DisplayHDR explained: what the tiers mean
DisplayHDR 400, True Black 400, HDR10: what each label promises, with VESA's own numbers and the HDR specs our screens list.
By Offerove Editorial TeamUpdated 2 min readResearch-based, not hands-on
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DisplayHDR is VESA's certification for HDR on PC monitors and laptops. The number in the tier, from 400 up to 1400, is the minimum peak brightness in nits. True Black tiers are for OLED and other self-lit screens and require far deeper black. A spec that says only HDR10 is not a DisplayHDR tier.
HDR labels on monitors are messy. One screen says HDR10, another says DisplayHDR 400, a third says True Black 400.
Only some of those are VESA certifications. Here is what each tier promises, using VESA’s own numbers, as of November 2026.
What is DisplayHDR?
Short answer: DisplayHDR is an open standard from VESA, the display standards group, for HDR on PC monitors and laptops. Each tier has a number. That number is the minimum peak brightness in nits (cd/m2) the screen must reach.
VESA’s current criteria, updated in CTS 1.2 in May 2024, run from DisplayHDR 400 up to 1400. Tiers also set color gamut, black level and color accuracy rules, not just brightness.
DisplayHDR vs DisplayHDR True Black
Short answer: the True Black tiers are for OLED and other emissive screens, where each pixel makes its own light. They allow a much lower black level. VESA added True Black 600 in September 2021 and True Black 1000 in December 2024.
VESA’s tier summary lists these maximum black levels:
| Tier | Max black level | Compared with True Black |
|---|---|---|
| DisplayHDR 400 | 0.4 nits | 800x brighter black |
| DisplayHDR 600 | 0.1 nits | 200x brighter black |
| DisplayHDR True Black (all tiers) | 0.0005 nits | 1x |
The ratios are our arithmetic. They show why True Black 400 and plain 400 look so different in a dark room, even at the same peak.
The number tells you how bright. The words True Black tell you how dark. In a dim room, dark matters more.
The HDR labels on our screens
Short answer: five of our screens list a DisplayHDR tier: three at True Black 400 or 600, two at plain 400. Three more list only HDR10 or HDR10+, which are not DisplayHDR tiers.
| Screen | Panel | HDR spec the maker lists |
|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10 (laptop) | OLED | DisplayHDR True Black 600 |
| Alienware AW2725DF | QD-OLED | DisplayHDR True Black 400 |
| LG UltraGear 27GS95QE | OLED | DisplayHDR True Black 400, HDR10 |
| AOC Q27G4X | Fast IPS | DisplayHDR 400 |
| ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS | Fast IPS | DisplayHDR 400 |
| Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 | OLED | HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Gaming |
| LG UltraGear 27GR75Q | IPS | HDR10 |
| ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A | Fast IPS | HDR10 |
The Samsung is still an OLED panel, so it gets self-lit black. It just doesn’t carry a VESA tier in its specs.
To see why OLED black is so deep, read OLED vs Mini-LED. For picks, see best monitors for PS5 and PC or browse all monitors.
The picks, side by side
| Product | HDR | Panel | Brightness | Spec score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alienware 27 360Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) | DisplayHDR True Black 400 | QD-OLED | 400 nits | 8.0 |
| LG UltraGear 27GS95QE | DisplayHDR True Black 400, HDR10 | OLED | 275 nits | 6.8 |
| Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10 15-inch (83F00009US, Core Ultra 7 255HX, RTX 5060) | Not listed | OLED, 100% DCI-P3, DisplayHDR True Black 600 | 500 nits | 7.7 |
| AOC Q27G4X | DisplayHDR 400 | Fast IPS | Not listed | 6.8 |
| ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS | DisplayHDR 400 | Fast IPS | 350 nits | 6.5 |
| Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SD) 27 in | HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Gaming | OLED | 250 nits | 7.4 |
| LG UltraGear 27GR75Q | HDR10 | IPS | 300 nits | 6.2 |
| ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A | HDR10 | Fast IPS | 250 nits | 6.1 |
Specs from each maker's official page, checked Nov 9, 2026. Spec score formula: methodology.
How we chose
We explain the tiers using VESA's official DisplayHDR performance criteria and announcements, then list the HDR spec each maker states for the screens in our catalog. Black level ratios are our own arithmetic. Research-based, not tested in person. Our methodology.
FAQ
Is DisplayHDR 400 real HDR?
It is the entry tier, and VESA lets a 400 screen skip local dimming if it meets a 1,300:1 static contrast floor.
What is the difference between DisplayHDR 400 and True Black 400?
Both target 400 nits peak, but True Black allows a black level of 0.0005 nits versus 0.4 nits, an 800x gap.
Is HDR10 a certification?
Not a DisplayHDR one, since VESA's tiers are named DisplayHDR or DisplayHDR True Black plus a number.
Which tier needs local dimming?
Under VESA's CTS 1.2, the 500 and 600 tiers need 1D local dimming or better, and 1000 and up need 2D local dimming.
Sources
- VESA DisplayHDR: Performance criteria (CTS 1.2) (opens in a new tab)
- VESA DisplayHDR: Certified DisplayHDR home and tier summary (opens in a new tab)
- VESA: New DisplayHDR True Black 600 tier for OLED and other emissive displays (opens in a new tab)
- Alienware 27 360Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF): Alienware official specs (opens in a new tab)
- LG UltraGear 27GS95QE: LG official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10 15-inch (83F00009US, Core Ultra 7 255HX, RTX 5060): Lenovo official specs (opens in a new tab)
- AOC Q27G4X: AOC official specs (opens in a new tab)
- ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS: ASUS official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SD) 27 in: Samsung official specs (opens in a new tab)
- LG UltraGear 27GR75Q: LG official specs (opens in a new tab)
- ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A: ASUS official specs (opens in a new tab)
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