What is Monitor Contrast Ratio? The monitor is the basic output device used in the computer system to display the results or output of processed data. From the start of the computer system, the Monitor display has been used as an output device over time; as other computer technologies changed, monitor display technologies are also changed and updated.
At the start, CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors users, which are very big and consume higher voltage. On the other hand, the picture quality on these monitors was poor.
Large space was another issue in keeping these monitors. These CRTs remained in use for a very long time. After this, new and high-resolution display monitors were manufactured, termed LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).
These monitors’ display is very bright and often better than CRTs. After LCD monitors, the new and latest technology of monitors comes into the market: LED (Light Emitting Diodes). The display of these LEDs is very bright, sharp, and HD quality.
Nowadays, various LED monitors are available in the market in all sizes. LCD and LED monitors are many times more efficient in power consumption than CRT monitors, and these are very slim and lightweight monitors which can be placed easily in few-inch areas.
What is Monitor Contrast Ratio?
Contrast Ratio also referred to as CR, is the light intensity ratio between the brightest white and the darkest black produced by a monitor. This light intensity emitted from a surface per unit area in a given direction is called luminance.
The unit of luminance is called ‘nit.’ To measure the contrast ratio, there is no standardizing way or any organization which sets any level of contrast ratio.
Normally to measure the contrast ratio, the luminance of white and black is measured, and the ratio between these two is calculated. , the contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest blacks and the brightest white produced by a display.
What is the Importance of the contrast ratio?
In an in-display device, the contrast ratio is a very important feature because it is used to determine the quality of the display. CR is also the direct reflection of the pictures.
When we buy a monitor at the market or store, nobody tells us about this feature of monitors, but we must be aware of this feature as intelligent buyers.
A normal monitor buyer focused on other features like size, body shape, and screen resolution but never thought about the monitor’s contrast ratio, which they decided to buy. No doubt, the contrast ratio is related to the picture production.
For picture quality, the contrast ratio is the most important aspect. Generally, the picture quality will be good if whites are pure white and blacks are pure black.
Before selecting a monitor, the purpose of using this monitor is important. Either this monitor will be used for graphics designing, for playing games of high or low resolution, or just for watching low-resolution movies, HD or Ultra HD.
Most color monitors use RGB color gamut for making different color combinations because most colors are formed with a different combination of RGB (RED GREEN BLUE) colors.
In the same way, R=G=B 100% is white color while R=G=B 0% is black color. This all clearly shows the Importance of a monitor’s contrast ratio for brighter, sharp, and more accurate pictures in high quality.
Different display panel technologies:
Display monitors are built using different technologies, which is why all of these are different in picture quality. The contrast ratio of all these technologies is also different from one another.
The contrast ratio can even differ between two units of the same technology monitor. The most common display monitor technologies are as under.
Vertical Alignment (VA) Display Panels:
Vertical Alignment, also termed VA is a type of LED display panel with the best contrast and image quality. The contrast ratio of VA panels is greater than 2500.
IPS Display Panels:
IPS stands for In-Plane Switching, and these display panels are perfect from all viewing angles. The contrast ratio of these IPS display panels is less than VA panels but is good in quality. The typical contrast ratio of IPS panels is 700 to 1500.
Twisted Nematic (TN) Panels:
These TN panels are a type of LCD. These display panels are fast but less expensive. The contrast ratio of these monitors could be between 600 to 1200.
OLED Panels:
Organic LED panels are these monitors that are without a backlit. These monitors are thin and lightweight display panels. The contrast ratio of these monitors is ideal and has deep black levels.
Contrast Ratio measurement techniques:
Although no perfect and authentic measurement techniques are available for measuring the contrast ratio of a display monitor, the following are a few methods used to measure the contrast ratio of a monitor.
Full-on/Full-off: In this method, contrast is measured using a full white screen and a full black screen. The accuracy of this method is lower.
Half Screen slides: It is also similar to the Full on/Full off method but in this, a half-white and half-black slide is used instead of a full screen. The accuracy of this method is better than the full method.
Small Samples: In this method, small white and black slides are used to measure the contrast.
Checkerboard: This method is mostly acceptable for measuring the contrast ratio of the display monitor. This checkerboard is called the ANSI checkerboard. ANSI checkerboard methods measure the contrast ratio output in 16 squares.
Final Words
In this article, I tried my best to guide you about the contrast ratio of monitors, which is necessary to get good monitors according to your needs of playing games, graphics designing work, video editing, and many others like this. So that when you need to buy a new display panel, you can choose the best wisely.
