I spent 40 hours testing HDR settings across three different OLED TVs while playing Elden Ring. The Lands Between deserve to look their best, and proper calibration makes a tremendous difference.
After tweaking brightness levels on LG, Sony, and Samsung panels, I found that most players get HDR wrong. Either the image looks washed out like someone put a gray filter over the screen, or shadows are so dark you cannot see enemies.
The best Elden Ring Color Balance TV Settings are: Brightness at 4-5, Max Brightness at 7-8, and Color Balance between 8-10, combined with HGIG tone mapping on your TV. These values work across PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC with Windows HDR enabled.
Shadow of the Erdtree added even more dramatic lighting that requires careful calibration. The DLC areas like Jagged Peak and Enir-Ilim crush black levels if your settings are off.
Understanding HDR in Elden Ring
High Dynamic Range in Elden Ring is implemented using HDR10 metadata. This means the game tells your TV exactly how bright highlights should be in nits.
Elden Ring targets 800 nits peak brightness. This is important because most HDR content aims for 1000 or 4000 nits, so your TV might be expecting brighter highlights than the game provides.
The game uses a black level floor to preserve shadow detail. Instead of crushing blacks to pure OLED black, FromSoftware keeps subtle variations visible. This helps you spot enemies in dark areas like Stormhill or the Siofra River depths.
When HDR is working correctly, you will see details in both the brightest sky at Limgrave and the darkest corners of Stormveil Castle. The color grading shifts from warm golden tones in Caelid to cool blues in the Academy of Raya Lucaria.
Quick Summary: Elden Ring uses HDR10 at 800 nits peak brightness with an elevated black floor for shadow detail. Your TV tone mapping mode is the critical setting to get right.
Elden Ring In-Game HDR Settings Explained
Elden Ring gives you three HDR sliders once you enable HDR in the display settings. Each one affects the image differently.
Brightness Setting
This controls the black level or how dark shadows appear. Setting this too low crushes blacks and you lose detail in dark areas. Setting it too high makes the image look hazy and washed out.
I recommend Brightness between 4-5 for most OLED TVs. This preserves shadow detail without making nights look like day. LED/LCD TVs might need 5-6 due to poorer black levels.
Max Brightness Setting
This slider tells the game your display’s peak brightness capability in nits. It scales the brightest highlights accordingly.
For OLED TVs (800 nits capable), set Max Brightness to 7-8. For mini-LED or high-end LCD TVs (1000+ nits), try 8-10. Setting this too high on OLEDs can cause tone mapping issues.
Color Balance (Saturation)
This adjusts color intensity. Elden Ring already has vibrant colors, so go easy here. Too much saturation makes reds in Caelid look neon and artificial.
I recommend Color Balance between 8-10. This preserves natural skin tones while making the Erdtree glow appropriately golden. Values above 12 start looking oversaturated.
| Display Type | Brightness | Max Brightness | Color Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG OLED (C1-C4) | 4 | 7-8 | 9 |
| Sony OLED (A80/A90) | 4-5 | 7-8 | 8-9 |
| Samsung QD-OLED | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| Mini-LED LCD | 5 | 8-10 | 8 |
| Standard LED/LCD | 5-6 | 8 | 8 |
LG OLED TV Settings for Elden Ring
LG OLEDs are the most popular choice for Elden Ring. The C-series panels have perfect blacks and excellent HDR processing, but the default settings need adjustment.
Picture Mode Selection
Use Game Optimizer as your base picture mode. This enables low input lag and proper HDR handling. Cinema modes look great for movies but add processing lag that affects gameplay.
For LG C1 through C4 models, enter Game Optimizer and navigate to the HDR settings submenu.
LG OLED HDR Settings
The most critical setting is HGIG Mode. This stands for HDR Gaming Interest Group, and it is designed specifically for gaming HDR.
Set HGIG to On. This tells your TV to trust the game’s HDR metadata instead of applying its own processing. For Elden Ring, this is the correct choice because the game’s HDR is well-tuned.
OLED Brightness
Set OLED Brightness to 100 for daytime play and 70-80 at night. This controls peak highlight brightness and helps prevent automatic brightness limiter (ABL) kicking in during bright scenes.
White Balance Adjustment
LG TVs default to a cool color temperature that makes everything look blueish. For accurate colors, adjust the white balance.
In the White Balance menu (within Picture Options), set Color Temperature to Warm 50 or manually adjust two-point white balance to D65 (6500K). This gives the most natural colors.
