Target Mode ON (which dims the non-active areas of the screen) in the OLED Settings* doesn’t dim a single line of pixels at the bottom (highly likely because it never dims windows taskbar). The problem seems to be the implementation of this dimming feature where the taskbar is never dimmed or considered a non-active area. The problem can be better explained by considering combinations of Target Mode and Windows Taskbar settings available in “OLED Settings”.
Scenario 1 (Windows Taskbar not hidden + Target Mode OFF) – The display renders to the satisfaction as tested in different games and applications.
Scenario 2 (Windows Taskbar hidden + Target Mode OFF) – The display renders to the satisfaction as tested in different games and applications.
Scenario 3 (Windows Taskbar not hidden + Target Mode ON) – Everything except the active window/application (which is brought into focus through a mouse click) and the windows taskbar are dimmed in this case, as intended. A key point to note here is that the windows taskbar is never dimmed (which might explain the issue at large). Also, the full screen applications do not have any non-active dimmed areas.
Scenario 4 (Windows Taskbar hidden + Target Mode OFF) – Everything except the active window/application in the focus and a single line of pixels is dimmed. That line of pixels (beyond which the taskbar is) should have been dimmed since it is non-active area. This is where the problem lies.
Note that Windows Taskbar is only pushed down towards the bottom when we say it is hidden. And hence probably why the bottom line of pixels with Target Mode ON are still considered active when the taskbar is hidden.
Since the problem can be captured in the screenshots, that means it occurs before the render data/information reaches the display controller which suggests the problem is unlikely in the panel itself and highly likely in the software implementation of the Target Mode with regards to the Windows taskbar.
*The “OLED Settings” refers to the options provided in the Armoury Crate application -> GameVisual -> OLED Settings
My Product -> ASUS Zephyrus G16 (2024) GU605MV
