Why you can trust 3DTested Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
The PD3226G makes good use of its edge backlight to hit 458 nits peak in SDR mode. You’ll need to engage one of the user modes to get this high. The fixed modes top out at around 260 nits due to uniformity compensation. Unfortunately, the backlight control option (field dimming), is only available for HDR content, so 990:1 is the best you can do for SDR.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Calibration only costs a few points in the contrast test, and since gamma is almost perfect, the perception of depth is high. Though I’d love to see 1,200 or 1,300:1, the PD3226G makes the most of its capabilities with spot-on gamma tracking.
The ANSI test puts the PD3226G firmly in the middle of the back where it’s close to the other, except BenQ’s own EX321UX, which has a Mini LED backlight.
Test Takeaway: The PD3226G has just average contrast but high brightness and excellent gamma. This means the picture is better than what 1,000:1 suggests. There is upward potential here, but with lots of color and solid video processing, this is a very good monitor for both moving and static imagery.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
