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The EX3210R switches to its Display HDR picture mode when it senses an HDR10 signal. It is also possible to emulate HDR with SDR content by using the HDRi feature, easily accessed by a button on the front bezel or with the remote. I tested Display HDR with a correctly formatted HDR10 signal to record the results shown below.
The EX3210R outputs plenty of light in HDR mode with just over 404 nits peak, earning its VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. None of the other monitors stand out as significantly brighter or less bright than the BenQ.
The key to good HDR is black levels and there, some sort of dynamic contrast feature is a must. Not all screens have it though, and the EX3210R is one of those. Its black levels are a little elevated, which reduces its HDR contrast to just 1,468.8:1. While HDR looks OK here, it doesn’t compete with the Pixio, Razer or Acer screens. I tested the HDRi modes too and found they were slightly better with ratios of around 1,900:1. But they are less color accurate than Display HDR.
These two charts are from the EX3210R’s Display HDR mode using an HDR10 signal. Grayscale tracking is mostly error-free except for the darkest steps, which look slightly blue. This does not impact real-world content in any meaningful way. EOTF luminance tracking is solid except for the 0-15% steps, which are too light. This results in shadow areas that are detailed but more a dark gray than the black they should be. The EX3210R needs a bit of factory tuning to improve its HDR black levels and contrast.
HDR color is very good with just a bit of over-saturation in red and blue. The outer targets are met except for green which is a little under. This is typical of wide gamut screens in general. Hue targets are spot-on, with no deviation seen in any color. The EX3210R has above-average HDR color accuracy.
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Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.
