Color banding or contour lines appearing on Dell S2716DG, S2417DG or S2817Q monitor

The Dell S2716DG, S2417DG, or S2817Q monitors  may experience issues with color banding or contour lines appearing on the display. This article provides more information on this issue.

Color banding or contour lines on Dell monitor with TN panel

The Dell S2716DG, S2417DG, or S2817Q monitor may experience issues with contour lines or color banding (Figure 1). This issue has only been seen on TN (Twisted Nematic) panel types used in the Dell S2716DG, S2417DG, and S2817Q monitors, and not on Dell monitors using the IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel type.

Figure 1: Example of contour lines on monitor with TN (Twisted Nematic) panel

For reference, the same image on an IPS panel-type monitor will appear correctly, as shown below (Figure 2):

Figure 2: Correct image as it appears on IPS panel

Solution

The Dell S2716DG, S2417DG, or S2817Q monitor which may experience this issue is working as designed and per industry standards.

When choosing between a TN (Twisted Nematic) or IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel type, you may wish to consider the following information. TN panels offer higher refresh rates and lower response times, while IPS panels offer a higher contrast ratio (providing superior black or dark colors), high color accuracy, and have very little color shift when changing the viewing angle. For these reasons, TN panels may be more appropriate for competitive gameplay, while IPS panels are a good choice when color reproduction is more important, such as in graphic design.