Color Temperature Test
See warm, neutral, and cool white reference colors at different Kelvin values to calibrate your monitor’s white point and color temperature setting.
What is color temperature?
Color temperature describes the white point of a light source in Kelvin (K). Lower values (2700-3200K) are warm and orange-yellow. Higher values (6500-10000K) are cool and blue-white. The standard monitor white point is D65 (6500K).
Common Kelvin values
- 2700K: Incandescent bulbs. Warm, cozy, not suitable for color work.
- 4000K: Warm white LED. Good for living spaces.
- 5000K: Bright daylight. Used in some print-proofing environments.
- 6500K: D65 standard. The international standard for monitors, TV, and imaging.
- 7500K: Overcast sky. Slightly cooler than D65.
- 9300K: Very cool. Common factory default in Asian markets, looks overly blue.
How to set monitor color temperature
Look for "Color Temperature" or "White Balance" in your monitor OSD. Most monitors offer presets (Warm, Normal, Cool) or a Custom mode where you can adjust RGB gains. For calibrated creative work, target D65 (6500K). For mixed office/evening use, 5500-6000K reduces eye strain without distorting colors significantly.
Pair this with our White Balance Test and Gamma Calibration.