Better Colours for PC Gaming

Summary

This video tutorial offers insights on enhancing the color vibrancy of gaming monitors for an improved gaming experience. It emphasizes the importance of setting the correct white point at 6500 Kelvin for accurate color representation. The video guides viewers on adjusting 'digital vibrance' in NVIDIA control panel to make in-game colors pop, with recommendations varying by game type. It also touches on the use of a colorimeter for precise color calibration and provides tips for AMD users. The tutorial concludes with advice on choosing a suitable gaming monitor to maximize visual enhancements.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The video discusses how to enhance the colors on gaming monitors to make them more vibrant and punchy, which is particularly beneficial for visibility in first-person shooter games.
• 🖥️ Out-of-the-box monitor colors can appear flat, and adjusting settings can significantly improve the gaming experience by making player models and opponents stand out more clearly.
• 🌡️ The ideal white point for a display is 6500 Kelvin, which is a balance between cool and warm, ensuring colors appear accurate and vibrant without tint.
• 🔍 A colorimeter and software like DisplayCAL can be used to fine-tune the RGB values for a perfect white point, although this requires an investment of around one to two hundred dollars.
• 📊 Personal preference plays a significant role in setting the monitor's color temperature, and presets or online reviews can guide users to a close approximation of the ideal settings.
• 🔧 NVIDIA users can access the control panel to adjust settings like digital vibrance, which greatly impacts the visual appeal and visibility in games.
• 🎚️ Digital vibrance should be adjusted based on the game and monitor type, with higher settings beneficial for FPS games but potentially detrimental to single-player games with cinematic visuals.
• 🚫 Pushing digital vibrance to the maximum can lead to color clipping and blobbing, negatively affecting visibility and the gaming experience.
• 👁️ Black equalizer and gamma settings can further improve visibility in dark areas of games, but their effectiveness varies by game and personal preference.
• 🛠️ AMD users can adjust the image vibrance through Radeon settings, although they may have fewer options for fine-tuning compared to NVIDIA users.
• 📊 A full color calibration with a colorimeter can optimize color performance for single-player games, providing a more accurate and cinematic experience.

Q & A

What is the ideal white point for a gaming monitor?

The ideal white point for a gaming monitor is 6500 Kelvin, with no tint from the red, green, or blue channel.

What is the significance of the white point in enhancing monitor vibrancy?

The white point is significant because it ensures that when the vibrancy of the panel is enhanced, the tint does not get amplified, which would otherwise look horrible.

How can one set the white point correctly on their monitor?

One can set the white point correctly using a colorimeter and a free program called DisplayCAL to dial in the individual RGB values for the display.

What is the role of 'Digital Vibrance' in improving gaming monitor colors?

Digital Vibrance enhances the visual impact of game colors, making them pop and stand out, which is particularly beneficial for spotting and tracking enemies in games.

What is the recommended range for Digital Vibrance settings in first-person shooter games?

For first-person shooter games like Valorant, Apex, and CS:GO, setting Digital Vibrance between 75 and 85 percent can have a significant impact.

Why might someone not want to use Digital Vibrance for single-player games?

In single-player games, using Digital Vibrance might oversaturate skin tones and ruin the cinematic intent and color grading, so it's generally not recommended.

What is color clipping and how does it affect the gaming experience?

Color clipping occurs when the vibrance is set too high, leading to a blobby mess of colors that are hard to look at and can make visibility worse.

Why is it better to run a monitor in wide gamut mode over sRGB mode for gaming?

Running a monitor in wide gamut mode provides a more vibrant experience and better player visibility, which is particularly useful for first-person shooters, even though it might not be as accurate as sRGB mode.

How can the Black Equalizer setting on a monitor improve visibility in games?

The Black Equalizer setting lifts the dark color information in the blacks and shadows, making objects and details in dark areas easier to see.

What is the effect of adjusting the gamma value in NVIDIA's control panel?

Adjusting the gamma value can help get more information from the blacks and shadows, but it can also result in an overall flatter image.

How does the Game Filter Overlay in NVIDIA's settings affect gaming performance?

Making adjustments using the Game Filter Overlay can negatively impact gaming performance by lowering FPS, so it's best to avoid unless playing a single-player game where performance is less critical.

What alternative do AMD Radeon users have to adjust image vibrance?

AMD Radeon users can adjust the saturation slider in the Radeon Settings to achieve a similar effect to NVIDIA's Digital Vibrance.