Want to stay up to date with product and technology news? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Technology Glossary

Contrast Ratio

Contrast ratio is the ratio of white to black luminance on a display – e.g. 1000:1 – showing how well it separates the brightest and darkest tones.

Also known as: static contrast ratio, display contrast

Contrast ratio is the ratio between the luminance of a full-white pixel and a full-black pixel on a display. It measures how much the display can differentiate the brightest and darkest parts of an image. For example, a 1000:1 contrast ratio means the white level is 1000 times brighter than the black level.

A higher contrast ratio produces deeper blacks and more vivid whites and grays, enhancing image sharpness and readability, especially in challenging lighting. This is a key parameter for high-quality displays used in medical, industrial, and digital signage applications. Note that measured contrast can differ from perceived contrast depending on viewing angle, panel technology, and coatings.

In-depth articleScreen contrast – a technical guideRead the article

More on this topic

Unisystem

Need support with your display project?

Talk to our team about display selection, technical fit, customization options and next steps for your application.