To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
The VG28U is midpack for SDR output, being one of those monitors that isn’t super bright but more than bright enough. I used it in a sunlit room with no trouble. Its black level is also decent, which sends the contrast ratio over 1,100:1, good enough for the top spot. I wish VA would take a greater foothold in this category, but it seems IPS technology has upped the contrast game a little.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Calibration robs a bit of contrast from the VG28U thanks to a slightly elevated black level. 961.9:1 is typical performance. The good part is that gamma is nearly perfect, making the image very satisfying with saturated color and clear detail.
ANSI contrast holds steady with the static value, which indicates good quality control and component selection on Asus’ part. It’s rare that any IPS monitor can top 1,000:1 in this test. The VG28U delivers slightly better than average performance here.
