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HDR Performance
Our HDR benchmarking usesPortrait Displays’Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown ofhow we test PC monitors.
Applying an HDR10 signal to the AG456UCZD switches it over automatically and opens up four additional picture modes. DisplayHDR is the default and best choice. I ran all HDR color tests in this mode as it was the only accurate choice. The other three present a different look but ultimately have flaws that hide detail and exaggerate color unattractively. They also introduce resolution-reducing edge enhancement.
HDR Brightness and Contrast
With Constant Brightness turned off, the AG456UCZD tops 635 nits when measuring a 25% window pattern in HDR mode. AOC claims 1,000 nits, which is indeed possible if you measure a small enough area of the image, 3% or less. Brightness? Yes, there is plenty. HDR has a lot of punch, deep contrast, and a true three-dimensional look. Black levels are unmeasurable as usual so I can’t post a contrast ratio.
Grayscale, EOTF and Color
HDR grayscale charts don’t get much better than this. The AG456UCZD’s tracking is visually perfect, with no errors greater than 2dE. The EOTF is a bit dark until it meets the reference line at 40% brightness. The tone-map transition is on-spec at 65% brightness.
The HDR gamut charts show the same level of over-saturation that I see in nearly all HDR monitors, OLED and LCD. This provides a lot of verve to the presentation, and the AG456UCZD manages to track its saturation points linearly. That preserves detail, so you’ll see every nuance contained in the original material. DCI-P3 is fully covered and Rec.2020 runs out at around 85% for red, 75% for green and 95% for blue. This is also typical of the wide gamut displays I’ve tested.
Test Takeaway:The AG456UCZD provides the same stunning HDR image as all the OLEDs I’ve reviewed. In this regard, they are nearly equal. The AOC has a bit more brightness than average, which manifests as stronger highlights. It also has full DCI-P3 gamut coverage, so you’ll see lots of vivid hues in all HDR content. In this regard, it gives nothing away to other similar screens.
Current page:HDR Performance
Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom’s Hardware US. He’s a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.
