NVIDIA Output Color Format for 4K Gaming

[luci5r]

Hi All,

I use an HTPC equipped with a ASUS ROG Strix GTX 1080 for 4K Gaming on a TCL 6 Series 55R617 LED which supports both HDR & Dolby Vision.

I have a question about the NVIDIA Control Panel, specifically the NVIDIA Color Settings section.

I'm not an expert on these things and don't really understand too much about the different options. I wanted some advice on what most gamers use and recommend for 4K HDR/Dolby Vision gaming.

My question is regarding the "Output Color Format", "Output Color Depth" and "Output Dynamic Range", which seem to be correlated as options populate based on the choices you make.

If I select "RGB" in Output Color Format, then Output Dynamic Range can be set to "Full".
However, Output Color Depth can only be set to 8bpc. The other options disappear.

If I select any of the other 3 "YCbCr" options, then Output Color Depth allows 8bpc, 10bpc & 12bpc.
However, Output Dynamic Range can only be set to "Limited".

I'm looking for the best or the most recommended combination here for 4K HDR Gaming.

Essentially, is 4K HDR Gaming best with RGB / 8bpc / Full, or one of the YCbCr options (which one?) / 12bpc / Limited?

Thanks in advance!

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Use RGB 8bpc mode. You will only be able to have a limited dynamic range for chroma (Cr) based pixels using 10/12/16 Bit YCbCr because their color space is 4:4:2.

Meanwhile RGB 8bpc contains a full 4:4:4 color space and allows for the full Chroma (Cr) gammut to be displayed.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/951849335342330991/16FB4772B8274EC0555CF5BB6AFB02C86576E942/

[luci5r]

Originally posted by Teh Spoopy Kitteh:

Use RGB 8bpc mode. You will only be able to have a limited dynamic range for chroma (Cr) based pixels using 10/12/16 Bit YCbCr because is 4:4:2 color space while RGB 8bpc contains a full 4:4:4 color space and allows for the full Chroma (Cr) gammut to be displayed.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/951849335342330991/16FB4772B8274EC0555CF5BB6AFB02C86576E942/

Thanks so much for your response! That is exactly what I had been using - just wanted to make sure that was the right/correct option as I didn't really understand all the options.

Thanks again!

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Originally posted by luci5r:

Originally posted by Teh Spoopy Kitteh:

Use RGB 8bpc mode. You will only be able to have a limited dynamic range for chroma (Cr) based pixels using 10/12/16 Bit YCbCr because is 4:4:2 color space while RGB 8bpc contains a full 4:4:4 color space and allows for the full Chroma (Cr) gammut to be displayed.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/951849335342330991/16FB4772B8274EC0555CF5BB6AFB02C86576E942/

Thanks so much for your response! That is exactly what I had been using - just wanted to make sure that was the right/correct option as I didn't really understand all the options.

Thanks again!

Yeah no worries mate :-) Always a pleasure to help.