GSYNC & 4K Monitors - No Actual 10-Bit Color Support?

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Zaccone

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TLDR - can anyone with a 4K GSYNC monitor (any make or model) confirm that 10-bit color is selectable in the NVIDIA Control Panel?

Details:
I picked up an Acer Predator XB321HK, which ostensibly sports a 10-bit panel, 60Hz refresh, and GSYNC. No matter what I do, however, I'm unable to select 10-bit color under the NVIDIA Control Panel. I can confirm my GTX 1080 allows selection of 10-bit color generally (tested with two other monitors, including an HP Dreamcolor), but don't have any other GSYNC monitors to test. I've tried multiple DP cables, and lowering the resolution and refresh rate, but am still limited to 8-bit color.

From a cursory search online, it looks like other people are also having issues getting 10 bit color on this and other 4K GSYNC monitors:

ACER XB321HK: BHPhoto Review Noting Only 8 Bit Color
ASUS PB278Q: 10 Bit Color Not Selectable

For that matter, do any GSYNC enabled displays allow selection of 10-bit color? I can't seem to find a single review of a GSYNC monitor that actually confirms you can select 10-bit color under the NVIDIA Control Panel - the selection should be enabled since at least driver version 353.06.
 
I'm pretty sure that Nvidia Geforce drivers don't allow 10bit colour even if the screen supports it? This may have changed recently with HDR, but I remember there being hubub about Nvidia only offering 10bit output on Quatro cards.
 
Since driver version 353.06 you can select 10-bit color under the NVIDIA Control Panel on consumer cards - there's a drop down on the 'change resolution' section, allowing you to select 8 or 10 bit color. This allows for full 10-bit support in certain apps and games, but it won't display the Windows desktop in full 10-bit (and some apps still require a Quadro card for full 10-bit support) - Alien Isolation, for example, allows full 10-bit color support with real 10-bit monitors. I've confirmed the 10-bit selection on several monitors with my GTX 1080, but nothing with GSYNC. So far, I haven't seen any confirmed reports of GSYNC monitor actually allowing 10-bit color in the NVIDIA Control Panel (instead, showing only 8-bit).
 
Have you tried disabling G-Sync? Turning Game Mode in the OSD off?

The only way to be sure of the requirements is to check the EDID. Unlike the PB287Q, the XB321HK is supposed to be a true 10-bit panel.
 
Armenius said:
Have you tried disabling G-Sync? Turning Game Mode in the OSD off?

The only way to be sure of the requirements is to check the EDID. Unlike the PB287Q, the XB321HK is supposed to be a true 10-bit panel.
Click to expand...
Disabling G-sync does not change anything.
The panel is 10-bit, but monitor is not. EDID says "8-bit".
 
Yep, I can confirm that adjusting settings on the XB321HK itself (including SRGB mode on off, etc) doesn't fix it. Fiddled with NVIDIA software settings too (e.g. turning off GSYNC under the NVIDIA Control Panel), and created custom resolution just to see if bandwidth was an issue. No dice. Still only allows 8-bit selection. MonInfo reports 8-bits in the EDID.

The PG287Q, though TN, apparently uses 8-bit + FRC to get it's claimed 1.07 billion colors. That method still allows for selection of 10-bit color via the NVIDIA Control Panel on other monitors. E.g. on the LG 34UM95, another 8-bit + FRC panel, 10-bit color is an option on a GTX 1080 (verified). Apps can then pass 10-bit info, and the monitor uses FRC to approximate a full 10-bit range. It's unclear if the XB321HK uses native 10-bit, or 8-bit+FRC, but either way, 10-bit should be selectable.

This all leads me to believe something about the GSYNC pathway, regardless of whether GSYNC itself is on or off, is preventing 10-bit color support.
 
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