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To test the PA32UCG’s grayscale, gamma and color accuracy, we focused on the four modes most used in today’s gaming, photography and video content – Rec.709, DCI-P3, Adobe RGB and Rec.2020. Each mode was set to different gamma and color temp standards and the results were averaged for comparison.
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.
The PA32UCG has both sRGB and Rec.709 presets. sRGB locks out most image controls including brightness, so we measured Rec.709 which has the same color gamut. Color temp was set to 6500K and gamma was 2.4. As you can see, it hits the marks almost perfectly. There are no visible errors.
Rec.2020 mode also came with a 6500K color temp and 2.4 gamma. It too measures perfectly out of the box.
For photographers, Adobe RGB is a useful mode that adds a lot of extra red to the gamut. The PA32UCG defaults to 6500K and 2.2 here as well. Our test run is right in line with the standard.
The DCI-P3 mode defaults to a theater setting. That means a color temp of 6300K which is slightly green. This is done to compensate for the Xenon bulbs used in digital cinema projectors. Gamma is set to 2.6, Asus calls it P3 Theater in the menu. For film post production, the PA32UCG is ready for work with no tweaking necessary. The only flaw is a bump in gamma at the 10% level. This translates to shadow detail that’s a little too dark.
The consumer version of DCI-P3 uses a 6500K color temp and 2.2 gamma. It is commonly found in games and video content on Ultra HD Blu-ray and streaming platforms. To set this option, choose the DCI-P3 picture mode and change the gamma to 2.2 and the color temp to 6500K.
As you can see in all the charts, the PA32UCG is properly calibrated and set up at the factory, very impressive.
Comparisons
To derive a single number for comparison to the other monitors, we averaged the grayscale error, gamma deviation and gamma value range of the five modes shown in our Calman charts. 1.53dE is an excellent default grayscale value and indicates there are no visible errors. Nearly all the values are under 2dE in all modes. Gamma also tracks true to its standards no matter what the setting. You can be sure that if you set a value, you get that value with no visible errors.
Color Gamut Accuracy
For the PA32UCG’s color test, we averaged the error levels for the same five picture modes, Rec.709, DCI-P3, Adobe RGB and Rec.2020. Each chart is rendered with the intended gamma standard for that mode, 2.4 for Rec.709 and Rec.2020, 2.2 for Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 Consumer, and 2.6 for DCI-P3 Theater.
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
These test results are nothing short of amazing. In every case, the PA32UCG measures right on target. The only exception is Rec.2020 where the monitor runs out of color just short of the 100% saturation points. The error stays low because every other point is correct.
You can see just how low all the errors are in each chart. Remember that the average value we report is calculated from 31 measurements, five saturation levels for each color plus the white point. To achieve less than 1dE in this test requires a very precise and accurate display.
Comparisons
We doubt there is another computer monitor available that can match overall color accuracy with the PA32UCG. The 1.06dE result charted above is the average of five picture modes, each derived from 31 measurements. That’s 155 color measurements that average just 1.06dE. Remember that we have not performed a calibration here. These are out-of-box results.
In the gamut volume test, we measured the PA32UCG at 95% coverage of DCI-P3. This is higher than nearly every monitor we’ve reviewed. Given its native gamut, it could cover 100% by increasing its saturation for green and blue. But the measured error is not visible to the naked eye. We calculated the Rec.2020 coverage at 77.82%. This is also a record for us.
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