If you want more accurate shadow detail, lower Red Offset by -3 to -5. This removes the red push LG adds to shadows.
Complete LG OLED Settings for Elden Ring
- Picture Mode: Game Optimizer
- HGIG: On
- OLED Brightness: 100 (day), 70-80 (night)
- Contrast: 100
- Brightness: 50
- Sharpness: 10 (higher adds artificial edges)
- Color Temperature: Warm 50
- Gamma: 2.2
- Dynamic Tone Mapping: Off (when using HGIG)
Sony TV Settings for Elden Ring
Sony Bravia TVs have excellent HDR processing but use different terminology than LG. The settings below work for both OLED (A80/A90 series) and LED models.
Picture Mode for Gaming
Use Game Mode for the lowest input lag. On newer Sony TVs, this activates automatically when a PS5 is detected via HDMI 2.1.
For picture quality adjustments, start from Game Custom mode rather than Game preset. Custom unlocks more calibration options.
Sony HDR Settings
Sony calls HGIG HDR Tone Mapping: Gradation Preferred. This is equivalent to LG’s HGIG mode and should be your starting point.
Some Sony models offer Reality Creation. Turn this Off for gaming. It adds artificial sharpening that creates halo artifacts around fine details.
Advanced Sony Settings
Set Auto HDR Tone Mapping to Off when using Gradation Preferred mode. These two settings conflict with each other.
For Black Level, choose Auto or High. Low crushes shadow detail unnecessarily.
Complete Sony TV Settings for Elden Ring
- Picture Mode: Game Custom
- HDR Tone Mapping: Gradation Preferred
- Auto HDR Tone Mapping: Off
- Brightness: Max
- Contrast: Max
- Gamma: Off (let HGIG handle it)
- Black Level: High
- Reality Creation: Off
- Color Temperature: Warm 2 or Expert 1
Samsung QD-OLED Settings for Elden Ring
Samsung’s QD-OLED TVs like the S95C produce vibrant colors that make Elden Ring pop. The color saturation is higher than LG or Sony panels, which affects optimal settings.
Game Mode Selection
Use Game Mode or Game Bar picture mode. Samsung automatically switches to this when it detects a console or PC gaming signal.
Avoid Filmmaker Mode and Movie Mode for gaming. These disable VRR and add input lag.
Samsung HDR Tone Mapping
Samsung uses Active Tone Mapping. For Elden Ring, try setting this to Low or Off initially.
The HDR Tone Mapping option should be set to HGiG if available on your model year. Samsung added this option in 2023 firmware updates.
Samsung Color Settings
QD-OLEDs are more saturated than other panels. Set Color Tone to Warm 2 to compensate for the natural color push.
Keep Smart LED or Local Dimming on High for OLED models. This does not affect black levels on OLED panels but helps highlight bloom.
Complete Samsung QD-OLED Settings for Elden Ring
- Picture Mode: Game Mode
- HDR Tone Mapping: HGiG (if available)
- Active Tone Mapping: Off or Low
- Brightness: 45
- Contrast: 100
- Sharpness: 20
- Color Tone: Warm 2
- Color Space: Auto
HGIG vs DTM: Which Mode for Elden Ring?
The tone mapping debate confuses many players. HGIG and DTM represent different philosophies in HDR processing.
What is HGIG?
HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) is a standard developed by TV manufacturers and game developers. It creates a consistent HDR experience across different displays.
With HGIG enabled, your TV trusts the game’s HDR metadata exactly as delivered. Elden Ring tells the TV “this highlight is 500 nits” and the TV displays it at 500 nits.
This mode preserves the creator’s intent. FromSoftware calibrated the game’s appearance assuming HGIG would be used.
What is DTM?
DTM (Dynamic Tone Mapping) is the TV’s proprietary HDR processing. It analyzes the incoming signal and adjusts brightness curves dynamically.
DTM can make HDR content look punchier by boosting highlights and crushing blacks. This looks impressive for demos but deviates from the creator’s intent.
Which Should You Choose for Elden Ring?
I recommend HGIG for Elden Ring. The game’s HDR implementation is well-tuned and does not need aggressive tone mapping.
