The gamut represents the full range of colors that a screen can display. The wider the gamut, the more nuanced and realistic the images. But not all uses require the same colorimetric richness: gamers, film buffs and photographers have different needs. To choose the right monitor or TV, you need to understand which standards correspond to each type of content, and how the gamut influences the visual experience.
Which gamut for video games?
Almost all video games today, whether on PC or console, are developed for the sRGB color space. This is the universal standard for games, designed to guarantee color consistency on all screens, from desktop monitors to televisions. sRGB covers around 35% of the colors perceptible to the human eye, which is more than enough to faithfully reproduce the visual worlds imagined by studios. In concrete terms, if your screen covers sRGB correctly, you can be sure that the picture will be close to what the developers intended to convey.
There are, however, a few exceptions. Some games, often recent productions or titles optimized for next-generation consoles and high-end PCs, support HDR formats using a wider gamut. This is notably the case with Dolby Vision on Xbox Series X|S, which enhances brightness, contrast and colors to deliver a more realistic and immersive image. But this technology remains rare in video games, and requires both a compatible screen and a title that supports it. For the majority of gamers, sticking to a screen calibrated for sRGB remains the simplest and most compatible choice.
Which gamut for movies and TV series?
The Rec. 709 gamut is the direct ancestor of Rec. 2020 and remains the standard for high-definition television. It defines a more restricted gamut, but one that still corresponds to a large proportion of TV programs, online videos and classic Blu-rays. It’s perfectly suited to those who mainly watch TV, DTTV or HD content on platforms such as YouTube and Netflix. Its main asset is its universal compatibility: it has been supported by all screens for years, guaranteeing that the colors displayed will be faithful to the original source, even on older equipment.
DCI-P3 was born in the world of digital cinema. It offers a wider gamut than Rec. 709, and is now widely adopted by high-end TVs and monitors. It delivers more saturated, vivid colors, very similar to those seen in movie theaters. Platforms such as Disney+, Apple TV+ and Netflix often use it for their HDR content. A DCI-P3-compatible screen therefore offers greater immersion in films and series, with richer hues and a picture is closer to the filmmakers’ original intent.
The Rec. 2020 is a standard defined for very high-definition broadcasting, in particular 4K and 8K with HDR. It offers a very wide gamut, covering many more colors than sRGB or Rec. 709. It is mainly used for modern HDR content available on certain streaming platforms or Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. In practice, this allows you to enjoy richer nuances in dark areas, brighter whites and more subtle gradations. To benefit fully from this standard, you need a compatible TV or monitor and content produced in this color space. Films shot using this standard are rare, but their picture is particularly immersive.
🗒️ Expert's note
Dolby Vision is based on the Rec. 2020 color space, giving it a much wider color gamut than Rec. 709 or DCI-P3. Combined with its dynamic metadata, it makes full use of this extended gamut to deliver richer images, with subtle gradations and a rendering more faithful to production intentions.
Which gamut for photography and graphics?
For photographers, graphic designers and visual content creators, Adobe RGB is the benchmark. This standard offers a wider gamut than sRGB, particularly in green and cyan tones. It has been designed to match the reproduction capabilities of professional printers, enabling color fidelity to be maintained between screen and print. When an image is processed in Adobe RGB, more nuances are available, which is essential for precise retouching and processing photos intended for printing.
Working with an Adobe RGB screen, however, requires a suitable workflow: a camera capable of capturing in this space, compatible software and an export in the right format. If one of these links is missing, the benefit is reduced. But for a professional or knowledgeable amateur, a monitor with an Adobe RGB gamut is an essential investment to avoid unpleasant surprises when printing, such as colors that are dull or washed out compared to the picture on-screen.
Choosing a screen with the right gamut is essential if you want to get the most out of your content, whether it’s video games, films or visual creation. A gamer will often prefer sRGB, a film buff will opt for a wider gamut such as DCI-P3 or Rec. 2020, and a photographer will turn to Adobe RGB. For greater versatility, opting for a wider gamut remains a wise choice. In this case, less isn’t more, and a screen covering a wider color space will also faithfully render smaller gamuts. Understanding these differences enables you to make the right purchase, avoiding both unnecessary expense and loss of picture quality.
