sRGB/Rec.709. This is not a bad thing in and of itself because overall color takes on a little extra richness. The Standard mode is locked into this gamut whether or not you calibrate. Adjusting the white point will bring the secondaries in line but you’ll still see some over-saturation, especially in red. The sRGB preset dials in all the points to their targets and renders accuracy sufficient for color-critical applications. While not marketed as a professional screen, it can be used as a proofing monitor.
Calibrating the Standard mode is something of a compromise, but for gaming it offers a bright saturated picture that will appeal to all players. As you’ll see in the comparisons, all the numbers look pretty good.
Comparisons
A .95dE value in our color test is better than many professional displays we’ve tested. Only the fixed 300cd/m2 output level stands in the way of perfection. Calibrating the Standard mode results in a very-respectable 2.01dE average error, which in the gaming monitor world is about average. And don’t forget the substantial cost savings. The C3583FQ undercuts the other screens by a significant sum.
Thanks to the slight primary color over-saturation, there is a little extra gamut volume available in the Standard mode. The sRGB preset brings that value down to just under 100% if you need better accuracy in your signal path.
