Explainer · Monitors
DisplayHDR 400 vs 600 vs 1000 vs True Black: VESA HDR tiers explained
DisplayHDR 400 is barely HDR. 1000 is the real thing on an LCD, and True Black is a separate scale for OLED. What each badge guarantees, and what it does not.
VESA's DisplayHDR program certifies monitors against minimum brightness, black level, color, and bit-depth requirements. The number in each tier name is roughly the peak brightness in nits. The badge tells you more than the vague 'HDR10 support' on a spec sheet, but tiers are not equal, and OLED has its own scale.
DisplayHDR tiers at a glance
| Tier | Peak brightness | Local dimming | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| DisplayHDR 400 | About 400 nits | Not required | Accepts HDR; little visible benefit |
| DisplayHDR 500 / 600 | About 500 / 600 nits | Required | Modest HDR; depends on zone count |
| DisplayHDR 1000 | About 1,000 nits | Effectively Mini LED | Real HDR highlights on an LCD |
| DisplayHDR 1400 | About 1,400 nits | Many zones | Top-tier LCD HDR |
| True Black 400 / 500 / 600 | About 400 / 500 / 600 nits | Per-pixel (OLED) | Perfect blacks; brightness rises with tier |
Why DisplayHDR 400 disappoints
Without local dimming, the backlight brightens the whole screen at once, so highlights cannot stand out against dark areas. Many budget monitors carry DisplayHDR 400; treat it as an SDR monitor that can accept an HDR signal.
True Black tiers for OLED
OLEDs cannot sustain LCD-level full-screen brightness, so VESA created True Black tiers with much stricter black levels. In 2026, True Black 500 is common on newer panels: the LG 27GX790B, Samsung Odyssey OLED G6, ASUS XG32UQWMS, and the 360Hz V-Stripe ultrawides from MSI and ASUS. VESA has since added higher True Black tiers for brighter OLEDs.
Examples by tier
- DisplayHDR 400: ASUS ROG Strix 5K XG27JCEG, ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5F.
- DisplayHDR 1000: Acer Nitro XV275U F3, LG UltraGear evo GM9 (Mini LED).
- True Black 400: Alienware AW2725Q, ASUS PG32UCWM.
- True Black 500: LG 27GX790B, ASUS XG32UQWMS, Samsung Odyssey OLED G6.
Questions we get
Is DisplayHDR 400 real HDR?
Not in any meaningful way. DisplayHDR 400 requires about 400 nits peak and does not require local dimming, so the monitor cannot make highlights much brighter than the rest of the image. It accepts an HDR signal, but most people see little benefit over SDR.
Is DisplayHDR True Black 400 better than DisplayHDR 600?
Often, for contrast. True Black tiers are for OLED-type displays with near-zero black levels, so a True Black 400 OLED can look more striking in dark scenes than a DisplayHDR 600 LCD despite a lower brightness number. The LCD will be brighter in large bright areas.
Which DisplayHDR tier should I look for?
For LCDs, DisplayHDR 1000 with Mini LED local dimming is where HDR becomes impressive. For OLED, True Black 400 is the baseline and True Black 500 or higher means noticeably brighter highlights.