HDR jargon can feel like alphabet soup, but VESA’s DisplayHDR badges actually make shopping easier—if you know what the numbers mean.

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Think of them as brightness and black-level cheat codes: HDR 400 is the entry ticket, HDR 600 is the sweet spot for gaming, while HDR 1000+ and True Black tiers push out retina-searing highlights or OLED-inky shadows that kill blooming for good.

Below, we’ve pulled the most popular, currently-certified monitors and laptops for every tier, plus affiliate links so you can jump straight to today’s best deals.

Faceofit.com - VESA DisplayHDR Certified Products

Faceofit.com

VESA DisplayHDR® & DisplayHDR True Black Certified Products

Explore a curated list of representative, currently-certified products across all VESA DisplayHDR® and DisplayHDR True Black performance tiers. While VESA's master list is extensive, we've highlighted well-known consumer choices—primarily monitors, with laptops explicitly noted—that are readily available at retail.

VESA DisplayHDR v1.2 Performance Tiers: Side-by-Side View

Below is a distilled side-by-side view of VESA’s DisplayHDR v1.2 performance tiers, with data pulled directly from VESA’s May 7, 2024 CTS 1.2 spec table. We've trimmed it to the numbers most relevant for consumers when shopping or reviewing displays.

Classic “DisplayHDR” tiers — tuned for LCD / Mini-LED

Tier	Peak luminance (8 % window)	Full-screen flash	Full-screen sustained	Max black-level	DCI-P3 coverage	Local-dimming class	Static contrast (min)	Rise-time (≤ frames)	Typical use case
400	400 nits	400 nits	320 nits	0.40 cd/m²	90 %	None / 1-D optional	1 300 : 1	8	Entry HDR, budget monitors/laptops
500	500 nits	500 nits	320 nits	0.10 cd/m²	95 %	1-D	7 000 : 1	8	Thin-and-light notebooks
600	600 nits	600 nits	350 nits	0.10 cd/m²	95 %	1-D	8 000 : 1	Mainstream gaming / creator
1000	1 000 nits	1 000 nits	600 nits	0.05 cd/m²	95 %	2-D	30 000 : 1	Mini-LED pro & HDR gaming
1400	1 400 nits	1 400 nits	900 nits	0.02 cd/m²	95 %	2-D	50 000 : 1	HDR mastering, reference-grade

Classic DisplayHDR Tiers: Luminance Comparison

“DisplayHDR True Black” tiers — tuned for OLED / QD-OLED

Tier	Peak luminance (8 % window)	Full-screen flash	Full-screen sustained	Max black-level	DCI-P3 coverage	Rise-time (≤ frames)	Checkerboard black	Typical use case
TB 400	400 nits	250 nits	250 nits	0.0005 cd/m²	95 %	2	0.0005 cd/m²	Dark-room HDR monitors
TB 500	500 nits	300 nits	300 nits	0.0005 cd/m²	95 %	2	0.0005 cd/m²	Premium OLED laptops
TB 600	600 nits	350 nits	350 nits	0.0005 cd/m²	95 %	2	0.0005 cd/m²	Bright QD-OLED desktops
TB 1000	1 000 nits	500 nits	500 nits	0.0005 cd/m²	95 %	2	0.0005 cd/m²	Future ultra-bright OLEDs

DisplayHDR True Black Tiers: Luminance Comparison

How to read the tables

Peak vs. full-screen: Small-window numbers are crucial for understanding specular highlights (brightest points), while full-screen sustained values indicate the overall brightness an HDR movie or game can maintain across the entire display.
Black-level & contrast: Classic LCD tiers achieve higher contrast through local dimming. True Black tiers, designed for emissive pixels (like OLED), have a near-zero fixed black floor of 0.0005 nits, ensuring incredibly deep blacks.
Color & bit-depth: All tiers now require 99% BT.709 and at least 90–95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, along with support for a 10-bit signal. Higher tiers primarily enforce stricter luminance and dimming performance rules.
Rise-time: OLED's instantaneous response allows True Black tiers to halve the permissible frame count for luminance transitions (2 frames ≈ 33 ms at 60 Hz), indicating faster pixel response.

Use this matrix to match a tier to your needs:

Casual HDR video-watching: DisplayHDR 400 or TB 400.
Mid-range gaming & laptops: DisplayHDR 600 or TB 500/600.

High-end gaming / content-creation: DisplayHDR 1000-1400 or TB 600-1000.

When in doubt, always look for the official VESA logo on the product's spec sheet. Manufacturers must pass every Compliance Test Specification (CTS) test to legitimately claim the badge.

The Faceofit.com Buying Guide to VESA DisplayHDR Tiers (2025)

Short on time? Here's a quick summary to help you choose:

Office & casual streaming: DisplayHDR 400 / TB 400

All-round gaming & creator work: DisplayHDR 600 or TB 500/600

Serious HDR gaming & pro color: DisplayHDR 1000 / 1400 or TB 600/1000

Laptop lovers: True Black tiers beat everything else for contrast

Scroll on for the deeper dive.

