Black level

Quality factor black level

While a low black level means that the TV is capable of producing quite deep results, a high value indicates comparatively faint tones, which are sometimes perceived as more of a grey scale or foggy haze. As the result in this area becomes darker, the contrast increases and a more realistic, vivid reproduction of the content becomes possible.

The best quality in this area is currently achieved by OLED technology. This fact is not really surprising, however, because self-luminous pixels can simply be switched off completely and thus achieve a theoretically perfect black when required. LED-based TV devices are at a disadvantage here. Even Mini-LED models cannot keep up in ideal conditions.

Affected by Near Black Banding

However, as soon as fine gradations should still be visible on the screen, the corresponding models can have problems with so-called near black banding. This is when uneven stripes or block patterns appear in nearly black areas of the picture. 

This can be caused by factors such as voltage regulation, quality and accuracy of the control electronics and the characteristics of the panel itself. Ultimately, the black level is an important point when buying a television because it has a direct influence on the contrast ratio and picture depth.