LCD Performance: The Subjective Analysis
Numbers can only tell you so much. Based on reader feedback, we've toyed with the idea of introducing color accuracy tests using our spectrophotometer. It's not easy to derive meaning from those results though, since they're expressed in a distance metric for color space called Delta E. Instead, we chose to set up in a pitch-black room and capture images that reflect LCD performance.
But first, a couple of caveats. A camera is able immortalize the difference between two displays. If you were to rank hardware based on its color gamut performance, you'd see cameras, wide-gamut monitors, high-quality printer, and then mainstream monitors and printers, in that order. So, depending on the device you're looking at Tom's Hardware on, you may not see the differences in what we're about to present. If you're using a decent screen, though, you should get an image representative of what we're trying to show.
Further, these pictures haven't been optimized in any way. We're simply publishing them after converting RAW files to PNG, which means all six comparisons are made under the same conditions.
We want to avoid flavoring your own opinion, so the pictures are unlabeled. Which tablet looks the best? Take a look at the pictures and decide for yourself. Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and we'll identify each device for you.
This one is perhaps the toughest comparison we've ever set up. Even on my high-gamut monitor, it's hard to tell between Microsoft's Surface (on the bottom) and Samsung's ATIV Tab (up top).
The former has slightly better contrast and brightness. Yet, the latter enjoys a small advantage in color production. In the real-world, you're simply going to find it hard to distinguish between the two displays.
