DisplayTuneFull vs limited RGB range
If blacks over HDMI look dark grey and colors slightly faded, the GPU is almost certainly outputting the "TV" limited range. It takes a minute to fix.
What it is
Each color channel is encoded as a number from 0 to 255. The TV standard only uses 16–235. If the GPU sends 16–235 while the monitor expects 0–255, the darkest tones never reach black and the brightest never reach white. Hence grey blacks and lost contrast.
NVIDIA
- NVIDIA Control Panel → Display → Change resolution.
- At the bottom: Use NVIDIA color settings.
- Output color format: RGB.
- Output dynamic range: Full.
- Apply.
AMD
AMD Adrenalin → Display → Pixel Format → "RGB 4:4:4 Pixel Format PC Standard (Full RGB)".
Intel
Intel Graphics Command Center → Display → General → Quantization range: Full.
Do not forget the monitor
Some monitors have "HDMI Black Level" or "RGB Range" in their menu. If the GPU sends full range, the monitor must be set to full too ("Normal", "Full"). Mismatched the other way, shadows get crushed into black.
How to check
| What you see | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grey blacks, dull colors | GPU limited, monitor full |
| Shadows too black, detail lost | GPU full, monitor limited |
| Deep black with shadow detail | Everything is set correctly |
A black level test image with dark squares is handy: every square except the very first should be distinguishable.
Saturation up to 350%, brightness, contrast, gamma and temperature, per-game profiles that switch on automatically, and hotkeys. Works on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. First day free.
Try it freePricing — from 200 RUBWant to see how it looks first? Load your own screenshot into the free Vibrance simulator →
Frequently asked questions
Which RGB range should I use for a monitor?
Full (0–255). Limited is only for TVs that do not support full range.
Why is DisplayPort fine but HDMI shows grey blacks?
Over HDMI, GPUs often pick limited range automatically, treating the monitor as a TV.
Does RGB range affect games?
Yes. With limited range, shadows and colors look dull in every game, and no saturation setting fully fixes that.