How to check near-black detail on two monitors

One monitor shows detail in a dark scene, while the other looks like a solid black patch. Or the shadows seem gray and washed out on one screen. Differences like these can come from brightness, picture settings, or the displays themselves.

Compare both screens under the same conditions before changing anything. TooLab’s Screens tool identifies connected displays and provides a color test for each one. The Display Test can also help you inspect colors on a screen.

Compare the darkest shades

1. Open Screens and identify the two displays in the list. Check that each one is set to its normal resolution and scale.
2. Select one display and open its color test. Look for gray shades just above black. If the test does not show a dark gray ramp, use the same dark image or video on both screens and look for shadow details that are visible in the source.
3. Repeat the check on the second display using the same test or image. Keep the room lighting steady, and sit in the same position so your viewing angle does not change.
4. Open the Display Test and inspect its color patterns on each display. Use it to check for broader color differences, not as a precise calibration measurement.
5. Compare the result at your usual brightness first. Then adjust each display's brightness until the overall light level looks similar, and check the darkest shades again.

Do not judge a monitor from a completely black screen alone. A screen can display black correctly while still hiding several nearby dark gray shades. Those subtle steps are the detail you want to compare.

What the result means

Both displays show similar shadow detail

If you can distinguish the same dark shapes and gray steps on both displays, their near-black behavior is broadly similar in your current setup. This does not prove that the screens have identical color accuracy, but it makes a serious shadow-detail problem less likely.

One display hides several dark shades

This is often called black crush: shades that should be slightly brighter than black look almost the same as black. It can be caused by a display's contrast or shadow setting, a picture mode, HDR, or the signal range. If the difference remains after you match the settings, the display may have limited shadow detail.

Dark areas look gray or washed out

The screen may have excessive brightness, a raised black level, or a different picture mode. A mismatch in HDR or the video signal can also make dark content look unlike the other display. Compare a dark image and the tool's color test before deciding that the panel is faulty.

Detail changes when you move your head

Some panels change contrast or color when viewed from an angle. Sit directly in front of each display and compare again. If the effect is still obvious at your normal viewing position, it may be a panel characteristic rather than a setting you can correct.

The difference appears only in one app

The displays may not be the cause. The app could be using HDR, a video filter, or a different color-management path. Compare the same content in another app and with the browser color test before changing monitor settings.

How to fix a mismatch

1. Turn off automatic color changes for the comparison. In Windows 11, check Settings › System › Display › Night light and turn it off. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and turn off Night Shift and True Tone if they are available. These features can change how dark and neutral shades look.
2. Match HDR settings. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display › HDR and use the same HDR state on both screens, if the option is available. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and check HDR options for each connected display. HDR means high dynamic range, a display mode that can change how brightness and shadow detail are mapped.
3. Choose comparable picture modes. Use each monitor's built-in menu to select a standard or neutral picture mode. Turn off features with names such as dynamic contrast, black equalizer, or shadow boost while comparing. These settings can brighten or darken parts of the image independently.
4. Set brightness and contrast carefully. Adjust the monitor controls so a white area looks similar in brightness on both screens, then recheck the darkest shades. Avoid raising contrast to make the picture look punchier, since that can remove subtle steps near black.
5. Check the color profiles. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display › Color profile and check the profile assigned to each screen. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and check the selected color profile for each display. A profile made for a different screen can change how colors appear.
6. Confirm resolution and connection settings. In Windows 11, go to Settings › System › Display and check each display's resolution. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and check the resolution. If you use an adapter or dock, test a direct connection where possible, since some connection paths limit display modes.

When it may be a display limitation

If one screen still loses dark steps after you match HDR, picture mode, brightness, and color profile, compare it with a second source, such as another computer or a different video input. A repeatable difference that follows the same screen is stronger evidence of a display limitation than a difference that appears only in one app.

Some monitors have less control over near-black shades than others, and software cannot make every panel show the same range. If the display is new and the missing detail affects normal work, check the return policy or warranty. For an older screen, decide whether the difference is bothersome enough to justify replacing it.

Why room conditions matter

Near-black shades are hard to judge because your eyes adapt to the room. Bright overhead lights can hide subtle shadow detail, while a dark room can make small brightness differences seem larger. Keep the lighting steady, allow your eyes a few minutes to adjust, and compare the screens from their usual positions.

A browser color test is a practical visual check, not a calibrated measurement. For another step-by-step check of dark tones, see how to test whether dark shades are crushed.