Black Level Test
Check how deep your display’s black really is and whether it holds shadow detail — a full-screen pure-black field exposes raised, grey blacks, while the near-black steps reveal crushed shadows. Best in a dark room, on the screen you want to check.
← → switch patterns
Test in a dark room at 100% browser zoom, on the display you want to check. Black level is set by the monitor’s Brightness control.
What does each pattern show?
| Pattern | What it reveals | A healthy panel shows |
|---|---|---|
| Pure black | Raised (grey) blacks and corner glow | A deep, even #000 field close to the screen being off — no grey wash |
| Shadow steps | Crushed blacks (lost shadow detail) | Patches at values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 — every one but 0 faintly visible |
| Black-to-grey gradient | Where shadow detail lifts off black | A smooth ramp into dark grey with no banding or hard steps |
Black level (or black point) is how much light the screen emits when asked to show pure black — low looks deep and inky, high looks washed-out grey (a raised black). On most LCDs it’s set by the monitor’s Brightness control: too high and near-black tones glow grey (raised); too low and the darkest shades merge and vanish (crushed), taking shadow detail with them. The near-black steps show which way your panel leans.
A raised or uneven black isn’t always a Brightness problem. IPS glow is a warm corner haze that shifts as you move your head; backlight bleed is brighter light leaking from the edges, fixed at any angle (our Screen Bleeding Test targets that). True black depth is different again — how little light the panel emits at all: OLED pixels switch fully off for near-perfect black, while an LCD’s always-on backlight leaves a faint floor even at its best.
Adjust black level with the monitor’s Brightness control in the OSD, not the graphics-card slider — it’s separate from Contrast, which sets the bright end. Work in a dim room with adaptive and ambient-light features off, and let your eyes settle before judging near-black tones. Pair it with the Brightness Test for full-picture luminance and the Screen Bleeding Test for fixed edge and corner leak.