Color Gamut Explained: sRGB vs DCI-P3 vs Adobe RGB

"99% sRGB" and "95% DCI-P3" describe how many colors a display can show. Here's how to read them.

What is a gamut?

A gamut is the range of colors a display can reproduce, plotted on a standard color space. Bigger gamut = more saturated, vivid colors are possible.

The three you'll see

• sRGB — the web and most everyday content standard. Aim for ~99–100% sRGB coverage.
• DCI-P3 — a wider gamut used for HDR video and modern phones/laptops. ~90%+ P3 looks noticeably richer.
• Adobe RGB — wide in the greens/cyans, used in print workflows. Mostly relevant to photographers preparing for print.

Coverage vs volume

• Coverage: how much of the target space the display reaches (e.g. 98% sRGB).
• Volume: can exceed 100% if the panel is wider than the target — extra saturation that isn't always useful.

Why too-wide can hurt

A wide-gamut monitor with no sRGB clamp makes everyday sRGB content look oversaturated (cartoonish skin tones). Use the monitor's sRGB mode for web and SDR work.

Test it yourself

Run the Color Test and Color Gradient Test to eyeball saturation and smoothness — and check whether an sRGB mode tames over-vivid color.