1. Pick your side: LCD vs. OLED

Tech Why you’d want it Watch-outs

LCD + Mini-LED (DisplayHDR)

Much higher sustained brightness (600–1400 nits) for bright rooms

No risk of burn-in

Cheaper big-screen options (32–43 in.)

Blooming haloes if zone count is low ($<576$)

Blacks never hit “ink-black” OLED levels

OLED / QD-OLED (True Black)

Perfect blacks (0.0005 nits) and infinite contrast by design (displayhdr.org)

Instant pixel response for blur-free motion

Fan-less, ultra-thin panels

Peak brightness tops out around 600–1000 nits (still bright, just not retina-searing)

Long-term static content? Use the built-in pixel-refresh & logo-dimming tools

Translation: daylight-soaked living room? Lean Mini-LED. Dark-room movie nights or you’re paranoid about blooming? OLED/True Black.

2. Match the tier to your use-case

VESA tier Typical gear Best for… Key numbers*

DisplayHDR 400 Edge-lit IPS laptops & budget 27-in. monitors Casual YouTube HDR, light gaming 400 nits peak, 90 % P3, no dimming

DisplayHDR 500 Thin-and-light OLED laptops Everyday HDR content on the go 500 nits, 95 % P3

DisplayHDR 600 Mid-range gaming monitors (LG 32GQ950, AW2721D) Fast-paced gaming, basic color work 600 nits, 8 000 : 1 with 1-D dimming

DisplayHDR 1000 576-zone Mini-LEDs like Acer XV275K P3 Serious HDR gaming, HDR console use 1 000 nits, 30 000 : 1, 2-D dimming

DisplayHDR 1400 Flagships such as ASUS PG32UQX Color-critical grading, HDR mastering 1 400 nits, 50 000 : 1

True Black 400–1000 QD-OLED desktops & OLED laptops Cinema-like blacks, dark-room play 400–1 000 nits, 0.0005 nit black (displayhdr.org)

*Condensed from VESA CTS 1.2 spec (displayhdr.org)

3. Count the zones (Mini-LED buyers only)

Rule of thumb: $<400$ zone edge-lit = “fake” HDR.

576 zones is the current floor for convincing small-object highlights. Premium panels hit 1 152 – 2 304 zones.

Why it matters: more zones = finer local dimming = fewer blooming haloes around subtitles and crosshairs. Acer’s XV275K P3 proved that 576 zones can already give near-OLED black levels—with the brightness OLED still can’t reach.

4. Mind the brightness and environment

Peak (8 % window) makes fireworks and lens flares pop.

Sustained full-screen (250–900 nits) is what keeps a snowy mountain scene bright for minutes.

Bright, sun-lit desk? Aim for at least 600 nits sustained (DisplayHDR 1000).

Night-owl gamer? Even True Black 400 looks dazzling once your pupils dilate.

5. Color accuracy & calibration

Every tier demands $geq$90 % DCI-P3 and 10-bit input, but factory tuning still varies wildly.

Look for monitors with built-in hardware LUTs (ASUS ProArt, Dell UltraSharp) or include a colorimeter in-box.

Run the free DisplayHDR Test Tool from VESA before your return window closes.

6. Speed, sync & ports

Spec 2025 sweet spot Why it matters

Refresh 120 Hz for creatives, 240 Hz+ for esports HDR processing adds latency; higher Hz hides it

VRR HDMI 2.1 VRR + G-Sync Compatible or FreeSync Stops HDR brightness flicker

Ports DisplayPort 2.1 (80 Gbps) or HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps) Lets you drive 4K/240 Hz or 5K2K/165 Hz without DSC compression

Tip: If your GPU tops out at DP 1.4, you’ll still get full res/refresh thanks to visually lossless DSC—but DP 2.1 keeps a longer shelf-life.

7. Ergonomics & extras

Glossy vs. matte: glossy OLEDs look punchier but reflect everything; matte Mini-LEDs tame glare at the cost of vibrancy.

Fan noise: Some early HDR1000/1400 Mini-LEDs used active cooling—newer models (LG 32GS95UE) are silent.

USB-C w/100 W PD: makes a monitor an instant KVM for laptops.

Pixel-care package (OLED): Always enable pixel-refresh, logo-dimming, and vary your desktop wallpaper.

