The S3220DGF offers four HDR picture modes. Three of them add edge enhancement, which makes the image look a bit artificial. Only the one labeled Desktop keeps the picture free of artifacts. It also offers the best accuracy for both color and luminance mapping.
HDR Brightness and Contrast
Any concerns about the S3220DGF’s brightness capability were addressed when we activated our HD Fury Integral. A full white field measured 506.7 nits brightness, which amply exceeds the monitor’s 450-nit rating. With so much output available, highlights really pop in HDR mode, making both games and videos look fantastic. A super-low black level delivers an impressive 18,026.2:1 HDR contrast ratio. Of all the edge-lit HDR displays we’ve reviewed, the S3220DGF has the largest dynamic range. Only a monitor with an OLED panel or full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight can do better.
Grayscale, EOTF and Color
It is possible to adjust the S3220DGF’s grayscale tracking in HDR mode, but those settings will carry over to SDR mode too. Luckily, the same tweaks work for both signal types. Brightness levels from 70% and up are a tad blue, but in actual content, this error will be very hard to spot. The EOTF high clip point of 69% is due to the excellent contrast built into this monitor.
In the color gamut tests, we see a general over-saturation of the inner targets with red hitting its 100% mark and green and blue coming up slightly short. That’s the color compromise we talked about earlier. The net result is a good picture that competently walks the line between sRGB and DCI.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test Monitors
MORE: All Monitor Content