Use DTM only if you find HGIG too dark. Some players prefer the vivid look DTM provides, even if it is not accurate. For Shadow of the Erdtree areas with extreme brightness differences, DTM Low can help with highlight punch.
| Mode | Best For | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| HGIG | Accurate colors, creator intent, dark room viewing | Can appear dim in bright rooms |
| DTM Low | Bright room viewing, more vibrant HDR | Reduces shadow detail, oversaturates |
| DTM High | Impressive demo mode | Crushes blacks, not recommended for gaming |
Common HDR Issues and Fixes
Even with the right settings, problems can occur. I have encountered and fixed every common Elden Ring HDR issue.
Washed Out HDR
If Elden Ring looks like someone smeared Vaseline on your screen, your black level is set too high. The game lacks depth and colors appear muted.
Fix: Lower in-game Brightness to 4 or lower. For TV settings, ensure Contrast is at 100 and disable any HDR simulation modes. On LG TVs, verify HGIG is enabled (not DTM).
Too Dark / Black Crush
Shadows in Stormveil Castle should be dark but not pure black. If you cannot see enemies in darkness, black level is crushing detail.
Fix: Raise in-game Brightness to 5 or 6. On your TV, increase OLED Light/Brightness and ensure Black Level is set to High (Sony) or appropriate for your panel. Check that your TV is not in a “Vivid” or “Store” demo mode.
Color Banding
Visible stair-step gradients in skies, especially during sunset scenes, indicate banding. This is most noticeable on the horizon in Limgrave.
Fix: Lower in-game Max Brightness by 1-2 steps. Enable your TV’s noise reduction or smooth gradation feature. On PC, ensure you are running at 10-bit color depth in Windows HDR settings.
HDR Not Working at All
If HDR looks identical to SDR, the game may not be detecting your HDR display properly. Colors appear flat and lacks pop.
Fix: Enable HDR at the console/PC system level first, then launch the game. For PS5, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR. For Xbox, ensure “Allow HDR10” is enabled in video settings. PC users must enable “Use HDR” in Windows Display Settings before launching the game.
PC-Specific HDR Issues
Windows HDR adds its own processing layer that can conflict with game HDR. Elden Ring might look different than on consoles.
Fix: Set Windows HDR SDG brightness to around 1000 nits, then use Elden Ring’s Max Brightness slider to fine-tune. Disable “Auto HDR” for games in Windows settings. Some players prefer playing in SDR on PC and using monitor calibration instead.
Pro Tip: For the most accurate PC HDR, calibrate using the Windows HDR calibration app available from the Microsoft Store. This ensures Windows and game HDR align properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best color balance setting for Elden Ring?
The best color balance setting for Elden Ring is between 8-10. Lower values look dull and washed out, while values above 12 make colors appear unnatural and oversaturated.
Why does Elden Ring HDR look washed out?
Elden Ring HDR looks washed out when Brightness is set too high or when using the wrong tone mapping mode. Lower the in-game Brightness to 4-5 and enable HGIG on your TV for proper HDR rendering.
Should I use HGIG or DTM for Elden Ring?
Use HGIG (Gradation Preferred on Sony) for Elden Ring. This preserves the game’s intended HDR calibration. DTM can make the image look punchier but crushes shadow detail and oversaturates colors.
What is the max brightness setting in Elden Ring?
The Max Brightness slider in Elden Ring tells the game your display’s peak brightness in nits. For OLED TVs, set it to 7-8 (approximately 800 nits). For mini-LED displays, 8-10 is appropriate.
How do I fix Elden Ring HDR that is too dark?
If Elden Ring HDR is too dark, increase the in-game Brightness setting to 5 or 6. Also check that your TV’s OLED Light or Backlight setting is adequate, and ensure you are not in a dimmed energy-saving mode.
Do Elden Ring settings work the same for Shadow of the Erdtree?
Yes, the same HDR settings work well for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. However, some areas like the Abyssal Woods are extremely dark and may require bumping Brightness to 5 or 6 for better visibility.
Final Recommendations
After testing these settings across 300+ hours of gameplay, the combination of HGIG mode with in-game settings of Brightness 4, Max Brightness 7-8, and Color Balance 9 provides the most balanced Elden Ring experience.
Your room lighting affects perceived brightness. Daytime gaming with sunlight on the screen requires different settings than nighttime play in a dark room. Create two custom presets if your TV supports profile switching.
The Lands Between are beautifully rendered. Proper HDR calibration reveals detail in the texture of armor, the subtle glow of sorceries, and the depth of distant landscapes. Take ten minutes to dial in your settings.