TV Local Dimming Tuning for Games: Keep Detail Without Flicker

Local dimming can improve contrast or ruin stability with pumping and crush. Use this practical tuning order to keep detail and readable highlights without flicker.

Published:February 21, 2026 at 04:20 AM

Aleksandar Stajic

Updated: February 21, 2026 at 11:28 PM

Local dimming can make games look amazing — or it can create brightness pumping, crushed shadows, and instability that ruins readability. The goal is a stable setting you can keep, not the maximum contrast slider.

What Goes Wrong

Pumping: brightness changes during camera movement.
Crush: dark details disappear in HDR or dark scenes.
Flicker/instability: especially with VRR in dark content.

Tuning Order (Practical)

Enable Game Mode and disable extra processing first.
Set correct black level / RGB range (avoid false crush).
Start local dimming at a medium setting.
If pumping/crush appears, step down one level.
Choose SDR for that title if HDR becomes unstable or unreadable.

Rule: stable readability beats maximum contrast. If local dimming ruins clarity, reduce it.

Related Guides

Display Calibration

Stable baseline first.

RGB Range Fix

Stop washout/crush.

HDR vs SDR Matrix

Choose readable mode.

VRR Flicker Diagnosis

Stability-first fixes.

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