Panel & Backlight
Viewing Angle Test
Grey steps and color bars to reveal off-axis color/brightness shift.
How to use
- 1Click Start and sit centered first to set a reference.
- 2Move your head left/right and up/down, and step back.
- 3Watch how much the grey steps wash out and the colors shift — less shift is better.
- 4Press Esc to exit.
FAQ
What's normal?
IPS and OLED hold color and brightness well off-axis. TN panels shift heavily (especially vertically) and VA panels show a contrast/gamma shift and corner glow. Some shift is normal — large shifts mean a narrow viewing cone.
Tips
- Set your reference sitting dead-center first, then move off-axis to compare.
- Heavy shift moving vertically is typical of TN panels; a contrast/gamma shift with corner glow is typical of VA.
Related tests
Dead Pixel TestFull-screen solid colors to find dead, stuck, and bright pixels.Backlight BleedReveal LCD backlight leakage and IPS glow in a dark room.Brightness Uniformity50% gray field and a 9-zone grid to spot uneven backlighting.Blooming TestA bright object on black to judge local-dimming halos.
Related guides
Learn more about what this test reveals and how to act on the results.
The Complete New-Device Screen Test ChecklistA 10-minute routine to inspect any new laptop, monitor, phone, or TV for dead pixels, bleed and tint before the return window closes.Gamma Explained: Why Your Shadows Look WrongGamma controls how brightness is distributed between black and white. Here's how to check yours, why 2.2 is the standard, and how to set it.IPS vs VA vs TN vs OLED: Which Panel Should You Get?Color, contrast, response speed and viewing angles compared across all four panel types, with the right pick for gaming, work and movies.What Is Backlight Bleed and Is It Normal?Light leaking around the edges of an LCD is common, but not always acceptable — when to shrug it off, and when it's grounds for a return.