8. Price expectations (mid-2025 retail)

Tier Typical street price

DisplayHDR 400 27-in. IPS ₹20 k – ₹30 k / $250–$350

DisplayHDR 600 27-in. fast-IPS ₹45 k – ₹60 k / $500–$700

DisplayHDR 1000 27-in. Mini-LED ₹95 k – ₹1.2 L / $950–$1 200

DisplayHDR 1400 32-in. Mini-LED ₹2 L+ / $2 000–$2 999

True Black 400/500 27-in. OLED ₹80 k – ₹1 L / $800–$1 100

True Black 600+ 32-in. 4K/240 Hz QD-OLED ₹1.4 L – ₹1.8 L / $1 400–$1 800

Typical Street Price Expectations (Mid-2025)

9. Real-world sanity checks

Forums & Reddit are your QA lab. Mini-LED blooming complaints? Search model + “blooming”. OLED black-screen on alt-tab? Saw it flagged on r/OLED_Gaming this spring.

Check firmware history before buying used; many early HDR bugs vanish after updates.

Try before you commit. Retail demo units let you compare blooming vs. perfect black in five seconds flat.

10. The bottom line

Don’t chase the biggest number alone. A well-tuned DisplayHDR 600 with 576 zones often beats a dim, poorly calibrated DisplayHDR 1000.

If you value deep blacks over retina-burn brightness, True Black wins.

If you need solar-flare highlights or work in daylight, Mini-LED at HDR 1000+ still rules.

Ports matter. Future-proof with DP 2.1 if you’re already eyeing next-gen GPUs or 5K2K monitors.

Whatever you choose, verify the VESA badge, run the test tool, and enjoy HDR the way Dolby intended. 🎬✨

Happy hunting—and may your highlights be dazzling and your blacks stay pitch-black.

How to use these tiers

DisplayHDR (400-1400) targets LCD/Mini-LED monitors and measures peak luminance, color-gamut, bit-depth, and black-level performance.

DisplayHDR True Black (400-1000) is specifically tuned for emissive technologies like OLED/QD-OLED and micro-LED, emphasizing exceptional near-black shadow detail.

When making your purchase decision, align the tier with your specific needs. For instance, HDR gaming might benefit from a 600 or 1000 tier, while professional color grading often requires 1000/1400. For portable OLED laptops, True Black 400/500 tiers are ideal. Always verify that the exact model number features the official VESA logo, and remember to keep firmware updated and HDR settings configured for the best possible visual experience.

Tech	Why you’d want it	Watch-outs
LCD + Mini-LED (DisplayHDR)	Much higher sustained brightness (600–1400 nits) for bright rooms No risk of burn-in Cheaper big-screen options (32–43 in.)	Blooming haloes if zone count is low ($<576$) Blacks never hit “ink-black” OLED levels
OLED / QD-OLED (True Black)	Perfect blacks (0.0005 nits) and infinite contrast by design (displayhdr.org) Instant pixel response for blur-free motion Fan-less, ultra-thin panels	Peak brightness tops out around 600–1000 nits (still bright, just not retina-searing) Long-term static content? Use the built-in pixel-refresh & logo-dimming tools

VESA tier	Typical gear	Best for…	Key numbers*
DisplayHDR 400	Edge-lit IPS laptops & budget 27-in. monitors	Casual YouTube HDR, light gaming	400 nits peak, 90 % P3, no dimming
DisplayHDR 500	Thin-and-light OLED laptops	Everyday HDR content on the go	500 nits, 95 % P3
DisplayHDR 600	Mid-range gaming monitors (LG 32GQ950, AW2721D)	Fast-paced gaming, basic color work	600 nits, 8 000 : 1 with 1-D dimming
DisplayHDR 1000	576-zone Mini-LEDs like Acer XV275K P3	Serious HDR gaming, HDR console use	1 000 nits, 30 000 : 1, 2-D dimming
DisplayHDR 1400	Flagships such as ASUS PG32UQX	Color-critical grading, HDR mastering	1 400 nits, 50 000 : 1
True Black 400–1000	QD-OLED desktops & OLED laptops	Cinema-like blacks, dark-room play	400–1 000 nits, 0.0005 nit black (displayhdr.org)

Spec	2025 sweet spot	Why it matters
Refresh	120 Hz for creatives, 240 Hz+ for esports	HDR processing adds latency; higher Hz hides it
VRR	HDMI 2.1 VRR + G-Sync Compatible or FreeSync	Stops HDR brightness flicker
Ports	DisplayPort 2.1 (80 Gbps) or HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps)	Lets you drive 4K/240 Hz or 5K2K/165 Hz without DSC compression

Tier	Typical street price
DisplayHDR 400 27-in. IPS	₹20 k – ₹30 k / $250–$350
DisplayHDR 600 27-in. fast-IPS	₹45 k – ₹60 k / $500–$700
DisplayHDR 1000 27-in. Mini-LED	₹95 k – ₹1.2 L / $950–$1 200
DisplayHDR 1400 32-in. Mini-LED	₹2 L+ / $2 000–$2 999
True Black 400/500 27-in. OLED	₹80 k – ₹1 L / $800–$1 100
True Black 600+ 32-in. 4K/240 Hz QD-OLED	₹1.4 L – ₹1.8 L / $1 400–$1 800